Jordan E. Cravens
Encyclopedia
Jordan Edgar Cravens was a U.S. Representative
from Arkansas
, cousin of William Ben Cravens
.
, Cravens moved with his father to Arkansas the following year.
He attended the common schools, and was graduated from the Cane Hill Academy at Boonsboro (now Canehill
), Washington County, Arkansas
, in 1850. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1854 and commenced practice in Clarksville, Arkansas
. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1860.
Cravens entered the Confederate 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: the 21st 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 the 16th Arkansas
, to form a new unit: the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)
Department. Cravens was named colonel of the new organization.
At the close of hostilities of the Civil War
, Cravens returned to Clarksville where he served as prosecuting attorney of Johnson County in 1865 and 1866 and then as member of the State senate from 1866 until 1868. Cravens was elected as an Independent Democrat to the Forty-fifth Congress
and then reelected as a Democrat
to the Forty-sixth
and Forty-seventh
Congresses serving from March 4, 1877 until March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1882 to the Forty-eighth Congress
.
Cravens then resumed the practice of law in Clarksville, Arkansas
and served as judge of the circuit court from 1890 until 1894. He died in Fort Smith, Arkansas
on April 8, 1914 and was interred in Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville, Arkansas.
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 Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, cousin of William Ben Cravens
William B. Cravens
William Ben Cravens was a U.S. Representative from Arkansas, father of William Fadjo Cravens and cousin of Jordan Edgar Cravens....
.
Biography
Born in Fredericktown, MissouriFredericktown, Missouri
Fredericktown is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Missouri, United States, in the northeastern foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The population was 3,928 at the 2000 census...
, Cravens moved with his father to Arkansas the following year.
He attended the common schools, and was graduated from the Cane Hill Academy at Boonsboro (now Canehill
Canehill, Arkansas
Canehill is an unincorporated community in Cane Hill Township, Washington County, Arkansas, United States. Canehill is on Arkansas Highway 45 about southwest of Fayetteville and east of the Oklahoma border....
), Washington County, Arkansas
Washington County, Arkansas
Washington County is a county located in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 203,065. The county seat is Fayetteville. Washington County is Arkansas's 17th county, formed on October 17, 1828, and named for George Washington, the first President of the...
, in 1850. He studied law and 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...
in 1854 and commenced practice in Clarksville, Arkansas
Clarksville, Arkansas
Clarksville is a city in Johnson County, Arkansas, United States. The population was approximately 9,300 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Johnson County.. Clarksville is nestled between the Arkansas River and the foot hills of the Ozark Mountains and Interstate 40 and US Hwy 64...
. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1860.
Cravens entered the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
in 1861 as a private in Company C, 17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's)
17th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Lemoyne's)
The 17th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:The Seventeenth Arkansas regiment was organized in August, 1861, at Fairfield, Yell county, under orders of the State military board. The field and staff officers were:*Colonel. George...
. When that regiment underwent consolidation in May 1862, Cravens was elected Colonel of the new unit: the 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment
21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 21st Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:21st Infantry Regiment was organized on May 15, 1862 by consolidating four companies of McCarver's 14th and six companies of Lemoyne's 17th Arkansas Regiments, to form the 21st ...
. 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
14th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Powers')
The 14th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. Two Arkansas units received the designation 14th. The other 14th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was commanded by Colonel James H...
, 15th (Northwest) Arkansas
15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit was originally formed as the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Battalion. After receiving the required 10 companies, the unit was redesignated as the 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment...
, and the 16th Arkansas
16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 16th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:The Sixteenth Arkansas regiment was organized in November 1861, near the present town of Rogers, Benton county. The regimental officers at organization were as follows:* Colonel John F....
, to form a new unit: the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)
1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)
The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment is separate from and has no connection to the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment which was formed in the Confederate Army of Tennessee in April 1865 and separate...
Department. Cravens was named colonel of the new organization.
At the close of hostilities of 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...
, Cravens returned to Clarksville where he served as prosecuting attorney of Johnson County in 1865 and 1866 and then as member of the State senate from 1866 until 1868. Cravens was elected as an Independent Democrat to the Forty-fifth Congress
45th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:-Senate:*President: William A. Wheeler *President pro tempore: Thomas W. Ferry -House of Representatives:*Speaker: Samuel J. Randall -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
and then reelected 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-sixth
46th United States Congress
The Forty-sixth 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, 1879 to March 4, 1881, during the last two years of...
and Forty-seventh
47th United States Congress
The Forty-seventh 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, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
Congresses serving from March 4, 1877 until March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1882 to the Forty-eighth Congress
48th United States Congress
The Forty-eighth 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, 1883 to March 4, 1885, during the last two years...
.
Cravens then resumed the practice of law in Clarksville, Arkansas
Clarksville, Arkansas
Clarksville is a city in Johnson County, Arkansas, United States. The population was approximately 9,300 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Johnson County.. Clarksville is nestled between the Arkansas River and the foot hills of the Ozark Mountains and Interstate 40 and US Hwy 64...
and served as judge of the circuit court from 1890 until 1894. He died in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
on April 8, 1914 and was interred in Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville, Arkansas.