Jordan Edgar Cravens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's3rd district | |
| In office March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883 | |
| Preceded by | William W. Wilshire |
| Succeeded by | John H. Rogers |
| Member of theArkansas Senate from the 6th district | |
| In office November 5, 1866 – April 2, 1868[1] | |
| Preceded by | Redistricted[2] |
| Succeeded by | John N. Sarber[3] |
| Constituency | Johnson and Pope counties |
| Member of theArkansas House of Representatives from the Johnson County district | |
| In office November 5, 1860 – November 5, 1862[4] Serving with L. Robinson[5] | |
| Preceded by | S. Farmer[6] |
| Succeeded by | L.B. Howell[7] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 7, 1830 (1830-11-07) Fredericktown, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | April 8, 1914(1914-04-08) (aged 83) Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Party | |
| Spouse | Emma Batson |
| Children | Jeane, Jane, Felix, Sallie, and Samuella |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Branch/service |  Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861 to 1865 |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Unit |  1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi) |
| Battles/wars | Civil War |
Jordan Edgar Cravens (November 7, 1830 – April 8, 1914) was an American lawyer and politician who served as aU.S. representative fromArkansas. From 1877 to 1883, he served three terms inCongress, first as anindependent Democrat, then as aDemocrat.
He was the cousin ofWilliam Ben Cravens.
Born inFredericktown, Missouri in 1830, Cravens was the son of Nehemiah and Sophia Thompson Cravens. He moved with his father to Arkansas the following year, and attended the common schools.
He was graduated from theCane Hill Academy at Boonsboro (nowCanehill),Washington County, Arkansas, in 1850. He studied law and wasadmitted to the bar in 1854. He commenced practice inClarksville, Arkansas.
Prior to theCivil War, he we was elected as member of theArkansas House of Representatives in 1860, serving in the13th Arkansas General Assembly.[8] He later served in theArkansas Senate during the16th Arkansas General Assembly, representing Johnson andPope counties.[9]
Cravens owned slaves.[10] He married Emma Batson and they had five children, Jeane, Jane, Felix, Sallie, and Samuella.[11] Emma Batson's father wasFelix Ives Batson an Arkansas Supreme Court judge who during the American Civil War, represented the First Congressional District of northwest Arkansas in theFirst Confederate Congress and theSecond Confederate Congress House of Representatives.[12]
Cravens entered theConfederate States Army in 1861 as a private in Company C,17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's). When that regiment underwent consolidation in May 1862, Cravens was elected Colonel of the new unit: the21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment. The 21st Arkansas was surrendered, at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 4, 1863. After being declared exchanged, on September 12, 1863, Cravens' unit was consolidated with the 14th Powers' Arkansas,15th (Northwest) Arkansas, and the16th Arkansas, to form a new unit: the1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi) Department. He was named colonel of the new organization.
At the close of hostilities, Cravens returned to Clarksville where he served as prosecuting attorney ofJohnson County in 1865 and 1866 and then as member of theArkansas State Senate from 1866 until 1868. He did not seek re-election and returned to his law practice.[13]
In 1876, Cravens was elected as an Independent Democrat to theForty-fifth Congress, winning a contested three-way race with 37% of the vote. His margin of victory was fewer than 300 votes over second-place candidateJohn McClure.[14]
In 1878, he was reelected as aDemocrat to the46th Congress, then won a third term in 1880 with 58% of the vote, defeating former congressmanThomas Boles[15]
In 1882, Cravens lost in the Democratic primary to local judgeJohn H. Rogers. In all, Cravens served in Congress from March 4, 1877, until March 3, 1883.[16][17]
He then resumed the practice of law inClarksville, Arkansas.
He remained active in politics, being mentioned for various offices, including governor and a return to Congress. In 1889, he won election as a local circuit court judge, serving from 1890 until 1894.[18]
Cravens died inFort Smith, Arkansas on April 8, 1914, (age 83 years, 152 days) and is interred at Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville, Arkansas.[19]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's 3rd congressional district 1877–1883 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
