History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Horace G. McMillan
[H. G. McMillan]
HORACE G. McMILLAN was born in Wayne County, Ohio, May 20, 1854. When but three years of age his parents removed to Washington County, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. His education was acquired in the district school and the academies of Grandview and Washington. Later he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1880, immediately entering upon practice in Washington. He removed to Rock Rapids in Lyon County in 1882. In early days the bonds of that county had been fraudulently issued for $170,000 and the school districts had been bonded for sums ranging from $20,000 to $250,000 each. When legitimate settlers came in litigation was instituted to defeat the payment of these fraudulent bonds, and Mr. McMillan was employed to conduct some of the suits on behalf of the county and school districts. He tried them in the State and United States Supreme Courts, winning two of them, and thus saved thousands of dollars to the taxpayers. He served three terms as county attorney and in 1892 was chosen a member of the Republican State Central Committee, serving many years. In 1895 he was elected chairman of the committee and as such had charge of three State campaigns, conducting them with marked ability. In 1898 he was appointed by President McKinley United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. The same year he in company with Cyrenus Cole, late of the State Register, purchased the Cedar Rapids Daily Republican, of which they immediately assumed the management.