Today in Wheeling History: June 4--Alfred Caldwell, lawyer, politician, abolitionist, former mayor of Wheeling, Virginia state senator, and U.S. consul to the Kingdom of Hawaii, was born in St. Clairsville, Ohio (1817).
Alfred Caldwell was born on June 4, 1817, in St. Clairsville, Ohio, to James Caldwell, a U.S. congressional representative, and Anne Booker Caldwell. His family had deep ties to Wheeling, West Virginia, as his grandfather, James Caldwell Sr., helped establish the city. Caldwell attended Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in Pennsylvania, earning his degree in 1836, and later studied law at Harvard University, graduating in 1838.
After settling in Wheeling, Caldwell became a lawyer and entered politics. He was elected mayor of Wheeling in 1850 and 1851, and again in 1856 and 1857. He was a strong abolitionist and a leader in the Republican Party, supporting Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Caldwell served in the Virginia Senate from 1857 to 1861, representing Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio counties. During the Civil War, he was appointed U.S. consul to the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1861 but was removed from office in 1867 because of financial misconduct.
Caldwell passed away on May 3, 1868, in Wheeling, West Virginia, at the age of 50, and was buried in Mt. Woods Cemetery.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/2267hkzk), Encyclopedia Virginia (https://tinyurl.com/4ahan6zm), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/4aa4d65p)
Photo credits: Find a Grave
Alfred Caldwell was born on June 4, 1817, in St. Clairsville, Ohio, to James Caldwell, a U.S. congressional representative, and Anne Booker Caldwell. His family had deep ties to Wheeling, West Virginia, as his grandfather, James Caldwell Sr., helped establish the city. Caldwell attended Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in Pennsylvania, earning his degree in 1836, and later studied law at Harvard University, graduating in 1838.
After settling in Wheeling, Caldwell became a lawyer and entered politics. He was elected mayor of Wheeling in 1850 and 1851, and again in 1856 and 1857. He was a strong abolitionist and a leader in the Republican Party, supporting Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Caldwell served in the Virginia Senate from 1857 to 1861, representing Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio counties. During the Civil War, he was appointed U.S. consul to the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1861 but was removed from office in 1867 because of financial misconduct.
Caldwell passed away on May 3, 1868, in Wheeling, West Virginia, at the age of 50, and was buried in Mt. Woods Cemetery.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/2267hkzk), Encyclopedia Virginia (https://tinyurl.com/4ahan6zm), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/4aa4d65p)
Photo credits: Find a Grave
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