William J. Calhoun
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William James Calhoun (October 5, 1848 – September 19, 1916) was an American attorney, government official, and friend of President
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
. A noted corporation lawyer, Calhoun wrote a report that helped persuade McKinley to enter the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...
, served as a commissioner of the Interstate Commerce Commission and later served as a special envoy to China.


Early life

Calhoun was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
, the son of Robert Calhoun and the former Sarah Knox. After attending public school, the boy was sent to the
Poland Seminary Poland Seminary, originally Poland Academy, was a name used for a series of schools operated in Poland, Ohio. First academy The original Poland Academy was created in 1830 by a Presbyterian minister named Bradley (first name unknown), in an room ...
, where he became great friends with the young
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
, also a student there. The Calhouns moved to Ohio, where William worked on a farm. In 1864, the 16-year-old enlisted in the 19th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served there through the end of the war, seeing action in Georgia, and later serving in Tennessee and Texas. He was still under 18 when he was mustered out.


Early career

Calhoun moved to
Danville, Illinois Danville is a city in and the county seat of Vermilion County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 33,027. As of 2019, the population was an estimated 30,479. History The area that is now Danville was once home to the Miami, K ...
, where he obtained a position as a schoolteacher, studying law at night. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1873, and practiced law in Danville until 1898, gaining fame for his brilliance and eloquence as a criminal defense attorney. In 1882, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives as a Republican, where he served one term.


Governmental career

In 1897, Calhoun's friend, William McKinley, who had recently been sworn in as President, appointed him as special counsel to US Consul General in Cuba
Fitzhugh Lee Fitzhugh Lee (November 19, 1835 – April 28, 1905) was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish–American War. He was the son of Sydney S ...
, to investigate the death of Dr. Ricardo Ruiz, a dentist and naturalized American citizen who died in a Cuban jail after his arrest for sabotage. His report led McKinley to conclude that war against Spain was advisable. On March 9, 1898, McKinley appointed Calhoun as a commissioner of the Interstate Commerce Commission for a six-year term. The Senate confirmed Calhoun's nomination the following day, and he was sworn in on March 21. He resigned on September 30, 1899 and was succeeded by fellow Illinois Republican
Joseph W. Fifer Joseph Wilson Fifer (October 28, 1840 – August 6, 1938) was the 19th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1889 to 1893. He also served as a member of the Illinois Senate from 1881 to 1883. "Private Joe" Fifer was born at Staunton, Virginia on ...
. Calhoun returned to the practice of law, but as a corporation lawyer in Chicago.Men of Affairs: a gallery of cartoon portraits
''Chicago Evening Post'', 1906; page 121.
He represented such corporations as the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States, with its first section opening in 1830. Merchants from Baltimore, which had benefited to some extent from the construction of ...
, and served as a director of the Indiana, Illinois and Iowa Railroad. In 1905, President
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
appointed him to go to Venezuela and resolve the dispute between Venezuelan President Cipriano Castro and foreign powers. Calhoun was successful in this task. In 1909, President
William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
appointed Calhoun as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China. He served there until 1913. Present in China during the
Xinhai Revolution The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China. The revolution was the culmination of a ...
, he arranged for President Taft to send Marines to China to protect the legation the following year. In 1913, he resigned, and returned to Chicago, where his knowledge of China made him much in demand as a trade adviser. In early 1916, Calhoun suffered a paralyzing stroke, and he died at his home in Chicago on September 19, 1916. He was buried at
Graceland Cemetery Graceland Cemetery is a large historic garden cemetery located in the north side community area of Uptown, in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 1860, its main entrance is at the intersection of Clark Street and Ir ...
.


Notes


External links


Inventory of the Lucy Monroe Calhoun Papers
a
Newberry Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calhoun, William James 1848 births 1916 deaths Lawyers from Pittsburgh Lawyers from Chicago Members of the Illinois House of Representatives People of the Interstate Commerce Commission People of Ohio in the American Civil War 19th-century American politicians Ambassadors of the United States to China