Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864

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Caleb Blood Smith, lawyer, congressman, and Secretary of the Interior. Smith was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives, and was reelected in 1834, 1835, and 1836. He represented Indiana in the Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth, and Thirtieth Congress serving on the Committee of Foreign Affairs, and chairing the Committee on Territories. Known for his staunch opposition to the Mexican War, he refused another nomination and left Congress in 1849. He practiced law in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was president of Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad. In 1859, he moved to Indianapolis where he became one of the most active Republicans, campaigning for Lincoln during the presidential elections. When President Lincoln formed his cabinet, he appointed Smith Secretary of the Interior. In December 1862, he resigned the position, and was then appointed U.S. Judge for the Indiana District. He died in office in 1864.

From the description of Papers of Caleb Blood Smith and Charles William Spooner, 1820-1916 (1861-1875). (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 228737955

  • 1808, Apr. 16: Born, Boston, Mass.
  • 1814: Moved with family to Cincinnati Ohio, and later studied law at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio,
  • circa 1827 - 1828 : Admitted to the bar and entered law office of Oliver H. Smith, Connersville, Ind.; later married Elizabeth Walton
  • 1834: Won election to the Indiana house of representatives
  • 1842: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives, the first of three terms
  • 1850: Returned to law practice in Indiana
  • 1851: President, Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad Co.
  • 1859: As leader of the Indiana delegation to the Republican Convention, Chicago, Ill., fought for nomination of Abraham Lincoln for president
  • 1861: Appointed secretary of the interior
  • 1862: Resigned cabinet position and returned to Indianapolis, Ind. Appointed judge, U.S. District Court of Indiana
  • 1864, Jan. 2: Died, Indianapolis, Ind.

