John Louis MacDonald (February 22, 1838 – July 13, 1903) was a United States representative from Minnesota and a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life

MacDonald was born February 22, 1838, in Glasgow, Scotland. He immigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada, with his parents. In 1847, the family settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They again moved in 1855, to Minnesota, and settled in Scott County, where MacDonald studied law.

Legal career

MacDonald was admitted to the bar in 1859 and commenced practice at Belle Plaine, Minnesota. He served as a judge of the probate court of Scott County in 1860 and 1861. During the Civil War he was commissioned to enlist and muster volunteers for the Union Army. He also served as prosecuting attorney of Scott County in 1863 and 1864.

Political career

MacDonald served as county superintendent of schools in 1865 and 1866. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, serving in 1869 and 1870; and then served in the Minnesota Senate in 1871 and from 1873 to 1876. He ran unsuccessfully candidate for attorney general in 1872 on the Democratic ticket. He was then elected mayor of Shakopee in 1876. He was elected judge of the eighth judicial district of Minnesota in 1876 for a term of seven years and reelected without opposition in 1883. In 1886, he was elected as a Democrat to the

50th congress The 50th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887, ...

; he subsequently resigned as judge. He served in Congress from March 4, 1887, to March 3, 1889. He ran again in 1888, but lost. He subsequently returned to being a lawyer in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In 1898, he moved to

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

, where he continued to practice law.

Death

MacDonald died from heart disease at his home in Kansas City on July 13, 1903. He was working as a lawyer until his death. He was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Kansas City.

References

Minnesota Legislators Past and Present
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, John L. 1838 births 1903 deaths 19th-century American judges 19th-century American politicians American prosecutors School superintendents in Minnesota Mayors of places in Minnesota Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Democratic Party Minnesota state senators Minnesota state court judges Missouri lawyers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota Road incident deaths in Missouri People from Shakopee, Minnesota People from Belle Plaine, Minnesota People of Minnesota in the American Civil War Politicians from Glasgow Union Army soldiers American people of Scottish descent Pre-Confederation Canadian emigrants to the United States Scottish emigrants to pre-Confederation Nova Scotia Probate court judges in the United States 19th-century American educators