Senator John Jackson Selman View All Years

JOHN JACKSON SELMAN was born in Franklin county, Alabama, January 17, 1818; he died in Bloomfield, Iowa, September 27, 1904. He grew to manhood on his father’s farm, receiving his education at Perryville Institute, near St. Genevieve, Missouri. He began the study of medicine with an older brother, Dr. S. H. Selman, who had settled at Columbus, Indiana. He graduated from the Medical College of Ohio, in 1837, and practiced his profession at Rushville, Indiana, but in 1841 removed to Jackson township, Van Buren county, Iowa. Three years later he migrated to Davis county, and located a land claim three miles west of the present city of Bloomfield. Here he resumed the practice of medicine, in which he continued up to a short period before his death. He attained a wide and enviable reputation as a physician and surgeon. He was the oldest physician in his county and had especially endeared himself to the pioneer people. He was elected a member of the constitutional convention of 1846, of which body he is understood to have been the last survivor. He was elected to the State senate of the First General Assembly, which convened at Iowa City, November 30, 1846. In the classification which obtained at that time he drew the short term of two years. He was re-elected and on December 5, 1848, was chosen president of that body—the office of lieutenant-governor and president of the senate not existing until the adoption of the constitution of 1857. In 1850 he resumed his seat as senator, with the addition of Wayne county to his district. Of his associates in the Senate of 1848, Hon. P. M. Casady of Des Moines is believed to be the last surviving member. In 1848 he was one of the four Iowa Presidential electors and his vote with the others was cast for General Lewis Cass for President of the United States. This last service closed his political career, though he continued throughout his life to take a deep interest in the public affairs of Davis county. Among his personal friends he was always proud to remember James Harlan, George W. Jones, George G. Wright, Gov. W. M. Stone, and War Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood.