Asher G. Caruth
Encyclopedia
Asher Graham Caruth was a U.S. Representative
from Kentucky
.
on February 7, 1844. He was the third child born to Henry Clay and Mary (Mansfield) Caruth.
Caruth attended the public schools of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
before graduating from the high school of Louisville
in June 1864. Later that year, he became the law librarian of the city of Louisville. He matriculated to the law department of the University of Louisville
(now the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
), graduating in March 1866. He was admitted to the bar
and commenced practice in Hopkinsville, Kentucky
. While there, he established the Kentucky Weekly New Era
newspaper.
On February 23, 1871, Caruth married Ella Terry.
presidential elector
for the ticket of Samuel J. Tilden
and Thomas Andrews Hendricks. In 1880, he was elected Commonwealth's Attorney
for the ninth judicial district of Kentucky for a six year term. He was re-elected without opposition in 1886.
Caruth resigned as Commonwealth's Attorney in March 1887 after being elected to represent the Fifth District
in the U.S. House of Representatives
. He served in the Fiftieth
and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1887-March 3, 1895). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1894.
. He died in Louisville on November 25, 1907 and was interred in Cave Hill Cemetery.
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...
from 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...
.
Early life and family
Asher G. Caruth was born in Scottsville, KentuckyScottsville, Kentucky
Scottsville is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 4,327 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Scottsville is located at ....
on February 7, 1844. He was the third child born to Henry Clay and Mary (Mansfield) Caruth.
Caruth attended the public schools of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
before graduating from the high school of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
in June 1864. Later that year, he became the law librarian of the city of Louisville. He matriculated to the law department of the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
(now the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
The Louis D. Brandeis School of Law is the law school of the University of Louisville. Established in 1846, it is the oldest law school in Kentucky and the fifth oldest in the country in continuous operation. The law school is named after Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis, who served on the Supreme...
), graduating in March 1866. He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
and commenced practice in Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Hopkinsville is a city in Christian County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 31,577 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Christian County.- History :...
. While there, he established the Kentucky Weekly New Era
Kentucky New Era
The Kentucky New Era is the major daily newspaper in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in the United States.- History :The paper was founded in 1869 by John D. Morris and Asher Graham Caruth, as the Weekly Kentucky New Era....
newspaper.
On February 23, 1871, Caruth married Ella Terry.
Political career
Caruth moved to Louisville in 1871 and continued the practice of law. From 1873 to 1880, he was annually elected attorney of the Board of Trustees of the Louisville Public Schools. In 1876, he served as a DemocraticDemocratic 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...
presidential elector
United States Electoral College
The Electoral College consists of the electors appointed by each state who formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States. Since 1964, there have been 538 electors in each presidential election...
for the ticket of Samuel J. Tilden
Samuel J. Tilden
Samuel Jones Tilden was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency in the disputed election of 1876, one of the most controversial American elections of the 19th century. He was the 25th Governor of New York...
and Thomas Andrews Hendricks. In 1880, he was elected Commonwealth's Attorney
Commonwealth's Attorney
Commonwealth's Attorney is the title given to the elected prosecutor of felony crimes in Kentucky and Virginia. Other states refer to similar prosecutors as District Attorney or State's Attorney....
for the ninth judicial district of Kentucky for a six year term. He was re-elected without opposition in 1886.
Caruth resigned as Commonwealth's Attorney in March 1887 after being elected to represent the Fifth District
Kentucky's 5th congressional district
Kentucky's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in the heart of Appalachia in Southeastern Kentucky, the rural district is one of the most impoverished districts in the nation and, as of the 2010 U.S. Census, it has the largest percentage of...
in the U.S. 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...
. He served in the Fiftieth
50th United States Congress
The Fiftieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887 to March 4, 1889, during the third and fourth...
and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1887-March 3, 1895). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1894.
Later life and death
After his tenure in Congress, Caruth resumed the practice of law in Louisville. He served as judge of the criminal division of the Jefferson County Circuit Court in 1902. He served as commissioner of the St. Louis Exposition in 1904Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
. He died in Louisville on November 25, 1907 and was interred in Cave Hill Cemetery.