House 1869-70 (District 18); Senate 1871 (District 18); Senate 1873-76 (District 21)
Party when first elected: Democratic
Counties Served:
Scott
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
| Date of Birth: 02/22/1838 (uncertain)
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Date of Death: 07/13/1903
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| Birth Place: Glasgow
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Birth County: |
Birth Country: Scotland |
| Other Names: J.L., Jno. L. |
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| Alternate Spelling of Last Name: McDonald, Macdonald |
| Gender:
Male
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Religion: Not Reported
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City of Residence (when first elected):
Shakopee
Occupation (when first elected):
Lawyer/Retired Newspaper Publisher, Belle Plaine Enquirer/Former Owner and Editor, Shakopee Argus
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EDUCATION
Pittsburgh Schools, Pennsylvania; At Least Elementary School; Academic Education
Studied Law; With Judge Chatfield; Admitted to the Bar, 1858 or 1859
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
| Military | Union Army (United States Civil War, Enlist and Muster Volunteers) | | ??/??/186? to ??/??/186? |
| Judge | Probate Court, Scott County, Minnesota (Judge of Probate) | Elected | ??/??/1860 to ??/??/1861 |
| County Attorney | Scott County, Minnesota (Prosecutor) | | ??/??/1863 to ??/??/1864 |
| School Board/Administration | Scott County, Minnesota (Superintendent of Schools) | | ??/??/1865 to ??/??/1866 |
| Municipal Mayor | Shakopee, Minnesota (City Mayor) | Elected | ??/??/1875 to ??/??/1876 |
| Judge | 8th Judicial District, Minnesota | Elected | ??/??/1876 to ??/??/1886 |
| U.S. Representative | 3rd Congressional District, Minnesota | Elected | 03/04/1887 to 03/03/1889 |
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Mary Hennessy (married on June 22, 1861)
Children:
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
Colin Francis MacDonald
- Brother
GENERAL NOTES
Toensing and The Fifteenth Legislature of Minnesota, 1873 list his birth year as 1836; the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress and Progressive Men of Minnesota, 1897 both list 1838.
Toensing and the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1869 list his last name as McDonald. The Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, and The Fifteenth Legislature of Minnesota, 1873 list MacDonald. Minnesota in Three Centuries, Progressive Men of Minnesota, 1897; and the Minnesota Legislative Manuals, 1875, and 1876 list Macdonald. The Minnesota Legislative Manuals, 1871, 1873 and 1874 list both McDonald and MacDonald. The Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1870 lists both MacDonald and Macdonald.
He moved from Scotland to Nova Scotia, Canada, with his parents. He came to the United States in 1846. They moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1847. He then moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in spring 1855. He came to Belle Plaine, Minnesota in fall 1855. He moved to Shakopee, Minnesota in 1861.
"Although he has always been affiliated with the Democratic party, he maintains a high degree of independence in his political beliefs, and at present regards himself as an independent in politics." (Progressive Men of Minnesota, 1897)
He "joined the People's Party in 1892, and afterwards served as chairman of the state central committee of that organization." (Progressive Men of Minnesota, 1897)
He ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic party endorsed candidate for Minnesota Attorney General in the 1872 election.
He ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic party endorsed candidate for reelection to the United States House of Representatives in the 1888 election.
"Another prominent Democrat was John Louis Macdonald." (Twelfth State Legislature. Minnesota in Three Centuries, 1908, p. 37)
He died from injuries related to a streetcar accident in Kansas City, Missouri. He was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.