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JOHN McKINLEY
was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, on May 1, 1780,
but at an early age moved with his family to Kentucky.
He studied law on his own and as admitted to the bar in
1800. McKinley practiced law for a time in Frankfort,
the state capital, and Louisville, the commercial center.
McKinley then moved to Alabama and settled in Huntsville,
where he became active in politics. McKinley was elected
to the Alabama State Legislature in 1820, 1831, and 1836.
In 1826, the Legislature elected him to the United States
Senate, where he served until 1831. He was elected to
the United States House of Representatives in 1833 and
served one term. In 1837, Congress expanded the Supreme
Court from seven to nine members. In that same year, the
Alabama Legislature re-elected McKinley to the United
States Senate. However, McKinley accepted an appointment
to one of the two new Supreme Court seats from President
Martin Van Buren on September 18, 1837. The Senate confirmed
the appointment on September 25, 1837. McKinley served
on the Supreme Court for fourteen years. He died on July
19, 1852, at the age of seventy-two. |
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