Alexander Caldwell
Encyclopedia
Alexander Caldwell was a U.S. Senator
from Kansas
. Born at Drakes Ferry, Pennsylvania, he attended public schools, and enlisted in 1847 as a private
in the Mexican-American War. He moved to Columbia, Pennsylvania
, in 1848, was employed in a bank and subsequently went into business for himself.
He moved to Leavenworth, Kansas
, in 1861 and engaged in the transportation of military supplies to the various posts on the plains. He was engaged in the building of railroads, especially the Missouri River and Kansas Central Railroad. He was elected as a Republican
to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1871, to March 24, 1873, when he resigned in the face of a movement to expel him for bribery and corruption. From 1877 to 1897, he manufactured wagons and carriages, and from 1897 to 1915 he was president of the First National Bank of Leavenworth.
Caldwell died in Kansas City, Missouri
in 1917. He is interred at Mount Muncie Cemetery, Leavenworth.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Born at Drakes Ferry, Pennsylvania, he attended public schools, and enlisted in 1847 as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the Mexican-American War. He moved to Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, once colonial Wright's Ferry, is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg on the left bank Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville and York County. Originally, the area may have been called Conejohela Flats, for the many islands and islets in the...
, in 1848, was employed in a bank and subsequently went into business for himself.
He moved to Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth is the largest city and county seat of Leavenworth County, in the U.S. state of Kansas and within the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Located in the northeast portion of the state, it is on the west bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, in 1861 and engaged in the transportation of military supplies to the various posts on the plains. He was engaged in the building of railroads, especially the Missouri River and Kansas Central Railroad. He was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1871, to March 24, 1873, when he resigned in the face of a movement to expel him for bribery and corruption. From 1877 to 1897, he manufactured wagons and carriages, and from 1897 to 1915 he was president of the First National Bank of Leavenworth.
Caldwell died in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 1917. He is interred at Mount Muncie Cemetery, Leavenworth.