Jordan Edgar Cravens
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883
Preceded byWilliam W. Wilshire
Succeeded byJohn H. Rogers
Personal details
BornNovember 7, 1830 (1830-11-07)
Fredericktown, Missouri
DiedApril 8, 1914 (1914-04-09) (aged 83)
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Political partyIndependent Democrat Democratic
Spouse(s)Emma Batson

Children 4 daughters: Jean, Jess, Sophie, Emma Batson

Cravens
Military service
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Branch/service Confederate States Army
Years of service1861 to 1865
Rank Colonel
UnitArkansas 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)
Battles/warsCivil War

Jordan Edgar Cravens (November 7, 1830 – April 8, 1914) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Arkansas. From 1877 to 1883, he served three terms in Congress, first as an Independent Democrat, then as a Democratic

He was the cousin of William Ben Cravens.

Biography

Born in Fredericktown, 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 the Cane Hill Academy at Boonsboro (now Canehill), Washington County, Arkansas, in 1850. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He commenced practice in Clarksville, Arkansas.

Prior to the Civil War, he we was elected as member of the State house of representatives in 1860.[1]

Personal life

Cravens owned slaves.[2] He married Emma Batson and they had five children, Jeane, Jane, Felix, Sallie, and Samuella.[3] Emma Batson's father was Felix Ives Batson an Arkansas Supreme Court judge who during the American Civil War, represented the First Congressional District of northwest Arkansas in the First Confederate Congress and the Second Confederate Congress House of Representatives.[4]

Civil War

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. He was named colonel of the new organization.

Post-war career

At the close of hostilities, Cravens returned to Clarksville where he served as prosecuting attorney of Johnson County in 1865 and 1866 and then as member of the Arkansas State Senate from 1866 until 1868. He did not seek re-election and returned to his law practice.[5]

Congress

In 1876, Cravens was elected as an Independent Democrat to the Forty-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 candidate John McClure.[6]

In 1878, he was reelected as a Democrat to the 46th Congress, then won a third term in 1880 with 58% of the vote, defeating former congressman Thomas Boles[7]

In 1882, Cravens lost in the Democratic primary to local judge John H. Rogers. In all, Cravens served in Congress from March 4, 1877, until March 3, 1883.[8][9]

Later career

He then resumed the practice of law in Clarksville, 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.[10]

Death

Cravens died in Fort Smith, Arkansas on April 8, 1914, (age 83 years, 152 days) and is interred at Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville, Arkansas.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Jordan E. Cravens". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, 2022-01-19, retrieved 2022-07-11
  3. ↑ "Jordan E. Cravens". Children of Nehemiah Cravens & Sophia Thompson. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  4. ↑ Langford, Ella Molley (1921). Johnson County, Arkansas: the First Hundred Years. Clarksville, AR: Clarksville Historical Society. p. 173.
  5. ↑ William H. Pruden III. "Biography of Jordan Edgar Cravens". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  6. ↑ William H. Pruden III. "Biography of Jordan Edgar Cravens". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  7. ↑ William H. Pruden III. "Biography of Jordan Edgar Cravens". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  8. ↑ "Jordan E. Cravens". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  9. ↑ William H. Pruden III. "Biography of Jordan Edgar Cravens". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  10. ↑ William H. Pruden III. "Biography of Jordan Edgar Cravens". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  11. ↑ "Jordan E. Cravens". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 21 June 2013.


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