Jordan E. Cravens

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 by	William W. Wilshire
Succeeded by	John H. Rogers
Personal details
Born	November 7, 1830 (1830-11-07) Fredericktown, Missouri
Died	April 8, 1914 (1914-04-09) (aged 83) Fort Smith, Arkansas
Political party	Independent 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 service	1861 to 1865
Rank	Colonel
Unit	1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)
Battles/wars	Civil War Battle of Dug Springs

Jordan Edgar Cravens (November 7, 1830 – April 8, 1914) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Arkansas, cousin of William Ben Cravens.

Biography

Born in Fredericktown, Missouri, 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, and served as member of the State house of representatives in 1860. He owned slaves. He married Emma Batson and they had five children, Jeane, Jane, Felix, Sallie, and Samuella. 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.

Career

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.

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 Arkansas 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. He then resumed the practice of law in Clarksville, Arkansas and served as judge of the circuit court from 1890 until 1894.

Death

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

External links

• United States Congress. "Jordan E. Cravens (id: C000885)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-05-13

• "Jordan E. Cravens". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2009-05-13.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress