John McDermeid Gearin (August 15, 1851 – November 12, 1930) was an American politician and attorney from the state of Oregon. A native of the eastern portion of the state, he represented Portland on the western side of the state in the Oregon House of Representatives. Originally an independent politician, he later became a Democrat and lost an election to serve in the United States Congress before winning appointment to the Senate in 1905. He also was Portland's city attorney and a district attorney.
Gearin was appointed by U.S. President Grover Cleveland in 1893 as special prosecutor for the government concerning cases of opium fraud.[1] He was then appointed to the United States Senate by Oregon Governor George Earle Chamberlain to fill the vacancy caused by the death of sitting Senator John H. Mitchell in 1905.[1] Gearin served from December 13, 1905, until January 23, 1907, and was not a candidate for election in 1907 to fill the vacancy.[1]
Later years
After leaving the Senate he returned to his law practice in Portland.[2] John Gearin died on November 12, 1930, at the age of 79 in Portland. He was buried in that city at the Mount Calvary Cemetery.[1] He had been a member of the Knights of Columbus.[3]
References
^ abcdefg"John McDermeid Gearin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
^ abcCorning, Howard M. (1989) Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 97.
^ abcdColmer, Montagu, and Charles Erskine Scott Wood. 1910. History of the Bench and Bar of Oregon. Portland, Or: Historical Pub. Co. p. 138.