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|party=[[Republican]]
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Helen A. Gelatt
|spouse=Helen A. Gelatt
|religion=[[Unitarian]]<ref name=iowalegislaturebio>[https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=5377 George Washington McCrary]. ''The Iowa Legislature''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>
|religion=[[Unitarian]]<ref name=iowalegislaturebio>[https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=5377 George Washington McCrary]. ''The Iowa Legislature''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref><ref name=iowadictionarybio>Goedeken, Edward A. [http://uipress.lib.uiowa.edu/bdi/DetailsPage.aspx?id=261 McCrary, George Washington]. ''The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>
|offices=
|offices=
{{Officeholder/misc
|office=Judge of the [[United States Court of Appeals]] for the [[Eighth Circuit|8th Circuit]]
|terms=December 9, 1879 – March 18, 1884
|preceded=John F. Dillon
|former=y
|succeeded=[[David J. Brewer]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=War
|number=33rd
|president=[[Rutherford B. Hayes]]
|terms=March 12, 1877 – December 9, 1879
|preceded=[[J. Donald Cameron]]
|former=y
|succeeded=Alexander Ramsey
}}
{{Officeholder/representative
{{Officeholder/representative
|state=Iowa
|state=Iowa
==Background==
==Background==
McCrary was born in Evansville, [[Indiana]] to James McCrary and the former Matilda Forrest as one of seven children. The family moved to Iowa when it was only a territory, where McCrary attended public schools and proceeded to start studying law in 1854.<ref name=papers>[https://www.rbhayes.org/collection-items/gilded-age-collections/mccrary-george-w./ MCCRARY, GEORGE W.] ''Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> After admission to the state bar in 1856, he proceeded to commence practice.
McCrary was born near Evansville, [[Indiana]] to James McCrary and the former Matilda Forrest as one of seven children. The family moved to Van Buren County, Iowa in 1837 when it was only a territory,<ref name=iowadictionarybio/> where McCrary worked on a farm,<ref name=iowadictionarybio/> attended rural public schools and proceeded to start studying law in 1854.<ref name=papers>[https://www.rbhayes.org/collection-items/gilded-age-collections/mccrary-george-w./ MCCRARY, GEORGE W.] ''Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> After admission to the state bar in 1856, he commenced practice.
When preparing to become a [[lawyer]], McCrary studied with future state legislator Henry Clay "H. C." Traverse.<ref>[https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=4592 Henry Clay Traverse]. ''The Iowa Legislature''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>
When preparing to become a [[lawyer]], McCrary studied with future state legislator Henry Clay "H. C." Traverse.<ref>[https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=4592 Henry Clay Traverse]. ''The Iowa Legislature''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>
==Political career==
==Political career==
McCrary joined the newly established [[Republican Party]] in the 1850s, with which he remained affiliated with for the rest of his life.<ref name=iowadictionarybio/> In the [[United States presidential election, 1856|1856 presidential election]], he voted for party nominee [[John C. Fremont]].
