George Caldwell
Encyclopedia
For the Louisiana
contractor, see George A. Caldwell
.
George Alfred Caldwell (October 18, 1814 – September 17, 1866) was a United States Representative from Kentucky
. He was born in Columbia, Kentucky
where he attended the common schools. He studied law
and was admitted to the bar in 1837 and commenced practice in Adair County, Kentucky
.
Caldwell was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
in 1839 and 1840. He was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845). During his term, he served as chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury (Twenty-eighth Congress).
At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, Caldwell was commissioned major and quartermaster of volunteers on June 26, 1846. He was promoted on several occasions including to Major
of Infantry March 3, 1847, and Major of Voltigeurs
April 9, 1847. He was made a brevetted lieutenant colonel
September 13, 1847 for service in the Battle of Chapultepec
, Mexico
and honorably mustered out August 25, 1848.
Caldwell was elected to the Thirty-first Congress (March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851) were he again served the chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury (Thirty-first Congress). He was not a candidate for reelection to the Thirty-second Congress. After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law in Louisville, Kentucky
. He was a delegate to the Union National Convention at Philadelphia in 1866. He died in Louisville, Kentucky in 1866 and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
contractor, see George A. Caldwell
George Caldwell (Louisiana)
George A. Caldwell, sometimes known as Big George Caldwell , was a powerful Louisiana contractor who supervised the construction of nine buildings on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, including the university library and the structures housing the dairying and physics...
.
George Alfred Caldwell (October 18, 1814 – September 17, 1866) was a United States Representative 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...
. He was born in Columbia, Kentucky
Columbia, Kentucky
Columbia is a city in Adair County, Kentucky, United States, just above Russell Creek. The area was settled around 1802 by Daniel Trabue. The post office was opened on April 1, 1806 by John Field, who also ran a local store. The population was 4,014 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of...
where he attended the common schools. He studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and was admitted to the bar in 1837 and commenced practice in Adair County, Kentucky
Adair 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 ....
.
Caldwell was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve...
in 1839 and 1840. He was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845). During his term, he served as chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury (Twenty-eighth Congress).
At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, Caldwell was commissioned major and quartermaster of volunteers on June 26, 1846. He was promoted on several occasions including to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
of Infantry March 3, 1847, and Major of Voltigeurs
Voltigeurs
The Voltigeurs were French military skirmish units created in 1804 by Emperor Napoleon I.-Etymology:Voltigeurs hold their name from their originally conceived role of cavalry-transported skirmishers: the voltigeurs were intended to jump onto the croup of cavalry horses in order to advance more...
April 9, 1847. He was made a brevetted lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
September 13, 1847 for service in the Battle of Chapultepec
Battle of Chapultepec
The Battle of Chapultepec, in September 1847, was a United States victory over Mexican forces holding Chapultepec Castle west of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.-Background:On September 13, 1847, in the costly Battle of Molino del Rey, U.S...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and honorably mustered out August 25, 1848.
Caldwell was elected to the Thirty-first Congress (March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851) were he again served the chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury (Thirty-first Congress). He was not a candidate for reelection to the Thirty-second Congress. After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law in Louisville, Kentucky
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...
. He was a delegate to the Union National Convention at Philadelphia in 1866. He died in Louisville, Kentucky in 1866 and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.