From the guide to the Caleb B. Smith Papers, 1841-1862, (bulk 1849), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Hibbard, Timothy. Sierra Leone arbitration to supress the African slave trade, 1863-1865. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864. Papers of Caleb Blood Smith and Charles William Spooner, 1820-1916 (1861-1875). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
referencedIn Ambrose W. Thompson Papers, 1847-1960, (bulk 1860-1882) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864. Autograph note signed : Washington, D.C., to Charles K. Gallup, n.p., 1862 July 14. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Abraham Lincoln Papers, 1774-1948 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864. Papers, 1860-1869, 1932. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864. Autograph note signed : Washington, D.C., to Charles K. Gallup, n.p., 1862 July 14. Texas Christian University
referencedIn Lincoln Room collection of miscellaneous papers, 1837-1924. Houghton Library
referencedIn Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874. Correspondence, 1829-1874 Houghton Library
creatorOf Bearss, Daniel R., 1809-1884. Collection, 1800-1908 (bulk 1835-1864) Indiana Historical Society Library
creatorOf Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873. Letters. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn John A. Dix Collection, 1831-1879 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Smithsonian Archives. Ru 52: Assistant Secretary, Incoming Correspondenc.
referencedIn Noble and Davidson Families. Noble and Davidson Family papers, 1785-1868. Indiana State Library - ISL
referencedIn Brigham Young photographs, circa 1860-1870 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Church History Library
creatorOf Browning, Orville Hickman, 1806-1881. Letter: Senate Chamber, [Washington, D.C.], to C[aleb] B. Smith, 1862 Feb. 22. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Budd, Thomas A., 1813-1862. Military papers of Thomas A. and Charles A. Budd, 1820-1862. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
referencedIn United States. President (1861-1865 : Lincoln). Abraham Lincoln President of the United States of America : to all who shall see these presents, greeting : appointment, 1861 May 14. Newberry Library
creatorOf Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864. Autograph letter signed : Indianapolis, to [F. Southwick?], n.p., 1863 Mar. 11. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf United States. Commissioners on Claims against Mexico (1849-1851). Note to the president of the United States i.e., Zachary Taylor : Washington (D.C.) : LS, 1849 Apr. 20. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Weather Bureau National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Caleb B. Smith Papers, 1841-1862, (bulk 1849) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf United States. Dept. of the Interior. Indian Division. [Selected files relating to Minnesota and northern plains Indian affairs], 1848-1901. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Letterbook, 1858-1862. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Morton, Oliver P. (Oliver Perry), 1823-1877. Oliver P. Morton papers, 1850-1909. Indiana State Library - ISL
creatorOf Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864. Papers, 1849-1862. Indiana Historical Society Library
creatorOf Allibone, S. Austin (Samuel Austin), 1816-1889,. Lincoln Room Collection of miscellaneous papers, 1837-1924 (inclusive), 1860-1865 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864. Letter, [1861]. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Washburne, E. B. (Elihu Benjamin), 1816-1887. Letters, 1849-1872, nd. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Lincoln Room collection of miscellaneous papers, 1837-1924. Houghton Library
creatorOf Smith, Caleb, Blood, 1808-1864. Autograph signature clipped from a hotel register : [n.p., n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn President and cabinet : carte-de-visite, ca. 1861. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Letterbooks, 1789-1866 Houghton Library
creatorOf Smith, Caleb Blood, Secretary of the Interior, 1808-1864,. Letters, 1861, to Brown University. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
creatorOf Davis, David, 1815-1886. David Davis papers, 1815-1964 (bulk 1815-1886). Chicago History Museum
creatorOf Brown, Benjamin F. Letter : Kanakakee, Illinois, to Caleb B. Smith, 1861 March 25. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Civil War Commandery of the State of Massachusetts collection: Patriotic covers, ca. 1861-1865. Houghton Library
referencedIn Ambrose W. Thompson Papers, 1847-1960, (bulk 1860-1882) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Barnett, Theodore J. person
associatedWith Barnett, Theodore J. person
associatedWith Barton, William Eleazar, 1861-1930, person
associatedWith Bearss, Daniel R., 1809-1884. person
associatedWith Brown, Benjamin F. person
associatedWith Browning, Orville Hickman, 1806-1881. person
associatedWith Brown University Providence, Rhode Island, corporateBody
associatedWith Bruen, Luther B. (Luther Barnett), 1822-1864. person
associatedWith Budd, Thomas A., 1813-1862. person
associatedWith Bundy, Martin L., b. 1818. person
associatedWith Butterfield, Justin, 1790-1855. person
associatedWith Carnan, Robert N. person
associatedWith Carnan, Robert N. person
associatedWith Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873. person
correspondedWith Clay, Cassius Marcellus, 1810-1903 person
associatedWith Colfax, Schuyler, 1823-1885. person
associatedWith Corwin, Robert G., 1794-1865. person
associatedWith Corwin, Thomas, 1794-1865. person
associatedWith Cushing, Courtland. person
associatedWith Cushing, Courtland. person
associatedWith Davis, David, 1815-1886. person
associatedWith Davis, John S., 1787-1854 person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Defrees, John D. (John Dougherty), 1810 or 11-1882 person
associatedWith Dix, John A. (John Adams), 1798-1979 person
associatedWith Dowling, Thomas, 1806-1876. person
correspondedWith Espy, James P. person
associatedWith Gallup, Charles person
associatedWith Halloway, David P. person
associatedWith Halloway, David P. person
associatedWith Hannah, Samuel. person
associatedWith Hannah, Samuel. person
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Hibbard, Timothy. person
correspondedWith Hobbs, B. C. person
associatedWith King, Rufus, 1814-1876. person
correspondedWith Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 person
correspondedWith Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865. person
associatedWith McGaughey, Edward W. person
associatedWith McLean, John, 1785-1861. person
associatedWith Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Massachusetts, collector. corporateBody
associatedWith Morton, Oliver P. (Oliver Perry), 1823-1877. person
associatedWith Noble and Davidson Families. person
associatedWith Parker, Samuel Wilson, 1805-1859. person
associatedWith Reindeer (Ship) corporateBody
associatedWith Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) corporateBody
associatedWith Sample, Thomas Jefferson. person
associatedWith Sample, Thomas Jefferson. person
correspondedWith Seward, Frederick William, 1830-1915 person
associatedWith Smith, Elizabeth Walton, person
associatedWith Smith, John L. person
associatedWith Smith, John L. person
associatedWith Smith, Walton John. person
associatedWith Smith, William B. person
associatedWith Southwick, Frank, fl. 19th cent. person
correspondedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Spooner, Charles William person
associatedWith Spooner, William L., 1818-1889. person
associatedWith Stevenson, Thomas B., fl. 1848. person
correspondedWith Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874 person
associatedWith Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850. person
associatedWith Thayer, James S. person
associatedWith Thayer, James S. person
associatedWith Thompson, Ambrose W. person
correspondedWith Thompson, Richard W. (Richard Wigginton), 1809-1900 person
associatedWith United States. Commissioners on Claims against Mexico (1849-1851) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of the Interior corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of the Interior. Indian Division. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. General Land Office. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Navy corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Navy. Mississippi Squadron corporateBody
associatedWith United States. President (1861-1865 : Lincoln) corporateBody
associatedWith Vallette, Henry. person
associatedWith Vallette, Henry. person
associatedWith Walpole, Thomas D. person
associatedWith Walpole, Thomas D. person
associatedWith Washburne, E. B. (Elihu Benjamin), 1816-1887. person
associatedWith Watton, William. person
associatedWith Watton, William. person
associatedWith Whig Party (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith William E. Barton Collection of Lincolniana (University of Chicago) corporateBody
associatedWith Yaryan, John. person
associatedWith Yaryan, John. person
associatedWith Young, Brigham 1801-1877 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Indianapolis IN US
Cincinnati OH US
Washington, D. C. DC US
Oxford OH US
Chicago IL US
Boston MA US
Indiana
Subject
Abolitionists
Cabinet officers
Cabinet officers' spouses
Elections
Elections
French language
German language
Indians of North America
Judges
Lawyers
Legislators
Loyalty oaths
Meteorology
Morgan's Ohio Raid, 1863
Natural history
Travelers' writings, American
Occupation
Jurists
Lawyers
Representatives, U.S. Congress
Statesmen
Activity

Person

Birth 1808-04-16

Death 1864-01-07

Male

Americans

German,

English,

French

Information

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