Product Code Database
John Bachop Gilfillan (February 11, 1835 – August 19, 1924), known as J.B., was a Minnesota politician and lawyer active in the late 19th century.
Voters placed Gilfillan in his first statewide office in a special election for Minnesota Senate in 1875. He served as a state senator for 10 years, first representing Minnesota's District 25 and later District 28. In 1881 he sponsored a bill to give the Chippewa citizenship and the right to vote.Daily Globe, Feb 18, 1883, p.2, Chronicling America, 2024, Library of Congress [1]Daily Globe, Feb, 19, 1883, p.7, Chronicling America, 2024, Library of Congress [2] He left the senate in 1884 to pursue national office and was elected to the United States Congress to represent Minnesota's 4th congressional district. He served one term but was not re-elected in 1886 when St. Paul mayor Edmund Rice won. He followed that loss with extensive travel to Europe and the Middle East.
Gilfillan had been appointed a regent of the University of Minnesota by Minnesota Governor Pillsbury in 1880, and after serving eight years, remained in an advisory capacity. While serving in the Minnesota Senate, he was on the Committee of University Lands and was instrumental in development of the University's Agricultural Experiment Station. Gilfillan endowed the University of Minnesota with $50,000 in 1901 for student scholarships. In 1903, Gilfillan was president of the First National Bank. He continued to work with the bank as a member of its board of directors from 1905 until at least 1907.
|
|
