Biography
Born in Fredericktown, Missouri, 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.
Read more about this topic: Jordan E. Cravens
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