Born May 29, 1822, at a place near the line between the two states of Carolina, probably within the state of North Carolina. His parents, William and Mary McPherson, with their four small sons, removed to Morgan County, Indiana, about the year 1830. In Indiana in those days the people were poor. There were no free schools, with the result that schools were in session but a few months of the year, conducted by teachers who received their pay on the subscription plan. A Mr. Preston, an Englishman, taught for quite a time the country school near the McPherson home, and, being highly educated, he had much to do in directing the habits and mind of M. L. McPherson. During the school years of 1846 and 1847 he attended Asbury University, at Greencastle, Indiana. He then studied law, as was the custom of those days, in a law office. Mr. McPherson removed to Arkansas to engage in the practice of law, but after staying there two years he returned to his old home in Indiana, where he remained about a year, teaching school. While in western Illinois he became acquainted with Miss Mary E. Tibbies, who later became his wife. Mr. McPherson conceived the idea that Iowa was the place for him to reside. Accordingly, without money and without friends with money or influence, he walked from Carthage, Illinois, to Winterset, Iowa, then but a village, where he arrived in the spring of 1850. He taught a term of school in the old log courthouse at Winterset; he cut cordwood along some streams and split some rails, but it was not long until he had clients. He soon became quite prominent in the new Republican Party but although much of his time was taken up by politics he continued his law practice. His practice was interrupted by his military service during the Civil war but following his return to civil life he resumed his practice, forming a partnership with B. F. Murray. In 1870 Mr. McPherson was elected district attorney for the third Iowa judicial district and in the following January entered upon the duties of that office. The district included the counties of Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Montgomery, Page, Adams, Taylor, Union, Ringgold, Decatur and Clarke and his official duties required him to attend court in each county twice a year. Mr. McPherson was a man of the highest principles and was an uncompromising enemy of evil in all forms. He had a bitter hatred of saloons and the liquor traffic and delivered temperance addresses in the villages and at the country settlements in Madison and adjoining counties while living in Winterset. A few years after his arrival in this city he became a leader in the formation of the new Republican Party. He took part in the campaign of 1856, supporting Fremont for the presidency. He was a delegate at large at the Chicago convention of 1860, at which Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the republican candidate for president. McPherson worked sincerely and heartily for the election of Mr. Lincoln and was a presidential elector on the republican ticket. He was twice elected to the state senate from the district comprising Madison, Adair, Guthrie and Dallas counties, serving eight years. The last session of which he was a member was in the winter of 1862. That was the formative period for building railroads and the railroad committee, of which he was a member, was one of the most important committees. He was also a member of the judiciary committee. He was one of the leaders in securing legislation which gave a married woman the right to own property, to make contracts, to sue and be sued, and which gave her the same right in her husband's property as the husband had in the wife's property at death. The legislation then adopted with reference to the rights of women has remained upon the statute books until the present day. The name of Mr. McPherson was urged for the office of secretary of state by Madison County in 1860 and in 1861 that county supported him for the nomination for congress. Five years later he was again a candidate for nomination to congress but on the second day of the convention his name was withdrawn at his request.

