Editing John A. Logan (section)

==Early life and political career==
John A. Logan was born near what is now [[Murphysboro, Illinois|Murphysboro]], [[Illinois]], the son of Dr. John Logan and Dr. Logan's second wife, Elizabeth (Jenkins) Logan.<ref>Jones (1967) p. 2</ref> He studied with his father and with a private tutor, then studied for three years at [[Shiloh College]]. He enlisted in the 1st Illinois Infantry for the [[Mexican–American War]], and received a commission as a [[US Second Lieutenant|second lieutenant]] and assignment as the regimental quartermaster.

After the war Logan [[Reading law#United States|studied law]] in the office of his uncle, [[Alexander M. Jenkins]], graduated from the Law Department of the [[University of Louisville]] in 1851, and practiced law with success.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=866}}

John A. Logan entered [[politics]] as a [[Northern Democratic Party|Douglas Democrat]], was elected county clerk in 1849, served in the [[Illinois House of Representatives]] from 1853 to 1854 and in 1857; and for a time, during the interval, was prosecuting [[lawyer|attorney]] of the Third Judicial District of Illinois. In 1858 and 1860, he was elected as a Democrat to the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=866}} In 1853, John A. Logan helped pass a law which prohibited all [[African Americans]], including [[Freedman|freedmen]], from settling in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.niu.edu/1996/iht329602.html|title=The Black Codes|website=Illinois Periodicals Online}}</ref>