Machen, Lewis H. (Lewis Henry), 1790-1863

Clerk of the U.S. Senate and farmer, of Fairfax County, Va.

From the description of Family papers, 1802-1938. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 34576610

From the description of Lewis H. Machen family papers, 1802-1938 (bulk 1830-1879). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 76960553

Biographical Note: Lewis H. Machen was a Senate clerk and Virginia farmer.

He was born in Maryland, February 22, 1790 and worked for nearly fifty years as a clerk in the office of the Secretary of the U.S. Senate. He is credited with removing archives of the Senate before the British advance on Washington in 1814. Machen supported the Whigs and was critical of Andrew Jackson during the presidential election of 1828, and he wrote several anti-Jackson articles that were published in the "National Intelligencer." In 1843, Machen purchased a farm in Fairfax County, Virginia named "Walney." Machen and his family left the farm during the Civil War to reside in Baltimore, MD where he died August 11, 1863.

From the description of Lewis H. Machen notebook, 1817-1830. (Johns Hopkins University). WorldCat record id: 48394892

Biographical Notes

Lewis Henry Machen

• 1790, Feb. 22: Born, Maryland
• 1806: Moved to Washington, D.C.
• 1809 - 1836 : Employed as engrossing clerk and executive clerk in the office of the Secretary of the United States Senate
• 1812, Oct. 15: Married Cynthia Pease (d. Oct. 15, 1815)
• 1814: Prince Georges County, Md. Prince George's County Purchased a farm in Prince Georges County, Md. Washington Washington Removed records and papers of the United States Senate to safety during burning of Washington by the British
• 1816: Married Caroline Webster; moved to Washington, D.C.
• 1828: Wrote articles for the National Intelligencer in support of candidacy of John Quincy Adams
• 1836 - 1859 : Principal clerk of the United States Senate
• 1843: ("Walney") Walney House Isle of Walney Fairfax County, Va. Fairfax County Purchased farm ("Walney"), Fairfax County, Va., for family residence
• 1859: Resigned position in the United States Senate and retired to "Walney"
• 1862: Moved to Baltimore, Md.
• 1863, Aug. 11: Died, Baltimore, Md.

Arthur Webster Machen

• 1827, July 20: Born, Washington, D.C.
• 1842: Washington, D.C. Washington, D. C. District of Columbia Graduated from Mr. Abbot's School, Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D. C. District of Columbia Attended Columbian College, Washington, D.C.
• 1843: "Walney," Walney House Isle of Walney Fairfax County, Va. Fairfax County Moved to "Walney," the family farm, Fairfax County, Va.
• 1849: Cambridge, Mass. Cambridge Entered Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Mass. Assisted father in the office of the Secretary of the United States Senate
• 1851: Bachelor of Law degree, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Mass.
• 1853: Admitted to the bar; settled in Baltimore, Md., and became associated in legal practice with Richard J. Gittings
• 1859: Declined gubernatorial appointment as judge, Superior Court of Baltimore City, Md.
• 1861, April: United States United States Maryland Maryland Declined appointment as United States District Attorney for the District of Maryland
• 1873, Feb. 13: Married Minnie J. Gresham
• 1882: Firm of Gittings and Machen dissolved upon death of Gittings
• 1897 - 1898 : President of the Bar Association of Baltimore City, Md.
• 1915, Dec. 19: Died, Baltimore, Md.

From the guide to the Lewis H. Machen Family Papers, 1802-1938, (bulk 1830-1879), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)