William Plunkett Maclay
Introduction


**William Plunkett Maclay** (August 23, 1774 – September 2, 1842\) was a member of the [United States House of Representatives](/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives "United States House of Representatives") from [Pennsylvania](/wiki/Pennsylvania "Pennsylvania").

William P. Maclay (son of [Samuel Maclay](/wiki/Samuel_Maclay "Samuel Maclay") and nephew of [William Maclay](/wiki/William_Maclay_%28Pennsylvania_senator%29 "William Maclay (Pennsylvania senator)")) was born in [Northumberland County, Pennsylvania](/wiki/Northumberland_County%2C_Pennsylvania "Northumberland County, Pennsylvania"). He was [prothonotary](/wiki/Prothonotary "Prothonotary") of [Mifflin County, Pennsylvania](/wiki/Mifflin_County%2C_Pennsylvania "Mifflin County, Pennsylvania"), from 1808 to 1814, and a member of the [Pennsylvania House of Representatives](/wiki/Pennsylvania_House_of_Representatives "Pennsylvania House of Representatives").

Maclay was elected as a Democratic\-Republican to the [Fourteenth](/wiki/14th_United_States_Congress "14th United States Congress") Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of [Thomas Burnside](/wiki/Thomas_Burnside "Thomas Burnside"). He was reelected to the [Fifteenth](/wiki/15th_United_States_Congress "15th United States Congress") and [Sixteenth](/wiki/16th_United_States_Congress "16th United States Congress") Congresses. He was not a candidate for renomination in [1820](/wiki/United_States_House_election%2C_1820 "United States House election, 1820"). He was a member of the State convention to alter and amend the constitution at [Harrisburg, Pennsylvania](/wiki/Harrisburg%2C_Pennsylvania "Harrisburg, Pennsylvania"), in 1837\. He was later engaged as a surveyor and in agricultural pursuits. He died in [Milroy, Pennsylvania](/wiki/Milroy%2C_Pennsylvania "Milroy, Pennsylvania"), in 1842\. Interment in Milroy Presbyterian Cemetery.


What are the typical characteristics of someone who becomes a Democratic-Republican member of Congress?