John Henry Caldwell (April 4, 1826 – September 4, 1902) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

. Born in

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...

, Caldwell attended the common schools of Huntsville and Bacon College,

Harrodsburg, Kentucky Harrodsburg is a home rule-class city in Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 9,064 at the 2020 census. Although Harrodsburg was formally established by the House of Burgesses after Boonesbo ...

. He taught school in

Limestone County, Alabama Limestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 103,570. Its county seat is Athens. The county is named after Limestone Creek. Limestone County is included in the Huntsville, AL Metro ...

, four years. He moved to

Jacksonville, Alabama Jacksonville is a city in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 12,548, which is a 49% increase since 2000. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to Jacks ...

, in 1848. He was principal of the

Jacksonville Female Academy Illinois College is a private liberal arts college in Jacksonville, Illinois. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA). It was the second college founded in Illinois, but the first to grant a degree ( ...

1848-1852 and of the Jacksonville Male Academy 1853-1857. Edited the Jacksonville Republican in 1851 and 1852 and assumed the editorship of the Sunny South in 1855. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1857 and 1858. He studied law. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1859 and commenced practice in

. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

enlisted in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

and organized Company A of the Tenth Alabama Regiment, from St. Clair and Calhoun Counties, and served throughout the war. He was promoted to major and then to lieutenant colonel. He served in the Army of Virginia. Caldwell was elected solicitor for the tenth judicial circuit in 1863 but was deposed by the Provisional Governor in 1865. He was reelected the same year, and in 1867 was removed from office for refusing to obey military orders. Caldwell was first elected to congress on November 5, 1872 as a fusion candidate of the Liberal Republican and Democratic parties. He received 62.62% of the vote. He was elected to represent

Alabama's 5th congressional district Alabama's 5th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in Alabama, which elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It encompasses the counties of Lauderdale County, Alabama, Lauderdale, Limestone Cou ...

, which at the time encompassed the most north-eastern part of Alabama. He was re-elected in 1874 as a straight Democrat with 59.19% of the vote. Caldwell was a member of the Forty-third and Forty-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877). He served as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture (Forty-fourth Congress). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1876. He resumed the practice of law. He died in

, September 4, 1902. He was interred in Jacksonville Cemetery.

References

* Dubin, Michael J. "United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results". McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Jefferson, North Carolina. 1998. * The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. {{DEFAULTSORT:Caldwell, John Henry 1826 births 1902 deaths Politicians from Huntsville, Alabama Lawyers from Huntsville, Alabama American people of Scotch-Irish descent Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama 19th-century American politicians People from Jacksonville, Alabama Confederate States Army officers Military personnel from Huntsville, Alabama