The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-26
JOHN r. KINNEAR

JOHN h KINNEAR.
Mr.. John R Kinnear. the senatorial can
didate for the Twenty-eighth district. has
already proved himself an efficient law
maker. He was born near Lafayette. Ind.
July 20, 18a3. and in 1850 moved with his
parents to Walnut Grove. Woodford
county. Illinois. There he located on a
farm, and led the life of q farmer bov.
After studying in the schools he went 10 the
high school at Washington. Ill, and 10
EUREKA college. Having finished ct these
schools he took . four years. classical
course at Knox college, GAesburg, Ill.
While be was at this college the war of the
rebellion broke out: and In Au-
gust, 1862. he enlisted in company
A of the Eiehty-six,h Illinois volunteer
infantry. For three years. the foil time.
he carried . musket as private soldier in
the army Of the Cumberland under GEN.
erai Rosecrans, and afterward under
General Sherman. Although he was en-
gagged ir twenty or more Of the great
battles. he received only flesh wounds.
Among the conflicts in which he took part
were those Of PerryviIle, Nashville, Stone
River. Chickamanga, Missionary Ridge,
Buszard Roost. Resecca. Rome. Kenesaw
Mountain. Peach Tree Greek, the battles in
the siege Of Atlanta. and those in the
march through the two Caroiinas and
Virginia At Kenesaw Mountain he had
his knapsack. canteen and other accoutre-
ments shot of Of him At the close Of the
war. in accordance with the request Of his
comrades. he wrote and published Z his
tory OF his regiment and brigade, consist
ing Of 40 pages.
When the war was ended he took .
course of study at the Chicago Law School.
and after being admitted to the bar in 1858
he located At Paxton. Illinois. where he re-
manned in active practice for fifteen years.
He was city attorney there for three years.
master in chancery for his district for four
years. and attorney for the First National
bank of Paxton for ten years. He was
married June 2. 1868, to Rebecca Means. of
Bloomington, Illinois, and he has had two
children.
In the summer of 1882 he made q visit
with his family to Puget sound. and bein -
delighted with the country he concluded
to make it his permanent home. Accord
ingly in June. 1883. he located in Seattle.
In the fall OF the following year he was
elected to the legislature from King county
on the Republican ticket, and in the ses-
sion of 1855 he drafted and succeeded in
having enacted some ten or twelve i'm.
portant bills. Among them was q complet.
code of mining laws. the first enacted for
the territory; . bill providing short
forms for deeds. mortgages. etc. . bill re-
quiring purchasers at tar sales to give
actual notice to occupants Of land before
taking out tax deeds. so that the owner
might redeem his land; bill to incorpor.
ate private banks. and q bill to preyenr
fraudulent voting. Again. in 1888, he was
elected to the council or upper house Of
the legislature from King county, bat be
did not take his seat on account of the mas.
sage by congress of the enabling act for the
admission OF the state.
In June. 1889. he was chosen from thu
Twentieth district to the constitutional
convention, to draft constitution for the
new state. and be took an active part in
the framing OF the instrument. He was
chairman OF the committee on CORPORA.
tons; and among the other importanr
measures for which be worked we're the
clauses he succeeded in inserting in the
constitution forever prohibiting the form.
ing Of trusts, and also forbidding any ner.
son or corporation from i'm porting into tho
state armed bodies of men for anv nur.
pose.
He was in the race for the first governor
OF the new state, AID was backed by the
entire King county delegation OF thirty-
i've members. In the state Republican
convention at walla Walla he received LEO
votes out Of cs7. failing of the nomination
by nineteen votes. In November. last
year. he was elected from King county GEN.
ator to the hrst legislature OF the new state,
During the session he was chairman of
the judiciary committee Of the Sem
ate, and was the father az
many important bills. He it was who
drew the bills organizing the supreme and
superior courts of the state. He was the
author Of the primary election Law, Of the
registration Law, and OF the Australian bal.
lot Law. he drew most Of the laws defin-
ing ths duties OF the state officers; the
soldier home" bill; Law for prosecuting
public ofenses on information: for releas-
ing bondsmen after due notice; making il
terminal ofsnss for pubic oficer to
uss pubic funds entrusted 70 him; to pro