Ben F. Caldwell
Ben F. Caldwell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Near Carrollton, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 29 December 1924 (aged 76) Springfield, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, politician |
| Years active | 1877–1909 |
| Known for | U.S. Representative from Illinois |
Ben Franklin Caldwell (August 2, 1848 – December 29, 1924) was an American banker and politician who represented Illinois as a U.S. Representative across several terms from 1899 to 1909.
Biography
Caldwell was born close to Carrollton, Illinois and relocated with his family near Chatham, Illinois in 1853. He received education through public schools and initially engaged in farming before embarking on a political career. In 1877 and 1878, he held a position on the Board of Supervisors for Sangamon County.
From 1882 to 1886, Caldwell served in the Illinois House of Representatives, followed by tenure in the Illinois Senate between 1890 and 1894.
Congress
Prior to his time in Congress, Caldwell was the president of the Farmers' National Bank of Springfield starting in 1885 until his congressional election in 1898. Additionally, he was at the helm of the Caldwell State Bank located in Chatham.
Running as a Democrat, he was a member of the Fifty-sixth through Fifty-eighth Congresses from 1899 until 1905. After failing to secure reelection in 1904, he returned to serve again during the Sixtieth Congress from 1907 to 1909.
Later career and death
Choosing not to pursue renomination in 1908, Caldwell resumed his banking career in Chatham, Illinois. He passed away on December 29, 1924, in Springfield, Illinois, and was laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery.