Stevenson Archer

Stevenson Archer (October 11, 1786 – June 26, 1848) was a judge and United States Representative from Maryland, representing the sixth district from 1811 to 1817 and from 1819 to 1821. His son Stevenson Archer and father John Archer were also U.S. Congressmen from Maryland.

Early life Archer was born at Medical Hall, near Churchville, Harford County, Maryland, on October 11, 1786, to Catherine (née Harris) and John Archer. He attended Nottingham Academy of Maryland, later graduating from Princeton College in 1805. He studied law, was admitted to the bar of Harford County, Maryland, in 1808, and commenced practice the same year.

Career From 1809 to 1810, Archer served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, and was later elected as a Democrat-Republican to the Twelfth United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Montgomery. He was reelected to the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Congresses and served from October 26, 1811, until March 3, 1817.

In Congress, Archer served as chairman of the Committee on Claims (Thirteenth Congress), and as a member of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Navy (Fourteenth Congress). During the War of 1812, he was paymaster to the Fortieth Maryland Militia, and was appointed on March 5, 1817, by President James Madison as United States judge for the Territory of Mississippi, with powers of Governor, holding court at St. Stephens. On October 6, 1809, Archer was the first man to be made a Master Mason in Mount Ararat Lodge No. 44, in Bel Air Maryland, one of the states oldest and most respected Masonic Lodges. He served as Worshipful Master of the Lodge sometime between 1816 and 1820; the exact year is unknown due to the loss of Lodge records for those years.

Archer was a slave owner.

Death Archer died on June 26, 1848, at Medical Hall. He is interred in the Churchville Presbyterian Church cemetery.