James B. McKean

James Bedell Mckean (August 5, 1821 - January 5, 1879) was a U.S. Representative from New York during the American Civil War.

McKean was born in Bennington, Vermont. He was a nephew of Samuel McKean.Mckean moved to New York and pursued an academic course. He taught in the district schools for several terms and was one of the professors in Jonesville Academy for some time. He was the superintendent of the common schools in Half Moon in 1842.

Mckean was elected colonel of the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Militia, in 1844.He studied law.He was admitted to the bar in 1849 and commenced practice in Ballston Spa, New York.He moved to Saratoga Springs in 1851. County judge of Saratoga County 1854-1858.

Mckean was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1859-March 3, 1863).He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of State (Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses). During the Civil War organized the Seventy-seventh Regiment, New York Volunteers, in 1861 and served as colonel of the regiment until July 27, 1863, when he resigned his commission.He was appointed treaty commissioner to Honduras in 1865.He was appointed chief justice of the supreme court of Utah Territory by President Grant in 1870 and served until 1875.He died in Salt Lake City, Utah, January 5, 1879.He was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery.

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