Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-02-08
The Late W. &. oalklns,

worked on farm until 1856 His ia
Their being elected county auditor in
the latter year he acted as his deputy
for two years. From 1868 until the
spring Of 1861 he was city editor and
book-keeper Of the Indiana Daily
Courier, at Lafayette, and employed
all his leisure in the study of law. At
the breaking out Of the civil war he
enlisted as a private in the company
of Captain w. j. Templeton from
Bepton county for three months SER
vice The quota was filed, however,
and the company was transferred to
the state service for one year and tenn
porarily attached to the Fifteenth In
diana regiment. The following Aug
ust it was disbanded. Mr.. Calkins
then went to Iowa TO assist in raising
company in Jones county and late
in the year 1861 he enlisted as first
lieutenant Of Company H, of the Iowa
infantry, He participated in the bat
tie Of Forts Henry and Donelson and
Shiloh. At the close of the first days
fight at Shiloh he was taken priso-
ner. He was confined for seven
months in the prisons of Macon and
Madison, Ga, and Libby prisons. He
was paroled in October, 1862. After
his release he rejoined his regiment,
which was ordered to Springfield,
Mo-, to repel the invasion of the con-
federate general, Marmaduke. His
health had become so seriously i'm
paired by the hardshlps which he had
undergone while in the southern pris-
ons that IN 1868 he was forced to
leave his regiment Later in the
same year, however, he re-entered the
army and was temporarily assigned
TO the 128th Indiana regiment, which
was then being recruited. In Febru-
airy, 1854, he was promoted to major
of the 18th Indiana cavalry, with
which he renamed until 1t was mus
tered out of service in December of
1866. He commanded this regiment
more than half the time he was with
it and at the close Of the war he was
brevetted for merltorious conduct
After the war Mr.. Calkins began
the practice Of law at his home IN In
diana, and in October, 1866, he was
elected prosecuting attorney for the
district composed Of nine Of the north
western counties Of the state. He
was reelected two years later. Upon
the expiration of this term he was
sent to the general assembly of Indi-
ana, and in 1874 he was nominated on
the republican ticket for congress,
but was defeated. He was again
nominated two years later and was
elected, being reelected in 1878 and
1880. The state was gerrymadered
and Congressman Oalkins found him
self in the Thirteenth district, which
was democratic by thousand major
ity. The Judge made the run again,
however, and was reelected by good
majority and two years later the same
democratic district sent him back to
the house. He was recognized
leader among the republicans in con-
gress, his chief distinctions having
been won, however, as chairman Of
the committee on elections, in the cor
dial, able, hearty and effective sup
port he rendered the Pacific coast del
egation in securing anti Chinese leg
islation. He was nominated by the
Indiana republicans for governor in
1884. That year the democratic
Cleveland wave took in the state OF
Indiana and Judge Calklns went
down with his ticket, his vote, how
ever, being over 1000 greater than
that cast for Blaine. He then re-
sumed the practice Of law. Later he
moved to this city and in April, 1889,
he was appointed justice Of the SUI
preme court of the territory. He
erected residence at the corner Of
North Fourth and ] streets, where be
has resided with his wife and family
1t was not long af4er his arrival in
Tacoma that Judge Cslkins became
an important factor IN the republican
party in this state. His prominence
in the east aud bis political influence
made the politicians seek him for adj
vice. After the legislative elections
in 1890 his friends brought bis for.
ward as candidate for the United |
States senate to succeed Watson G.
Squire. The campaign was one Of
unt,oh b;ktornoca CharOas of hriherv |