Caleb Blood Smith speech and document
Collection — Folder: S1201
Identifier: S1201
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of a pamphlet of a speech given by Caleb Blood Smith in Washington, D.C. before the U.S. House of Representatives on February 3, 1848, regarding the Mexican-American War and its costs, and a May 18, 1849 document enumerating appointments in the U.S. Treasury Department.
Dates
- 1848-1849
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Caleb Blood Smith was born on April 16, 1808, in Boston, Massachusetts. His family moved to Ohio in 1814. He graduated from Miami University of Ohio in 1827 and was admitted to the bar in 1828. Smith began practicing law in Connersville, Indiana, where he also founded and edited the Indiana Sentinel in 1832. He married Elizabeth B. Watton in 1831, with whom he had three children. Smith served as a state representative to the Indiana General Assembly (1833-1837, 1840-1841); U.S. congressman (1843-1849); Mexican claims commissioner (1849-1851); and delegate to the Peace Commission in 1861. He was appointed secretary of the interior by President Abraham Lincoln and held that office from March 5, 1861 to January 1, 1863. Smith resigned the post to become U.S. District judge for the District of Indiana. He continued in this position until his death on January 7, 1864, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Smith's current burial location is unknown. Though many sources have pointed to the City Cemetery of Connersville, the mystery continues to fascinate locals and historians.
Sources:
Shepherd, Rebecca A., Charles W. Calhoun, Elizabeth Shanahan-Shoemaker, and Alan F. January, comp. A Biographical Directory of the Indiana General Assembly: 1816-1899, vol. 1. Indianapolis: Select Committee on the Centennial History of the Indiana General Assembly, 1980.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Accessed November 2005. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000519.
Sources:
Shepherd, Rebecca A., Charles W. Calhoun, Elizabeth Shanahan-Shoemaker, and Alan F. January, comp. A Biographical Directory of the Indiana General Assembly: 1816-1899, vol. 1. Indianapolis: Select Committee on the Centennial History of the Indiana General Assembly, 1980.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Accessed November 2005. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000519.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a records transfer from Indiana University Lilly Library on 1979/06/06.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2005/11 by Christina Baich. Finding aid revised 2015/10/30 by Bethany Fiechter. EAD finding aid created 2018/05/30 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid revised 2023/06/30; 2025/10/20 by Brittany Kropf.
- Mexican War, 1846-1848
- Politicians
- Politicians -- Indiana
- Politicians -- United States -- 19th century
- Politics and government
- Speeches, addresses, etc.
- United States -- Politics and government
- United States -- Politics and government --19th century
- United States. Congress. House
- United States. Department of the Treasury
Creator
- Title
- Caleb Blood Smith speech and document
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
