William Pinkney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Pinkney
United States Senator from Maryland
In office December 21, 1819 – February 25, 1822
Preceded by	Alexander Hanson
Succeeded by	Samuel Smith
United States Envoy to Russia
In office January 13, 1817 – February 14, 1818
President	James Madison James Monroe
Preceded by	John Quincy Adams
Succeeded by	George W. Campbell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 5th district
In office March 4, 1815 – April 18, 1816
Preceded by	Alexander McKim
Succeeded by	Peter Little
7th United States Attorney General
In office December 11, 1811 – February 9, 1814
President	James Madison
Preceded by	Caesar Rodney
Succeeded by	Richard Rush
United States Minister to the United Kingdom
In office April 27, 1808 – May 7, 1811
President	Thomas Jefferson James Madison
Preceded by	James Monroe
Succeeded by	Jonathan Russell
3rd Attorney General of Maryland
In office 1805–1806
Governor	Robert Bowie
Preceded by	Luther Martin
Succeeded by	John Thomson Mason
Mayor of Annapolis
In office 1794–1795
Preceded by	James Williams
Succeeded by	Allen Quynn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1791 – November 9, 1791
Preceded by	Benjamin Contee
Succeeded by	John Mercer
Personal details
Born	(1764-03-17)March 17, 1764 Annapolis, Province of Maryland, British America
Died	February 25, 1822(1822-02-25) (aged 57) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Spouse	Ann Rodgers
Signature

William Pinkney (born March 17, 1764 – died February 25, 1822) was an important American leader and diplomat. He served as the seventh U.S. Attorney General for President James Madison.

Early Life and Education

William Pinkney was born in 1764 in Annapolis, Maryland. His family's home was near the Severn River. From there, they could see the Chesapeake Bay. William had English family roots.

Pinkney went to a private school called King William school. His teacher, Mr. Brefhard, was very impressed by William's intelligence. Even though William left school at age thirteen, Mr. Brefhard continued to teach him privately at home.

Pinkney also studied medicine, but he never worked as a doctor. Instead, he studied law by working with an experienced lawyer. This was a common way to become a lawyer back then. He became a lawyer in 1786. After working as a lawyer for two years, he was chosen to be a delegate for Maryland's state constitution meeting.

William Pinkney was known for being a great speaker. He used language very well and was always clear and pleasant when he spoke.

Pinkney married Anne Rodgers. They had ten children together. One of their sons, Edward Coote Pinkney, became a famous poet. Sadly, he passed away from tuberculosis before he turned 26.

A Career in Public Service

In April 1788, William Pinkney was chosen to be a delegate for Maryland's meeting to approve the United States Constitution. This was the start of his long career in politics.

Pinkney held many important jobs in government. He worked at the local, state, and national levels. He was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1788 to 1792, and again in 1795. He also served as the mayor of Annapolis from 1795 to 1800.

He became a U.S. Congressman for Maryland in 1790, serving in 1791. After the War of 1812, he was elected again in 1814. He served as a congressman from 1815 to 1816.

Pinkney also had many appointed roles. In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson made him the Attorney General for Pennsylvania. Later, Jefferson appointed him as the Attorney General of Maryland, where he worked from 1805 to 1806.

Diplomatic Missions

Pinkney became a diplomat, representing the United States in other countries. In 1806, he worked with James Monroe as a U.S. Minister to Great Britain. President Jefferson asked them to stop Britain from bothering American ships.

They tried to make a deal called the Monroe–Pinkney Treaty. However, this treaty did not stop the British from forcing American sailors to join their navy. Because of this, President Jefferson did not approve the treaty.

Pinkney continued to serve as a special diplomat from 1808 to 1811. After that, he returned to Maryland and served in the Maryland State Senate in 1811. In the same year, President James Madison chose him to be his Attorney General.

War of 1812 and Later Roles

During the War of 1812, Pinkney became a major in the U.S. Army. He was hurt in a battle called the Battle of Bladensburg in Maryland in August 1814.

After the war, he served as a congressman again from 1815 to 1816. President James Monroe then appointed him as the U.S. Minister to Russia from 1816 to 1818. He also went on a special trip to the Kingdom of Naples.

Pinkney was a very successful lawyer. He argued many important cases in front of the Supreme Court. One famous case was McCulloch v. Maryland (1819). In this case, the Supreme Court agreed that the U.S. Congress had the right to create the Bank of the United States.

In 1818, Pinkney was elected by the state government to be a U.S. Senator for Maryland. He served from 1819 until he passed away in 1822. He is buried at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C..

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899)