In 1857, McCrary was elected to the lower body of the Iowa legislature, where he served for a term.<ref name=iowalegislaturebio/> He later ran for state Senate from the 1st district, where he was elected twice. While young, McCrary was described as an "able and influential legislator."<ref name=iowalegislaturebio/>
In 1857, McCrary was elected to the lower body of the Iowa legislature, where he served for a term.<ref name=iowalegislaturebio/> He later ran for state Senate from the 1st district, where he was elected twice. While young, McCrary was described as an "able and influential legislator."<ref name=iowalegislaturebio/>
In 1868, McCrary sought a U.S. House seat from Iowa's 1st congressional district to succeed [[Radical Republican]] [[James F. Wilson]]. He faced Democrat T. W. Clagett in the general election, and easily won by a margin of seventeen percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=474184 IA - District 01 Race - Oct 13, 1868]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> He was re-elected three times, although his margin of victory in the 1874 midterm race was considerably narrower.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=20299 Candidate - George Washington McCrary]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>
In 1868, McCrary sought a U.S. House seat from Iowa's 1st congressional district to succeed [[Radical Republican]] [[James F. Wilson]]. He faced Democrat T. W. Clagett in the general election, and easily won by a margin of seventeen percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=474184 IA - District 01 Race - Oct 13, 1868]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> He was re-elected three times, although his margin of victory in the 1874 midterm race was considerably narrower.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=20299 Candidate - George Washington McCrary]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref>
During the electoral disputes surrounding the [[United States presidential election, 1876|1876 presidential election]] between [[Rutherford Hayes]] and [[Samuel J. Tilden]], McCrary introduced legislation along with Half-Breed senator [[George F. Edmunds]] of [[Vermont]] to appoint committees that would resolve the matter.<ref>[https://elections.harpweek.com/09Ver2Controversy/Overview-3.asp Hayes vs. Tilden: The Electoral College Controversy of 1876-1877]. ''HarpWeek''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> The established Electoral Commission ultimately gave the presidency to Hayes while severely compromising [[Reconstruction]] efforts in [[the South]].
Maintaining his passion for law, McCrary established an expertise in contested elections and laws pertaining to elections.<ref name=iowadictionarybio/> He published ''A Treatise on the American Law of Elections'' in 1875, which later underwent four editions.
[[File:George W. McCrary LOC portrait.png|thumb|left|200px]]
During his House years, McCrary allied with the congressional [[Half-Breeds]],<ref>Welch, Robert E., Jr. (1971). [https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674436787 ''George Frisbie Hoar and the Half-Breed Republicans''], p. 91. ''Harvard University Press''.</ref> the loosely organized and more [[moderate]] wing of the Republican Party (in comparison to the pro-[[spoils system]] [[Stalwart]]s) which emphasized [[industry|industrial]] interests and protective [[tariff]]s in addition to supporting [[civil service system|civil service reform]].
====Compromise of 1877====
During the electoral disputes surrounding the [[United States presidential election, 1876|1876 presidential election]] between [[Rutherford Hayes]] and [[Samuel J. Tilden]], McCrary introduced legislation along with Half-Breed senator [[George F. Edmunds]] of [[Vermont]] to appoint committees that would resolve the matter.<ref>[https://elections.harpweek.com/09Ver2Controversy/Overview-3.asp Hayes vs. Tilden: The Electoral College Controversy of 1876-1877]. ''HarpWeek''. Retrieved November 28, 2021.</ref> McCrary, an ally of Hayes, served as a counsel to the Republican members during deliberations.<ref name=iowadictionarybio/>
The established Electoral Commission ultimately gave the presidency to Hayes while severely compromising [[Reconstruction]] efforts in [[the South]]. This would be known as the Compromise of 1877.
===Secretary of War===
Due to McCrary's role in the Compromise of 1877, he was appointed by President Hayes to serve as [[United States Secretary of War]]. Among early actions, he joined Hayes in removing federal troops from the southern states of [[South Carolina]] and [[Louisiana]], abandoning blacks at the hands of [[Jim Crow]] Democrats.<ref name=papers/>
During the Railroad Strike of 1877, McCrary authorized federal troops to quell strikers.<ref name=papers/> He also sent troops to pursue marauders across the U.S.-Mexico border at one point.
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/M000379 Profile] at the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
*[https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/mccrary-george-washington Profile] at ''Federal Judicial Center
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6911997/george-washington-mccrary Profile] at ''Find a Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCrary, George W.}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCrary, George W.}}
[[Category:Iowa]]
[[Category:Iowa]]
[[Category:Indiana]]
[[Category:Lawyers]]
[[Category:Judges]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:State Representatives]]
[[Category:State Representatives]]
[[Category:State Senators]]
[[Category:State Senators]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Half-Breeds (Republican Party)]]
[[Category:RINOs]]
[[Category:Reconstruction]]
[[Category:Gilded Age]]
[[Category:Unitarians]]
[[Category:Unitarians]]