George Colin McKee

George Colin McKee (October 2, 1837 – November 17, 1890) was a Republican U.S. Representative from Mississippi whose public career spanned the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the post-Reconstruction era. Born in Joliet, Illinois, he came of age in a rapidly developing Midwestern state and would later play a notable role in the political reorganization of the postwar South. Over the course of four terms in Congress, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his Mississippi constituents while the nation grappled with the challenges of reunification and civil rights.

McKee pursued his education in Galesburg, Illinois, attending both Knox College and Lombard College. While there he studied law, preparing for a professional career in the legal field. He was admitted to the bar in 1858 and commenced the practice of law in Centralia, Illinois. Almost immediately he became involved in local public affairs, reflecting an early interest in civic life and governance that would later carry him into state and national politics.

From 1858 to 1861 McKee served as city attorney of Centralia, Illinois, combining his legal training with municipal responsibilities. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he entered the Union Army, serving in the Eleventh Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. His wartime service aligned him with the Union cause at a time of profound national crisis and provided him with experience that would shape his later role in Reconstruction politics. After the war concluded, he moved south and resumed the practice of law in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he also engaged in planting in Hinds County, integrating himself into the economic and social life of his adopted state.

As a Republican in Mississippi during Reconstruction, McKee quickly became active in public affairs. In 1867 he was appointed register in bankruptcy, a position of particular importance in the postwar South as individuals and businesses struggled with the financial consequences of the conflict. He served as a delegate to the Mississippi constitutional convention of 1868, participating directly in the reorganization of the state’s fundamental law and the reestablishment of civil government under Reconstruction policies. His role in the convention underscored his prominence within the state Republican Party and his commitment to reshaping Mississippi’s political institutions.

McKee’s congressional career began amid the complexities of Reconstruction-era representation. He was elected as a Republican to the Fortieth Congress, but his credentials were never presented to the House, reflecting the unsettled status of former Confederate states during the early Reconstruction period. He was subsequently elected as a Republican to the Forty-first, Forty-second, and Forty-third Congresses, serving from February 23, 1870, to March 3, 1875. During these three consecutive terms, he contributed to the legislative process at a time when Congress addressed issues of readmission, civil rights, and the governance of the expanding nation. In the Forty-third Congress he served as chairman of the Committee on Territories, a position that placed him at the center of debates over the administration and development of U.S. territories and their path toward statehood.

After leaving Congress in 1875, McKee returned to his legal practice, continuing his professional work in Mississippi. Remaining aligned with the Republican Party, he also held important federal appointments in the state. He was appointed postmaster of Jackson, Mississippi, serving from June 28, 1881, to November 12, 1885, thereby overseeing the city’s postal operations during a period of continued regional adjustment following Reconstruction. Later, he served as receiver of public moneys from 1889 until his death, managing federal funds and land-related revenues in Mississippi.

George Colin McKee died in Jackson, Mississippi, on November 17, 1890, while still in federal service as receiver of public moneys. He was interred in Greenwood Cemetery in Jackson. His career, spanning municipal service in Illinois, military duty in the Civil War, active participation in Mississippi’s Reconstruction government, four terms in Congress, and subsequent federal appointments, reflected the broader national transitions of the mid- to late nineteenth century and the complex process of reintegrating the Southern states into the Union.