John Bachop Gilfillan 8th Master of Cataract Masonic Lodge #2-- 1863
Little Sketches of Big Folks in
Minnesota (Publ. 1907) Transcribed by Nancy OverlanderGilfillan John B,
Minneapolis. Res Clifton av, office 721 guaranty bldg.. Lawyer. Born Feb 11,
1835 in barnet Vt, son of Robert Gilfillan. Married in 1870 to Rebecca C
Oliphant. Educated in Caledonia Academy Peacham Vt. Moved to St Anthony 1855 and
engaged as teacher. Studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1860. Practiced
alone 1860-71. Member firm of Lochren, McNair & Gilfillan 1871-85;
Gilfillan, Belden & Williard 1885-94. Organizer of Mechanics Inst for
literary culture 1859. Organizer and dir of St Anthony School Board; county atty
Hennepin county 1863-67, 1869-71 and 1872-75. State senator 1875-85. Elect of U
S House of Representatives 1884. Regent of U of M 1880-88.
The lengthier Story below was digested from a book
called Progressive men of Minnesota. (Shutter, Marion
Daniel, 1853-ed.) Minneapolis Brother John was a Notable Minnesota Mason and
member of Cataract Masonic Lodge #2 in Minneapolis Minnesota.. having been
initiated passed and raised a Master Mason in Feb and Mar of 1857.
John Bachop Gilfillan iwas a lawyer in Minneapolis. His grand
parents on his father's side emigrated from Balfron, Sterling, Scotland, in
1794, and his mother from Glasgow in 1795, and they eventually settled in
Caledonia County, Vermont. As the name indicates the neighborhood was populated
by emigrants from Scotland, and here in the town of Barnet, Bro John Bachop
Gilfillan was born 11 Feb 1835. His father, Robert Gilfillan, was a farmer, and
the early years of his boyhood were spent on the farm, with attendance at the
district school in the winter. When he was twelve years old his parents moved to
the town of Peacham, and he prepared himself for Dartmouth College at the
Caledonia Academy, located in that town. In order to contribute to his own
support he began teaching in the district schools at the age of seventeen. His
brother-in-law, Captain John Martin, had settled in St. Anthony, Minnesota, and
Mr. Gilfillan came to visit him in October, 1855, hoping to obtain a position as
teacher, but expecting to return later and enter college. The position as
teacher was obtained, and the attractions of the West proved to be so strong
that he never returned to college. He began the study of law with Nourse &
Winthrop, afterwards with Lawrence & Lochren, and in 1860 was admitted to
the bar. He formed a partnership with J. R. Lawrence, which continued until his
partner entered the army. Mr. Gilfillan then practiced law alone until 1871,
when the firm of Lochren, McNair & Gilfillan was formed. Judge Lochren was
subsequently appointed to the district bench, and Mr. McNair died in 1885. In
1885, the survival firm of Gilfillan, Belden & Williard wasthen formed. Mr.
Gilfillan, and the firms with which he has been connected enjoyed a large share
of the most lucrative and important law practice in the state. He was engaged as
an attorney of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad; Chicago, St.
Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad, and the Minneapolis Eastern Railroad.
Mr. Gilfillan often took an active interest in educational matters. As early as
1859 he helped to organize the Mechanics' Institute for Literary Culture, in St.
Anthony. He drew up the bill for the organization of the St. Anthony school
board, under which the system of graded schools was introduced, and served as a
director for nearly ten years. In 1880 he was appointed regent of the state
university, and served in that position for eight years. Mr. Gilfillan was a
Republican in politics and held several offices, beginning with that of city
attorney of St. Anthony soon after his admission to the bar. He was elected
county attorney of Hennepin County in 1863, and served until 1867; again from
1869 to 1871, and from 1873 to 1875. In 1875 he was elected to the upper house
of the state legislature, and served in that capacity for ten consecutive years.
In the earlier years of his service in the senate he was chairman of the
committee on taxes and tax laws, and raised these laws into a code which
constitute the chief body of the revenue system of the state. Perhaps the most
important piece of legislation in which he performed a leading part was that
providing for the adjustment of the state railroads bonds. He in fact dictated
the terms of the compromise bill which became the law upon which the adjustment
was made. In 1884 Mr. Gilfillan was elected to congress from the district then
including both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
At the expiration of his term of office
Mr. Gilfillan took his family to Europe and having placed his children in school
in Dresden spent nearly two years and a half in travel, visiting every country
of Europe except Portugal, and extending his travels into Egypt and the Holy
Land. He then returned to the practice of his profession in Minneapolis, in
which he was engaged.He was a member and an officer of Westminster Presbyterian
Church. Mr. Gilfillan was married in 1870 to Miss Rebecca C. Oliphant, of
Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He has four children living. The mother died March
25, 1884. In June, 1893, Mr. Gilfillan was married to Miss Lavinia Coppock, of
New Lisbon, Ohio, but at the time of the marriage was a resident of Washington,
D. C......
Per
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress -
http://bioguide.congress.gov: GILFILLAN, John
Bachop, a Representative
from Minnesota; born in Barnet, Caledonia County, Vt., February 11, 1835;
attended the common schools; was graduated from the Caledonia County Academy in
1855; moved to Minneapolis, Minn.; taught school; studied law; was admitted to
the bar in July 1860 and commenced practice in Minneapolis, Minn.; member of the
board of education 1860-1868; city prosecuting attorney 1861-1864; prosecuting
attorney of Hennepin County 1863-1867 and 1869-1873; alderman of the city of
Minneapolis 1865-1869; member of the State senate 1875-1885; regent of the
University of Minnesota at Minneapolis 1880-1888; elected as a Republican to the
Forty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1885-March 3, 1887); unsuccessful candidate for
reelection in 1886 to the Fiftieth Congress; resumed the practice of law; died
in Minneapolis, Minn., August 19, 1924; interment in Lakewood
Cemetery.
Rebecca
Corse Oliphant was the first wife of John Bachop Gilfillan. Rebecca passed away
March 25, 1884, 8 days after the birth of their 5th child, David
W.
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