Allan Bowie Magruder (c. 1775 – April 16, 1822) was an American poet, historian, lawyer, and politician, who served as aUnited States Senator fromLouisiana from September 3, 1812, to March 3, 1813.

Allan Bowie Magruder was born in eitherVirginia^[1] orKentucky^[2] in 1775, the son of George Frazer Magruder and Eleanor Bowie. George Frazer Magruder was a great-grandson of Alexander Magruder, aScotsman who immigrated toMaryland as an indentured servant after being captured in theBattle of Worcester.^[3] The Magruder surname has been spelled various ways.^[4] Allan pursued an academic course in the common schools of Kentucky, and then studied law. In 1791, Allan requestedSecretary of StateThomas Jefferson’s help in obtaining a clerkship in the War Treasury Department.^[5] Allan was admitted to thebar in 1796 or 1797 inLexington, Kentucky, where he practiced law.^[2]

Magruder was one of Kentucky’s first poets, and his poetry was published in theKentucky Gazette from 1802 to 1803. His poetry attracted attention in theWestern United States. No more than three or four of his poems survive.^[6][7]

Magruder, also a historian, wrote an essay titledThe Character of Thomas Jefferson in 1800, first appearing in theKentucky Gazette. It was widely reprinted, and, in 1803, reappeared in a Kentucky periodical calledThe Medley.^[5][7] Magruder authored a 150-page volume titledReflections on the Late Cessions of Louisiana to the United States in 1803.^[7] In his work, which he dedicated to President Jefferson, Magruder “described the political, agricultural, and commercial advantages of Louisiana,” and the future of the newly acquired territory's economic development. Some views Magruder expressed in his work include the relocation ofNative Americans, as well as the colonization of freedAfrican-Americans.^[8] In his work, Magruder also expressed his belief thatCuba would one day be under the control of the United States.^[9] Magruder sent his work to Jefferson, as evidenced by a letter he wrote to him before February 7, 1804:^[5]

Magruder next considered the possibility of writing a history of theIndian Wars. His book plan was highly publicized, and Magruder obtained material for the work.^[7][10] Magruder and President Jefferson are known to have corresponded on this subject.^{[5][7][10][11]} Simultaneously, Magruder also considered writing, and collected material for, a history of Kentucky.^[7] Magruder also considered writing a biography ofGeorge Rogers Clark.^[5]

Magruder's earlier essay onThomas Jefferson likely caused Jefferson, as president, to appoint Magruder Commissioner of Lands inOrleans Territory, nowLouisiana, in July 1805.^[5][7] However, this caused Magruder, in August, to suspend his research on his three most recent literary projects, which would remain unfinished.^[5][7][10] Magruder chose to turn over his material for his history of Kentucky to his friend, John Bradford, who used them to writeNotes on Kentucky.^[7] Magruder relocated toOpelousas, Louisiana, inSt. Landry Parish, in order to fulfill his new government job. As a federal agent, Magruder investigated land claims in Louisiana, but was dismissed in 1806, possibly as a result of intemperance.^[5]

In 1806, theKentucky Gazette printed Magruder's observations on Native American battles, ceremonial customs, religion, likely drawn from his earlier research on the subject of the Indian Wars.^[10]

When Magruder was not involved in politics in Louisiana, he practiced law.^[2]

Eventually, Magruder was elected to theLouisiana House of Representatives.^[2] In 1811, Magruder was elected to be a delegate to theLouisiana Constitutional Convention. He chaired the committee tasked to write the state's constitution.^[5] The constitution was modeled after theConstitution of Kentucky, Magruder's home state, however, aBill of Rights was excluded, the law system was based oncivil law, and instead of counties, the state was divided inparishes. The constitution was drafted on January 22, 1812, and Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812.^[12][13] Magruder was chosen as one of two agents to exhibit the constitution to PresidentJames Madison.^[5]

In September 1812, Magruder, aDemocratic-Republican, receiving 21 votes, was elected by theLouisiana State Legislature to be one of Louisiana's first two United States Senators in the12th United States Congress along withJean Noel Destrehan.^[14] They took office on September 3, 1812.^[15] Magruder served as a United States Senator from Louisiana from September 3, 1812, to March 3, 1813.^[2] Lots were drawn to determine the class assignments of the new Senators on November 27, 1812, and Magruder was assigned to Class 1, although he would later be designated as a Class 3 Senator.^[16] As a result of his class assignment, Magruder served a six-month term in theUnited States Senate, set to expire on March 3, 1813.^[16] In 1812, Magruder voted to increase thenavy, and to inquire into the expediency of takingEast Florida. In 1813, Magruder voted to better organize the army, to confirm the appointment ofJohn Armstrong to beSecretary of War, to withdraw troops fromSouth Florida (the measure failed), to confirm the appointment of William Henry Harrison as Major General, and to again increase the navy.^[17] In total, Magruder missed 25 out of 89roll call votes in the senate, which translates to him missing 28.1% of roll call votes. Magruder's roll call absence is considered to be much worse than the average lifetime percentage, 14.9%, of roll call votes missed by senators serving when Magruder left office.^[18] Magruder is one of 45 U.S. Senators not represented in the Senate Historical Office Photo Collection.^[19] Magruder left office as a United States Senator from Louisiana on March 3, 1813, after serving a six-month term.^[2] He was succeeded byEligius Fromentin.^[15]

After his six-month tenure in the Senate, Magruder resumed the practice of law in Louisiana.^[2] For the rest of his life, Magruder did not write any more scholarly works.^[7] Magruder is not known to have been married, or to have had issue. Magruder was a slave owner.^[20] Magruder died inOpelousas, Louisiana, aged 47, on April 16, 1822.^[2][7] InKentucky in American Letters, author John Wilson Townsend hails Magruder as “a man of high culture and of high promise.”^[7]

Media related toAllan B. Magruder at Wikimedia Commons

• Allan Bowie Magruder entry atThe Political Graveyard

• 1770s births
• 1822 deaths
• Poets from Louisiana
• Historians from Louisiana
• People from Kentucky
• Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives
• United States senators from Louisiana
• Kentucky lawyers
• Louisiana Democratic-Republicans
• 19th-century American lawyers
• 19th-century United States senators
• 19th-century members of the Louisiana State Legislature

• CS1 errors: ISBN date
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Commons category link from Wikidata
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