McKEE, George Colin, legislator, born in Joliet, Illinois, 2 October, 1836. He was educated at Knox college and Lombard university, Illinois, and admitted to the bar in 1858. After practising law at Centralia, Illinois, he volunteered as a private in April, 1861, in the 11th Illinois regiment, became captain on its reorganization, and served throughout the war in various capacities. He was wounded at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and Vicksburg, commanding a picked corps during the siege of the latter town. When at the head of his own regiment and other detachments, on the second Yazoo expedition, he defeated the Confederate assault at Yazoo City, 5 March, 1864, after which he was ordered, as brigadier-general, to enroll and equip four regiments of colored militia. He was appointed register in bankruptcy in 1867, and was a member of the Constitutional convention of Mississippi. He was elected to the 40th congress, but his state was refused representation, and, being re-elected, he served from 23 February, 1870, till 4 March, 1875. Since the close of the war he has been postmaster, and practised his profession, at Jackson, Mississippi. He has invented a cotton-press, which he patented 3 April, 1877.