Background
Caldwell, Robert Porter was born on December 16, 1821 in Adair County, Kentucky, United States.
Caldwell, Robert Porter was born on December 16, 1821 in Adair County, Kentucky, United States.
He attended the public schools of Troy and Lebanon, studied law at Troy.
Caldwell married Harriett James Wilkins who was born October 11, 1829 in Maury County, Tennessee, and died August 8, 1865. They had 5 children. Admitted to the bar, Caldwell commenced practice in Trenton in 1845. He served in the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1847 and 1848.
He was elected attorney general for the sixteenth judicial circuit of Tennessee in 1858.
During the Civil War, Caldwell was a major in the Twelfth Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, of the Confederate Army. Caldwell was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-second Congress, but was not a successful candidate for re-election to the Forty-third Congress.
He served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873. He resumed the practice of law in Trenton, Tennessee.
Caldwell died in Trenton on March 12, 1885 (age 63 years, 86 days).
He is interred at Oakland Cemetery, Trenton, Tennessee.
He was a member of the Tennessee Senate in 1855 and 1856.