Alexander Mebane, Jr. (November 26, 1744 – July 5, 1795) was a

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from the state of

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

from 1793 to 1795. He was also a brigadier general in the North Carolina militia during the Revolutionary War.

Early life

Alexander Mebane, Jr. was one of twelve children born to Alexander Mebane, Sr. and Mary Tinnin. Born in Lancaster County in the

Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn, who received the land through a grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania was derived from ...

, he moved to Hawfields, North Carolina, Hawfields, Province of North Carolina, North Carolina, by the time his father received a land grant in 1754. Mebane attended common schools in Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County. He served as a delegate to the North Carolina Provincial Congress, Provincial Congress of North Carolina in 1776, was named justice of the peace in 1776, the first sheriff of Orange County under statehood in 1777, and auditor of the Hillsborough, North Carolina, Hillsborough district in 1783 and 1784.

Military service

Alexander served in the following positions during the American Revolution: * Colonel in the Southern Orange County Regiment of militia (1776–1777) * Colonel over the Orange County Regiment of militia (1777–1780) * Commissary General for the State of North Carolina, with the rank of Brigadier General (1780–1783) * Colonel of the horse for the Hillsborough District (1788) * General of the Hillsborough District (1789)

Political career

Mebane was an Anti-Federalist member of the conventions in Hillsborough in 1788 and in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Fayetteville in 1789 which considered ratification of the United States Constitution. Mebane served in the North Carolina House of Commons from 1787 to 1792, unsuccessfully ran for the North Carolina's 2nd congressional district, 2nd congressional district in 1791, and was elected to the 3rd United States Congress in 1792, where he served one term representing the North Carolina's 4th congressional district, 4th congressional district (March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795). He was re-elected to the 4th United States Congress, but died before the term began. Mebane was one of the original trustees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Death

Alexander Mebane, Jr. died at Hawfields in Orange County, on July 5, 1795, shortly after he finished his first term in Congress. He is buried at First Hawfields Burying Ground, Cheeks Township, Orange County, North Carolina. Mebane, North Carolina is named for him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mebane, Alexander 1744 births 1795 deaths Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina Militia generals in the American Revolution Politicians from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania People from Alamance County, North Carolina North Carolina sheriffs North Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution Military personnel from Pennsylvania Mebane family, Alexander 18th-century members of the United States House of Representatives Candidates in the 1790–1791 United States elections