Born May 29, 1822, at a place near the line between the two states of Carolina, probably within the state of North Carolina. His parents, William and Mary McPherson, with their four small sons, removed to Morgan County, Indiana, about the year 1830. In Indiana in those days the people were poor. There were no free schools, with the result that schools were in session but a few months of the year, conducted by teachers who received their pay on the subscription plan. A Mr. Preston, an Englishman, taught for quite a time the country school near the McPherson home, and, being highly educated, he had much to do in directing the habits and mind of M. L. McPherson. During the school years of 1846 and 1847 he attended Asbury University, at Greencastle, Indiana. He then studied law, as was the custom of those days, in a law office. Mr. McPherson removed to Arkansas to engage in the practice of law, but after staying there two years he returned to his old home in Indiana, where he remained about a year, teaching school. While in western Illinois he became acquainted with Miss Mary E. Tibbies, who later became his wife. Mr. McPherson conceived the idea that Iowa was the place for him to reside. Accordingly, without money and without friends with money or influence, he walked from Carthage, Illinois, to Winterset, Iowa, then but a village, where he arrived in the spring of 1850. He taught a term of school in the old log courthouse at Winterset; he cut cordwood along some streams and split some rails, but it was not long until he had clients. He soon became quite prominent in the new Republican Party but although much of his time was taken up by politics he continued his law practice. His practice was interrupted by his military service during the Civil war but following his return to civil life he resumed his practice, forming a partnership with B. F. Murray. In 1870 Mr. McPherson was elected district attorney for the third Iowa judicial district and in the following January entered upon the duties of that office. The district included the counties of Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Montgomery, Page, Adams, Taylor, Union, Ringgold, Decatur and Clarke and his official duties required him to attend court in each county twice a year. Mr. McPherson was a man of the highest principles and was an uncompromising enemy of evil in all forms. He had a bitter hatred of saloons and the liquor traffic and delivered temperance addresses in the villages and at the country settlements in Madison and adjoining counties while living in Winterset. A few years after his arrival in this city he became a leader in the formation of the new Republican Party. He took part in the campaign of 1856, supporting Fremont for the presidency. He was a delegate at large at the Chicago convention of 1860, at which Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the republican candidate for president. McPherson worked sincerely and heartily for the election of Mr. Lincoln and was a presidential elector on the republican ticket. He was twice elected to the state senate from the district comprising Madison, Adair, Guthrie and Dallas counties, serving eight years. The last session of which he was a member was in the winter of 1862. That was the formative period for building railroads and the railroad committee, of which he was a member, was one of the most important committees. He was also a member of the judiciary committee. He was one of the leaders in securing legislation which gave a married woman the right to own property, to make contracts, to sue and be sued, and which gave her the same right in her husband's property as the husband had in the wife's property at death. The legislation then adopted with reference to the rights of women has remained upon the statute books until the present day. The name of Mr. McPherson was urged for the office of secretary of state by Madison County in 1860 and in 1861 that county supported him for the nomination for congress. Five years later he was again a candidate for nomination to congress but on the second day of the convention his name was withdrawn at his request.

Born May 29, 1822, at a place near the line between the two states of Carolina, probably within the state of North Carolina. His parents, William and Mary McPherson, with their four small sons, removed to Morgan County, Indiana, about the year 1830. In Indiana in those days the people were poor. There were no free schools, with the result that schools were in session but a few months of the year, conducted by teachers who received their pay on the subscription plan. A Mr. Preston, an Englishman, taught for quite a time the country school near the McPherson home, and, being highly educated, he had much to do in directing the habits and mind of M. L. McPherson. During the school years of 1846 and 1847 he attended Asbury University, at Greencastle, Indiana. He then studied law, as was the custom of those days, in a law office. Mr. McPherson removed to Arkansas to engage in the practice of law, but after staying there two years he returned to his old home in Indiana, where he remained about a year, teaching school. While in western Illinois he became acquainted with Miss Mary E. Tibbies, who later became his wife. Mr. McPherson conceived the idea that Iowa was the place for him to reside. Accordingly, without money and without friends with money or influence, he walked from Carthage, Illinois, to Winterset, Iowa, then but a village, where he arrived in the spring of 1850. He taught a term of school in the old log courthouse at Winterset; he cut cordwood along some streams and split some rails, but it was not long until he had clients. He soon became quite prominent in the new Republican Party but although much of his time was taken up by politics he continued his law practice. His practice was interrupted by his military service during the Civil war but following his return to civil life he resumed his practice, forming a partnership with B. F. Murray. In 1870 Mr. McPherson was elected district attorney for the third Iowa judicial district and in the following January entered upon the duties of that office. The district included the counties of Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Montgomery, Page, Adams, Taylor, Union, Ringgold, Decatur and Clarke and his official duties required him to attend court in each county twice a year. Mr. McPherson was a man of the highest principles and was an uncompromising enemy of evil in all forms. He had a bitter hatred of saloons and the liquor traffic and delivered temperance addresses in the villages and at the country settlements in Madison and adjoining counties while living in Winterset. A few years after his arrival in this city he became a leader in the formation of the new Republican Party. He took part in the campaign of 1856, supporting Fremont for the presidency. He was a delegate at large at the Chicago convention of 1860, at which Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the republican candidate for president. McPherson worked sincerely and heartily for the election of Mr. Lincoln and was a presidential elector on the republican ticket. He was twice elected to the state senate from the district comprising Madison, Adair, Guthrie and Dallas counties, serving eight years. The last session of which he was a member was in the winter of 1862. That was the formative period for building railroads and the railroad committee, of which he was a member, was one of the most important committees. He was also a member of the judiciary committee. He was one of the leaders in securing legislation which gave a married woman the right to own property, to make contracts, to sue and be sued, and which gave her the same right in her husband's property as the husband had in the wife's property at death. The legislation then adopted with reference to the rights of women has remained upon the statute books until the present day. The name of Mr. McPherson was urged for the office of secretary of state by Madison County in 1860 and in 1861 that county supported him for the nomination for congress. Five years later he was again a candidate for nomination to congress but on the second day of the convention his name was withdrawn at his request.

