March 14, 1891 – Judge James Grant – long-time statesman from Scott County and author of Iowa’s “Bill of Rights” – dies.
In 1844, Scott County pioneer – James Grant – was elected as a delegate to the first Constitutional Convention, taking an active role in framing the proposed Constitution. After this first attempt at statehood was rejected by citizens, Grant was invited, once more, to be a member of the second Constitutional Convention in Iowa City, becoming the author of Iowa’s “Bill of Rights” – which was included in the final draft that resulted in Iowa’s statehood on December 28, 1846.
In 1847, Grant was elected Judge of the District Court, serving five years, before being re-elected (1852) to the Iowa Legislature, where he served as Speaker of the House for the Fourth General Assembly. In his final political move, Grant returned home and was elected mayor of Davenport in 1854, serving for one year in that position.
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