From a log cabin in his youth, to prosperity, honor and distinction in later life, from the country at fourteen to the shrewd business man, skilled lawyer, respected citizen and just Judge at forty-five, is in brief the history of Hon. Samuel M. McGregor. Uneventful was his early life. Born 1-17-1849 in a log cabin in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, he alternated between farm and town life in that county attending school in the winter months, until fourteen years of age, when his parents in 1863 left Ohio and located at Flora, Clay county, IL. During their short residence of but two years at Flora, the yound man gained some experience in business matters, being employed as clerk in a grocery store and later in a drug store in the same capacity, when not in attendance at school. In 1865 his parents removed to Poland, Clay Co., IN, where his father, Dr. John C. McGregor engaged in the practice of medicine and his brothers entered into the general merchandise business, while the subject of this skektch procured a teacher's license and between that time and 1868 taught two winter terms and one summer term of school in Clay county and one winter term in Putnam county. When not engaged in teaching he employed his time in the study of medicine in his father's office until the fall of 1868 when he entered Wabash college at Crawfordsville and remained there three years, until the spring of 1871, when ill health made it necessary for him to retire. Having gained favor as a speaker and debator, he was selected as the representative of his college class in a prize oratorical contest and he succeeded in gaining first honors and the prize. July 1, 1871 Mr. McGregor entered the office of Enos Miles at Bowling Green as a law student and on the tenth day of the same month was admitted to the bar. In June 1872 he received the Democratic nomination at Spencer as a candidate for District Attorney, the Common Please district then comprising the countiew of Putnam, Clay, owen and Greene, and was elected, but the Legislature by enactment abolished the Common Pleas Court and relieved him of his office. September 19, 1875, he was married to Miss Belle Major, of Bowling Green. In 1876 Mr. McGregor was a candidate for State Senator before the Democratic convention of Clay and Owne counties, there being two other candidated from Clay county. At this time a bitter county-seat war was being waged, the effort being to change the counety-seat from Bowling Green to Brazil. After repeated ballots in the stormy convention it was ascertained McGregor had a majority of the votes, but he being a resident of Bowling Green and pressumably favorable, to the county-seat remaining there, the delegated from the north part of Clay county, in which Brazil is located asked and were granted permission to change their voted, which were then cast for and nominated Inman H. Fowter. In 1877 the county-seat was changed, most of the attorneys followed the records and took up residence in Brazil. Judge McGregor was among the first to do so and soon thereafter formed a partnership with Senator Isaac M. Compton. The firm of Compton and McGregor established a lucrative practice and enjoyed an extended clientage. In 1882 McGregor was the Democratic nominee for Prosecuting Attorney of the Thirteenth Judical circuit, composed then, as now, of Clay and Putnam counties. He was elected and served the public so well that two years later when renominated by his party the Repunlicans paid him the high tribute of placing no one in nomination against him. In 1888 Mr. McGregor was nominated by the Democrats as their canidate for Judge of the Circuit court, although he was not a candidate before the convention and had not solicited the position. Hon. Delano E. Williamson was his Republican opponed, but in the election McGrefor wa successful receiving a majority of about eight hundred in the same district which six years previous had given Silas D. Coffey the repunlican nominee a majority of about one thousand. As Judge of the Circuit court Mr. McGregor dischared his duties so satisfactorily that when in 1894, the Democratic delegates assembled to nominate his successor no other name was presented to the convention, he was nominated and relected, carrying Clay county by a majority of thirty-four over his Republican competitor, Hon. J. A. McNutt, and his district by a majority of one hundred and thirty three, notwithstanding the political landslide where in Clay Co furnished an average Republican majority of about two hundred and fifty. Judge McGregor has managed his private business successfully as he has public affairs, and in consequence has accumulated a small fortune. He is the owner of the McGregor Opera house, shown elsewhere in this issue, has valuable city and farm property, including good coal lands. His new residence on north Meridian street is not only one of the most imposing dwellings in Brazil, but also one fo the most elegant and modern in its appointments. The Brazil Democrat Brazil, IN December 1895 Louis Holtman, Publisher