| John W. Caldwell | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Member of the United States House of Representatives | In office March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883 | ||
| Preceded by | Charles W. Milliken | ||
| Succeeded by | John Edward Halsell | ||
| Personal details | |||
| Born | January 15, 1837 Russellville, Kentucky | ||
| Died | July 4, 1903 (aged 66) Russellville, Kentucky | ||
| Resting place | Maple Grove Cemetery, Russellville, Kentucky | ||
| Political party | Democratic | ||
| Spouse(s) | Sallie J. Barclay | ||
| Alma mater | Bethel College University of Louisville | ||
| Profession | Lawyer | ||
| Military service | |||
| Allegiance | Confederate States of America | ||
| Service/branch | Confederate States Army | ||
| Rank |  Colonel
| ||
| Unit | 9th Kentucky Infantry | ||
| Battles/wars | American Civil War | ||
John William Caldwell (January 15, 1837 – July 4, 1903) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.
Early life and family[]
John W. Caldwell was born in Russellville, Kentucky on January 15, 1837.[1] He was the son of Austin and Louisa (Harrison) Caldwell.[2] Austin Caldwell died in 1843, leaving John Caldwell as his only living child.[3] With the duties of caring for his father's estate, Caldwell was only able to attend the common schools of Logan and Christian Counties until age fourteen.[3] In 1850, he moved with his uncle, Dr. Robert Peyton Harrison, to Texas, where he worked on a farm, as a clerk, and as a surveyor.[1][3]
At age nineteen, Caldwell returned to Kentucky.[3] He studied law with William Morton, a well-known lawyer in his family.[3] In 1856, he matriculated to the University of Louisville School of Law, completing a junior year course of study with honors.[3] He graduated from the university in 1857, was admitted to the bar in 1858, and commenced practice in Russellville, Kentucky.[1][3]
Caldwell married Sallie J. Barclay, and the couple had one son and two daughters.[3]
Civil War service[]
Although he opposed secession, Caldwell volunteered as a private in the Confederate States Army in 1861.[3] He was immediately elected captain of the "Logan Grays", a Confederate company being recruited in Logan County.[3] When Confederate forces under Simon Bolivar Buckner entered Kentucky, Caldwell led the Grays to Bowling Green, where they became Company A of the 9th Kentucky Infantry under John C. Breckinridge.[3] After Albert Sidney Johnson's retreat from Bowling Green, Caldwell commanded the 9th Kentucky until relieved by Colonel Thomas H. Hunt on his return from New Orleans, Louisiana.[3]
At the Battle of Shiloh, Caldwell received several wounds, including a badly broken left arm.[3] Sixty-five percent of his company was killed or wounded in the battle.[3] Following the battle, he was promoted to major, and when the 9th Kentucky was reorganized six weeks later, he was elected its lieutenant colonel.[3] Thomas H. Hunt resigned his commission in 1863, and Caldwell was promoted to colonel and given command.[3] He sometimes also commanded the Orphan Brigade.[4]
Caldwell again broke his left arm at the Battle of Chickamauga.[3] Because of this, the Board of Army Surgeons offered him a medical retirement, but he declined, rejoining his regiment in Dalton, Georgia two weeks later.[3] At the end of the war, he surrendered his forces at Washington, Georgia and was paroled as a prisoner of war on May 6, 1865.[3]
Political career[]
Caldwell resumed the practice of law in Russellville.[1] He was elected judge of the Logan County Court in August 1866 and reelected in 1870, serving eight years.[1][3] Two years after his retirement from the bench, he was elected as a Democrat to represent the Third District in the U.S. House of Representatives.[3] He served in the Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth, and Forty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883).[1] He was known as an advocate of home rule, tariff reform, hard money, and conservatism in public expenditures.[4] Due to ill health, he declined to be a candidate for reelection although he faced no Republican opposition for the seat.[4]
Later life and death[]
After his time in Congress, Caldwell did not return to his legal practice, but became president of the Logan County Bank.[4] He died in Russellville on July 4, 1903 and was interred in Maple Grove Cemetery.[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Caldwell, John William". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- ↑ Biographical Cyclopedia, p. 81
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 Biographical Cyclopedia, p. 82
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Biographical Cyclopedia, p. 83
Bibliography[]
- Biographical Cyclopedia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Chicago, Illinois: J.M. Gresham Company. 1896. https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028804122.
- John W. Caldwell at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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| 45th | Senate: T. C. McCreery • J. B. Beck | House: M. J. Durham • A. Boone • J. P. Knott • J. C. S. Blackburn • J. B. Clarke • J. A. McKenzie • J. W. Caldwell • A. S. Willis • J. G. Carlisle • T. Turner |
| 46th | Senate: J. B. Beck • J. S. Williams | House: J. P. Knott • J. C. S. Blackburn • J. A. McKenzie • J. W. Caldwell • A. S. Willis • J. G. Carlisle • T. Turner • O. Turner • P. B. Thompson Jr. • E. Phister |
| 47th | Senate: J. B. Beck • J. S. Williams | House: J. P. Knott • J. C. S. Blackburn • J. A. McKenzie • J. W. Caldwell • A. S. Willis • J. G. Carlisle • O. Turner • P. B. Thompson Jr. • E. Phister • J. D. White |
The original article can be found at John W. Caldwell and the edit history here.