Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/351

  an amendment to the Federal Constitution for the entire abolition of slavery. This was the first action taken by a State which resulted in such an amendment. In 1876 he was elected Attorney-General of the State on the Republican ticket, in which position he served two terms. He died many years ago. JOHN McKEAN is a native of the State of Pennsylvania, born in Lawrence County on the 19th of July, 1835. He was an infant when his father removed to Ohio and located on a farm where the boy received his early education. Later he attended New Richmond College. In 1854 John and a brother came to Iowa in an emigrant wagon, taking a claim at Scotch Grove in Jones County, where they opened a farm. He read law at Anamosa in Jones County, was admitted to the bar and there began to practice. In 1865 he was elected to the House of the Eleventh General Assembly serving two terms, after which he was promoted to the Senate where he served in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth General Assemblies. Mr. McKean was an able and influential legislator and did good service for the Agricultural College and the State University; for six years he was a regent of the latter. He secured the establishment of an additional penitentiary at Anamosa. In 1872 he was elected judge of the Circuit Court, where he remained for many years. HORACE G. McMILLAN was born in Wayne County, Ohio, May 20, 1854. When but three years of age his parents removed to Washington County, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. His education was acquired in the district school and the academies of Grandview and Washington. Later he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1880, immediately entering upon practice in Washington. He removed to Rock Rapids in Lyon County in 1882. In early days the bonds of that county had been fraudulently issued for $170,000 and the school districts had been bonded for sums ranging from $20,000 to $250,000 each. When legitimate settlers came in litigation was instituted to defeat the payment of these fraudulent bonds, and Mr. McMillan was employed to conduct some of the suits on behalf of the county and school districts. He tried them in the State and United States Supreme Courts, winning two of them, and thus saved thousands of dollars to the taxpayers. He served three terms as county attorney and in 1892 was chosen a member of the Republican State Central Committee, serving many years. In 1895 he was elected chairman of the committee and as such had charge of three State campaigns, conducting them with marked ability. In 1898 he was appointed by President McKinley United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. The same year he in company with Cyrenus Cole, late of the State Register, purchased the Cedar Rapids Daily Republican, of which they immediately assumed the management.