Robert Porter Caldwell
Encyclopedia
Robert Porter Caldwell was an American
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
for the 7th congressional district
of Tennessee
.
, Kentucky
on December 16, 1821. He moved with his parents to Henry County, Tennessee and a few years later moved to Obion County. He attended the public schools of Troy
and Lebanon
, studied law at Troy, was admitted to the bar
, and commenced practice in Trenton
in 1845.
Robert Caldwell served in the Tennessee House of Representatives
in 1847 and 1848. He was a member of the Tennessee Senate
in 1855 and 1856. He was elected attorney general
for the sixteenth judicial circuit of Tennessee in 1858. During the Civil War
, he was a major in the Twelfth Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, of the Confederate Army. He was elected as a Democrat
to the Forty-second Congress, but was not a successful candidate for re-election to the Forty-third Congress. He served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873. He resumed the practice of law in Trenton, Tennessee. He died in Trenton on March 12, 1885. He was interred
in Oakland Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 7th congressional district
Tennessee's 7th congressional district
The 7th Congressional District of Tennessee is a congressional district located in the middle and southwestern parts of the state, connecting suburbs of Memphis and Nashville. It is the state's wealthiest district in terms of per capita income, as well as the third largest in area.Cities in the...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Biography
He was born in Adair CountyAdair County, Kentucky
Adair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population is 18,656. Its county seat is Columbia, Kentucky. The county is named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky ....
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
on December 16, 1821. He moved with his parents to Henry County, Tennessee and a few years later moved to Obion County. He attended the public schools of Troy
Troy, Tennessee
Troy is a town in Obion County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,273 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Union City, TN–KY Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and Lebanon
Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon is a city in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the United States. The population was 20,235 at the 2000 census. It serves as the county seat of Wilson County. Lebanon is located in middle Tennessee, approximately 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. Local residents have also called it...
, studied law at Troy, was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
, and commenced practice in Trenton
Trenton, Tennessee
Trenton is a city in Gibson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,264 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Gibson County, and its third largest city.-Geography:Trenton is located at ....
in 1845.
Robert Caldwell served in the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
in 1847 and 1848. He was a member of the Tennessee Senate
Tennessee Senate
The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the Tennessee state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.The Tennessee Senate, according to the state constitution of 1870, is composed of 33 members, one-third the size of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators...
in 1855 and 1856. He was elected attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
for the sixteenth judicial circuit of Tennessee in 1858. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he was a major in the Twelfth Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, of the Confederate Army. He was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Forty-second Congress, but was not a successful candidate for re-election to the Forty-third Congress. He served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873. He resumed the practice of law in Trenton, Tennessee. He died in Trenton on March 12, 1885. He was interred
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
in Oakland Cemetery.