John Benton Callis
John B. Callis | |
|---|---|
Callis portrait in Soldiers and Citizens' Album of Biographical Record (1890) | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 5th district | |
| In office July 21, 1868 – March 3, 1869 | |
| Preceded by | District inactive |
| Succeeded by | Peter Myndert Dox |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Grant 2nd district | |
| In office January 5, 1874 – January 4, 1875 | |
| Preceded by | William H. Clise |
| Succeeded by | Lafayette Caskey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 3, 1828 Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | September 24, 1898 (aged 70) Lancaster, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Hillside Cemetery, Lancaster |
| Political party |
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| Spouse |
Martha Barnett (m. 1855–1898) |
| Children |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army United States Army |
| Years of service |
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| Rank |
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| Unit | |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John Benton Callis Sr. (January 3, 1828 – September 24, 1898) was an American businessman, politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and was then elected to the 40th U.S. Congress (1868–1869) as a reconstruction-era U.S. representative from Alabama. As a member of Congress, he was the author of the first Ku Klux Klan Act, but his version was defeated in the U.S. Senate.
He later served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1874), representing Grant County, Wisconsin. Politically, Callis spent most of his political career as a member of the Republican Party, but his stint in the Wisconsin State Assembly occurred while he was affiliated with the short-lived Liberal Republican Party, part of Wisconsin's Democratic-backed Reform coalition.
His nephew George Barnett became the 12th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (1914–1920).