William Henry Calkins

Representing: Union

G.A.R Post

Custer Post #6 Pierce Co. WA

Unit History

12th Indiana Cavalry F & S
14th Iowa Infantry H
128th Indiana Infantry F & S

CDV- Major William H. Calkins, 12th IN cavalry. Previously 1st Lieut. & RQM 128th IN infantry. No photographer's imprint. (eBay photo courtesy: smithscastle, Circleville, OH)

Will Record • Washington, Pierce County, Will Journals

Family History

Created by Brian

William Henry Calkins

Birth: 18 Feb 1842
Pike County, Ohio, USA
Death: 29 Jan 1894 (aged 51)
Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, USA
Burial: Tacoma Cemetery

Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, USA

PlotSection 2Memorial ID

US Congressman. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War, entering service at age 21 on November 6, 1862 when he was commissioned as 1st Lieutenant of Company H, 14th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. On January 24, 1863 he resigned that commission, but later in the year rejoined the Union war effort when he was mustered in 1st Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster of the 128th Indiana Volunteer Infantry on December 8, 1863. On March 4, 1864 he was promoted to Major and transferred to the 12th Indiana Volunteer Cavalry, with whom he served through the rest of the war. He was honorably mustered out on November 10, 1865 at Indianapolis, Indiana. After the war he became an Indiana state attorney, and served as a member of the Indiana State Legislature before being elected as a Republican to represent Indiana's 10th and 13th Congressional Districts in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1877 to 1884. He unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Indiana in 1884, then moved to Washington Territory to establish a law practice there. In 1889 he made an unsuccessful election run for United States Senator, and was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Washington Territory Supreme Court, serving from April until November of that year.

Bio by: RPD2

Born in Pike County, Ohio. A resident of Jones County, Iowa when he was commissioned as 1st Lieutenant of Company H, 14th Iowa Infantry, and mustered in on 6 Nov 1861. Missing in action on 6 Apr 1862 at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. Resigned his commission on 24 Jan 1863 at St. Louis, Missouri. A resident of Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana when he was commissioned as Quartermaster of the 128th Indiana Infantry, and mustered in at Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. Commissioned as Major of the 12th Indiana Cavalry on 4 Mar 1864, and mustered in on 26 Mar 1864 at Kendallville, Noble County, Indiana. Mustered out with the Regiment at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Elected in 1876 to represent Indiana in the U.S. House of Reperceives, serving from 4 Mar 1877 to 20 Oct 1884. A resident of Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington Territory when in Apr 1889 he was appointed Associate Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court, serving until statehood on 11 Nov 1889. A member of Custer Post No. 6 of Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington. Died in Tacoma, Washington.

William Henry Calkins (February 18, 1842 – January 29, 1894) was an American lawyer and Civil War veteran who served four terms as a U.S. representative from Indiana from 1877 to 1884.

Early career

Born in Pike County, Ohio, Calkins studied law. He was admitted to the bar and practiced. During the American Civil War Calkins served in the Union Army from May 1861 to December 1865. Calkins firs served as a First lieutenant in Company H of the 14th Iowa Infantry Regiment. Calkins later reenlisted in 1864 in the 12th Indiana Cavalry Regiment which he served as the regiment's Major.^[2] Following the war Calkins resided in La Porte, Indiana. Calkins worked as the state of Indiana's attorney for the ninth Indiana judicial circuit 1866–1870. He served as member of the Indiana House of Representatives in 1871.

Congress

Calkins was elected as a Republican to the Forty-fifth and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1877, to October 20, 1884, when he resigned.

Later career

He served as chairman of the Committee on Elections (Forty-seventh Congress). He moved to Tacoma, Washington, and resumed the practice of law. He was appointed United States associate justice of the Territory of Washington in April 1889 and served until November 11, 1889, when the Territory was admitted as a State into the Union.

Death

He died in Tacoma, Washington, on January 29, 1894. He was interred in Tacoma Cemetery.

Cemetery

Buried at Tahoma Cemetery
Row: Cemetery Lot 8 - I Cemetery Section Sec 2
Site: Cemetery Grave Number 1

Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - William Calkins