William Julian Albert (August 4, 1816 – March 29, 1879) was a

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from the fifth district of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, serving from 1873 to 1875.

Early life

William Julian Albert was born on August 4, 1816, in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

to a family of German descent. His father was Jacob Albert. Albert graduated from

Mount St. Mary's College Mount Saint Mary's University, Los Angeles (known as Mount St. Mary's College until January 2015) is a private, Catholic university primarily for women, in Los Angeles, California. Women make up ninety percent of the student body. It was found ...

in 1833.

Personal life

Albert married Emily J. Jones in 1838, daughter of Talbot Jones. Albert was the brother of Augustus James Albert, owner of the Mount Vernon Hotel.

Career

Albert engaged in hardware business with his father and brother from 1838 to 1855. Until 1862, Albert was a director of the Baltimore and Cuba Smelting and Mining Company. He also engaged in banking. He was a prominent Union leader in Maryland and worked to prevent the secession of the State during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He was also one of the founders and directors of the First National Bank of Maryland, and director of several insurance companies, savings banks, and manufacturing companies. Albert was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1866 to the Fortieth Congress and in 1868 to the Forty-first Congress, but was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to the Forty-third Congress, serving from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1875. He was not a candidate for re-election to the Forty-fourth Congress in 1874, and resumed his former business pursuits. Albert worked to found the

Soldiers' Home The Soldiers' Home is an historic Italianate style building in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Located at 739 E. 35th Street, the Home was built in a series of phases from 1864 to 1923, designed by William W. Boyington and other architects. ...

and an asylum for orphans and worked to assist African American

freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), abolitionism, emancipation (gra ...

during the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

, co-founding a school for black teachers in Baltimore.

Death

Albert died in Baltimore on March 29, 1879, after suffering from

Bright's disease Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that are described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. It was characterized by swelling and the presence of albumin in the urine, and was frequently accompanied b ...

. He is interred in

Greenmount Cemetery Green Mount Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established on March 15, 1838, and dedicated on July 13, 1839, it is noted for the large number of historical figures interred in its grounds as well as man ...

References

*''Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896''. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1963. 1816 births 1879 deaths Politicians from Baltimore Burials at Green Mount Cemetery Mount St. Mary's University alumni People of Maryland in the American Civil War Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland 19th-century American politicians {{Maryland-politician-stub