Cave Johnson (Congressional Biographical Directory)

JOHNSON, Cave, a Representative from Tennessee; born in Robertson County, Tenn., January 11, 1793; pursued an academic course and attended Cumberland College, Nashville, Tenn.; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1814 and commenced practice in Clarksville, Tenn.; prosecuting attorney of Montgomery County in 1817; elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-first and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1829-March 3, 1837); chairman, Committee on Private Land Claims (Twenty-second and Twenty-third Congresses); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1836 to the Twenty-fifth Congress; elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-sixth, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-eighth Congresses (March 4, 1839-March 3, 1845); chairman, Committee on Military Affairs (Twenty-sixth Congress), Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings (Twenty-seventh Congress), Committee on Indian Affairs (Twenty-eighth Congress); appointed Postmaster General of the United States and served from March 5, 1845, to March 5, 1849; judge of the seventh judicial circuit court in 1850 and 1851; president of the Bank of Tennessee 1854-1860; United States commissioner in settling the affairs of the United States and Paraguay Navigation Co. in 1860; during the Civil War was elected to the State senate but was not permitted to take his seat; died in Clarksville, Tenn., November 23, 1866; interment in Greenwood Cemetery.