Armstead Milton Alexander[a] (May 26, 1834 – November 7, 1892) was an American attorney and politician from Missouri who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1883 to 1885.
After spending time in California during the gold rush, he attended the University of Virginia, studied law, and attained admission to the bar.
He practiced in Paris, and as a slaveowner, he was initially sympathetic to the Confederacy at the start of the American Civil War, but he took the oath of loyalty to the Union in 1862.
A sought-after orator, he was frequently called upon to give convention nomination speeches and keynote addresses, as well as speaking at campaign events and holiday gatherings.
[14][15] he remained involved in business, and his interests included serving on the board of directors of the Hannibal and Central Missouri Railroad.
[32] Alexander achieved a legislative success when he secured passage of an amendment to the Edmunds Act which was intended to prevent secret, polygamous marriages after Utah attained statehood.
[36] In June 1888, he was a delegate to the convention that nominated the Democratic candidate for the Missouri Senate from the district that included Monroe County.
[38][39] In 1889, Governor David R. Francis appointed Alexander to the committee organized to advocate and plan for a world's fair in St. Louis, which culminated in the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
[40] In January 1890, he was appointed to the board of trustees of the Female Orphan School in Fulton, Missouri, now William Woods University.
[41] In June 1890, he was a delegate to the Democratic nominating convention that selected James Brinton Gantt as a candidate for the Supreme Court of Missouri.
[42] In October 1891, Governor Francis appointed Alexander as his Congressional district's delegate to the National Farmers' Congress held at Sedalia, Missouri, which proposed legislation intended to improve American agriculture.