An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 442-443

	COL. JOHN W. FEIGHAN, a prominent member of the Washington bar and a
resident of Spokane, has been identified with the interests of the Northwest
since 1888.
	Colonel Feighan was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1845, the fifth in a
family of eleven children. His parents, Patrick and Catherine Feighan, were
natives of county Mayo, Ireland, and his mother was a cousin of Archbishop John
McHale. They emigrated to America in 1831 and located in Canada, his father
being engaged in surveying for the British Government. From Dundas county, Upper
Canada, they moved to Buffalo, New York, at which place the subject of this
sketch first saw the light and spent his earliest years. In 1852 the family
moved West and located just below Cincinnati, and from there, some time later,
going to Boone county, Kentucky.
	Young Feighan obtained a country-school education, and when the war broke
out, his parents having died, he entered as a private in Company K of the
Eighty-third Indiana Regiment, and was attached to the Second Division,
Fifteenth Army Corps. He was so young when he sought military hardship and honor
that it was with difficulty he obtained entrance into the regiment. To give an
account of all the marches, skirmishes and battles in which he participated
would be to outline the greater part of the war. Suffice it to say he was ever
found at the post of duty acting the part of a brave soldier, that he marched
with his regiment 4,700 miles, was under fire 213 days, and that the principal
engagements in which he participated were the siege of Vicksburg, the battles of
Chickasaw Bayou, Jackson, Mississippi, Tuscumbia and Missionary Ridge, the
Atlanta campaign, and the famous march with Sherman to the sea. He was honorably
discharged in July, 1865, with the rank of Second Lieutenant, being then twenty
years of age.
	At the close of the war he entered Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, and
graduated there in 1870. Two years later he graduated at the Cincinnati Law
School. During this time he was obliged to teach school in order to defray his
college expenses. He then practiced law in Owensboro, Kentucky, until 1880, and
during that time was a candidate for Presidential elector, and also for member
of Congress. From 1880 to 1888 he was a resident of Emporia, Kansas, and while
there was three times elected Prosecuting Attorney, served on the Governor's
staff as Judge Advocate General, N. G., and was Commander of the G.A.R. for the
department of Kansas.
	Since 1888 Colonel Feighan has been a resident of Spokane. Shortly after his
arrival here he was elected City Attorney, he is a firm and conscientious
Republican. He was a member of the first Legislature of the State of Washington,
and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives without opposition, a
position he filled to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. No man is
better known throughout the State than he, and none has greater popularity. He
is a most eloquent speaker, and during political campaigns his services are
always in great demand. He is greatly in love with his profession and follows it
closely, taking more pleasure in its pursuit than in all the honors and
successes achieved in other fields.
	Colonel Feighan was married, in 1872, to Miss Fannie T. Moore, a native of
Kentucky, and has an interesting family of four children: Catherine M., Frank
M., Susie L. and Mary Grace, ranging in age from fourteen to three years.
	The Colonel is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight of Pythias, and a member of the
G.A.R.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.