Benton McMillin
| Benton McMillin | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 27th Governor of Tennessee | |
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In office January 16, 1899 – January 19, 1903 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Love Taylor |
| Succeeded by | James B. Frazier |
| United States Minister to Peru | |
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In office September 9, 1913 – September 5, 1919 |
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| Preceded by | H. Clay Howard |
| Succeeded by | William E. Gonzales |
| United States Minister to Guatemala | |
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In office January 15, 1920 – December 6, 1921 |
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| Preceded by | William H. Leavell |
| Succeeded by | Arthur H. Geissler |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 4th district | |
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In office March 4, 1879 – January 6, 1899 |
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| Preceded by | Haywood Y. Riddle |
| Succeeded by | Charles E. Snodgrass |
| Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives | |
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In office 1875-1877 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 11, 1845 Monroe County, Kentucky |
| Died | January 8, 1933 (aged 87) Nashville, Tennessee |
| Resting place |
Mount Olivet Cemetery Nashville, Tennessee |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Marie Childress Brown (1886–1887, her death) Lucille Foster (m. 1888) |
| Relations | John C. Brown (father-in-law) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Benton McMillin (September 11, 1845 – January 8, 1933) was an American politician and diplomat. He served as Governor of Tennessee from 1899 to 1903, and represented Tennessee's 4th district in the United States House of Representatives from 1879 to 1899. He served as a diplomat during the administration of President Woodrow Wilson, initially as Minister to Peru (1913–1919), and afterward as Minister to Guatemala (1920–1921).
Known as the "Democratic War Horse" for his persistent campaigning on behalf of the Democratic Party, McMillin served as an elector in fourteen presidential elections from 1876 to 1932, and attended nearly every Democratic National Convention during this period. As governor, he signed anti-child labor legislation and standardized the state's school textbooks. His attempts to create a federal income tax as a congressman led to the landmark Supreme Court decision, Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. (1895), which declared federal income taxes unconstitutional.
McMillin was born in Monroe County, Kentucky, the son of John McMillin, a wealthy planter, and Elizabeth (Black) McMillin. He attended Philomath Academy in Clay County, Tennessee, and later attended Kentucky A&M (now the University of Kentucky) in Lexington. During the Civil War, McMillin supported the Confederacy, and wanted to join the Confederate Army, but was unable to obtain his father's permission. At one point, he was captured by Union forces and briefly jailed for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance.
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