Born May 29, 1822, at a place near the line between the two states of Carolina, probably within the state of North Carolina. His parents, William and Mary McPherson, with their four small sons, removed to Morgan County, Indiana, about the year 1830. In Indiana in those days the people were poor. There were no free schools, with the result that schools were in session but a few months of the year, conducted by teachers who received their pay on the subscription plan. A Mr. Preston, an Englishman, taught for quite a time the country school near the McPherson home, and, being highly educated, he had much to do in directing the habits and mind of M. L. McPherson. During the school years of 1846 and 1847 he attended Asbury University, at Greencastle, Indiana. He then studied law, as was the custom of those days, in a law office. Mr. McPherson removed to Arkansas to engage in the practice of law, but after staying there two years he returned to his old home in Indiana, where he remained about a year, teaching school. While in western Illinois he became acquainted with Miss Mary E. Tibbies, who later became his wife. Mr. McPherson conceived the idea that Iowa was the place for him to reside. Accordingly, without money and without friends with money or influence, he walked from Carthage, Illinois, to Winterset, Iowa, then but a village, where he arrived in the spring of 1850. He taught a term of school in the old log courthouse at Winterset; he cut cordwood along some streams and split some rails, but it was not long until he had clients. He soon became quite prominent in the new Republican Party but although much of his time was taken up by politics he continued his law practice. His practice was interrupted by his military service during the Civil war but following his return to civil life he resumed his practice, forming a partnership with B. F. Murray. In 1870 Mr. McPherson was elected district attorney for the third Iowa judicial district and in the following January entered upon the duties of that office. The district included the counties of Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Montgomery, Page, Adams, Taylor, Union, Ringgold, Decatur and Clarke and his official duties required him to attend court in each county twice a year. Mr. McPherson was a man of the highest principles and was an uncompromising enemy of evil in all forms. He had a bitter hatred of saloons and the liquor traffic and delivered temperance addresses in the villages and at the country settlements in Madison and adjoining counties while living in Winterset. A few years after his arrival in this city he became a leader in the formation of the new Republican Party. He took part in the campaign of 1856, supporting Fremont for the presidency. He was a delegate at large at the Chicago convention of 1860, at which Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the republican candidate for president. McPherson worked sincerely and heartily for the election of Mr. Lincoln and was a presidential elector on the republican ticket. He was twice elected to the state senate from the district comprising Madison, Adair, Guthrie and Dallas counties, serving eight years. The last session of which he was a member was in the winter of 1862. That was the formative period for building railroads and the railroad committee, of which he was a member, was one of the most important committees. He was also a member of the judiciary committee. He was one of the leaders in securing legislation which gave a married woman the right to own property, to make contracts, to sue and be sued, and which gave her the same right in her husband's property as the husband had in the wife's property at death. The legislation then adopted with reference to the rights of women has remained upon the statute books until the present day. The name of Mr. McPherson was urged for the office of secretary of state by Madison County in 1860 and in 1861 that county supported him for the nomination for congress. Five years later he was again a candidate for nomination to congress but on the second day of the convention his name was withdrawn at his request.