Charles E. MacMillin explained

Charles E. MacMillan
Office:Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the Apache County
Term Start:January 1925
Term End:January 1927
Preceded:A. T. Kilcrease
I. D. Rickerson
Succeeded:Fred A. Griffin
Charles F. Studley, Jr
State Senate1:Arizona
District1:Pinal County
Term Start1:January 1915
Term End1:January 1917
Predecessor1:J. F. Brown
Successor1:John C. Devine
State Senate2:Arizona
District2:Pinal County
Term Start2:January 1921
Term End2:January 1925
Predecessor2:John C. Devine
Successor2:A. T. Kilcrease
Birth Date:1888
Birth Place:Iowa
Death Date:March 2, 1941
Death Place:Los Angeles, California
Nationality:American
Party:Democrat
Profession:Politician

Charles E. MacMillin (1888-1941) was an Arizona politician who served several terms in the Arizona State Senate and House of Representatives. He served three terms in the upper house, two consecutively, and a single term in the lower house, during which he was elected Speaker. He served in the U. S. Army during World War I, and saw action in Europe. Initially a pharmacist by trade, he later turned to insurance. As a result of his insurance business, he was convicted of forgery in 1934 and was sentenced to one to three years in state prison.

Life and career

MacMillin was born in Iowa, and graduated from Iowa State University.[1] He moved to Ray, Arizona in the 1900s, where he worked as a pharmacist in the mining camp.

In 1914, he was elected to the Arizona State Senate, as the lone senator from Pinal County.[2] At the time of his first term in office in 1915, MacMillin was the youngest person to ever serve as an Arizona State Senator, being 26.[3] He ran for re-election in 1916, but lost in the Democrat's primary to John C. Devine, 719–427.[4]

With the U. S. entrance into World War I, MacMillin joined the army and was a sergeant in the 89th Field Artillery. After his return from military service, in 1920 he once again ran for the State Senate and won.[5] [6] He successfully ran for re-election to the State Senate in 1922.[7] In 1924, he once again ran for office, but not for re-election. Instead, MacMillin ran for the state House of Representatives.[8] He won, and when the legislature convened in January 1925, he was elected Speaker of the House.[9] He did not run for re-election in 1926.[10]

In 1927, MacMillin incorporated his own insurance agency, The MacMillin Insurance and Bond Agency.[11] 1934 saw MacMillin run afoul of the law. First, he faced a liquor charge on avoiding Internal Revenue Service taxes.[12] MacMillin pleaded guilty in June, and was fined $500.[13] In May, as the liquor case was proceeding, another investigation involving MacMillin was opened. It had to do with MacMillin cancelling an insurance policy taken out by the state highway department. When fire destroyed several government buildings covered by the policy, MacMillin supposedly cancelled the policy before a claim could be made.[14] In June he was indicted on forgery charges claiming that he forged the name of the secretary of the highway department on a lost policy form.[15] As his trial began in July, just after the jury was selected, MacMillin pleaded guilty to the charge.[16] He was sentenced to one to three years at the state prison in Florence.[17] MacMillin died on March 2, 1941, at the Veteran's Hospital in Los Angeles, California, after five months in the hospital. He was interred in the Veteran's Cemetery there.

Notes and References

  1. News: Deaths And Funerals: Charles E. MacMillin . . March 4, 1941 . 16 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  2. News: Lone Republican Member Of Legislature . . November 18, 1914 . 5 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  3. News: The Youngest Senator . . March 27, 1915 . 1 . Newspapers.com. May 18, 2022.
  4. News: Demo. Primary Election Returns . . September 29, 1916 . 1 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  5. News: Progress Not Politics . . October 1, 1920 . 2 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  6. Web site: History of the Arizona State Legislature 1912-1966 . State of Arizona . 81 . May 19, 2022.
  7. Web site: History of the Arizona State Legislature 1912-1966 . State of Arizona . 7–8 . May 19, 2022.
  8. News: Complete List of Democratic Council . . October 13, 1924 . 9 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  9. News: Winsor and M'Millin Chosen To Preside In Seventh Legislature . . January 13, 1925 . 9 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  10. News: Names Appearing On Official Ballot . . September 3, 1926 . 3 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  11. News: Five Companies Incorporated at $2,000,000 . . February 8, 1927 . 4 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  12. News: Pair Indicted In Liquor Case . . March 8, 1934 . 7 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  13. News: MacMillin Is Fined $500 In Liquor Case . . June 7, 1934 . 1 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  14. News: State Policy Cancellation Being Probed . . May 19, 1934 . 1 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  15. News: MacMillin Is Bound Over On Forgery Charge . . June 9, 1934 . 1 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  16. News: Forgery Guilt Is Admitted By MacMillin . . July 12, 1934 . 1 . Newspapers.com. May 19, 2022.
  17. News: MacMillin Begins Forgery Sentence . . July 21, 1934 . 5 . Newspapers.com. May 18, 2022.