Samuel James Renwick McMillan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator fromMinnesota | |
| In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1887 | |
| Preceded by | Alexander Ramsey |
| Succeeded by | Cushman Kellogg Davis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1826-02-22)February 22, 1826 Brownsville, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | October 3, 1897(1897-10-03) (aged 71) Saint Paul, Minnesota, US |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Harriet Butler |
| Alma mater | University of Pittsburgh |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Stillwater Frontier Guards |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | Dakota War of 1862 |
Samuel James Renwick McMillan (February 22, 1826 – October 3, 1897) was an Americanlawyer,judge andRepublicanpolitician. He served on theMinnesota District Court, theMinnesota Supreme Court and asU.S. Senator fromMinnesota.
McMillan was born inBrownsville, Pennsylvania in 1826. His parents Thomas Long and Jane McMillan (née Gormly) were of Scottish and Irish ancestry. He attended theUniversity of Pittsburgh (then known as theWestern University of Pennsylvania) inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania and studied law underEdwin M. Stanton, graduating in 1846. In 1850 he married Harriet Butler. McMillan and his wife moved to Minnesota in 1852, initially settling inStillwater and later moving toSt. Paul.[1][2]
When Minnesota achieved statehood in 1858 McMillan was named as the first judge of the newly formed Minnesota District Court. During theDakota War of 1862 McMillan served as a Second Lieutenant in a militia unit known as the Stillwater Frontier Guards which was only briefly active.[2][3] In 1864 he was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court as one of two new justices to replace the recently resigned JusticesCharles Eugene Flandrau andIsaac Atwater. In 1874 he was promoted toChief Justice to replaceChristopher G. Ripley who had also resigned. In 1875, theMinnesota Legislature elected him to serve as U.S. Senator. He served in the44th,45th,46th,47th,48th, and49th United States Congresses from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1887.[4][5]
McMillan did not stand for re-election in 1886 and returned to his law practice after the end of his term. He died inSaint Paul on October 3, 1897. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery in St. Paul, Minnesota.[5]
Ravi D. Goel collection of Samuel James Renwick McMillan family papers, 1818-1956, Minnesota Historical Society. The collection includes photos, personal letters, transcribed documents, and printed publications from 1818 to 1956. These papers span five generations & include a direct connection to the Revolutionary War and the 1890 Battle of Wounded Knee. A collection overview and inventory is available via thisblog post)[6]
| U.S. Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 1) from Minnesota 1875–1887 Served alongside:William Windom,Alonzo J. Edgerton,Dwight M. Sabin | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 | ||
| Commerce and Manufactures (1816–1825) | | |
|---|---|---|
| Commerce (1825–1947) | ||
| Interstate Commerce (1887–1947) | ||
| Interstate and Foreign Commerce/Commerce (1947–1977) | ||
| Commerce, Science, and Transportation (1977–present) | ||
 | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
