Caswell, Richard
soldier, state senator, governor, was born Aug. 3, 1729, in Maryland. From 1754 to 1771 he was a member of the colonial assembly, and for the last two years was speaker of the house of delegates. He commanded the right wing of Tryon's forces at the battle of Allamance, in 1771; was a delegate to the continental congress from 1774 to 1776; in 1775 was president of the provincial congress which framed the constitution of the state, and was elected first governor of North Carolina under it, holding that office until 1779. In 1780 he led the North Carolina troops in the battle of Camden; in 1782 was speaker of the senate, and comptroller-general, performing the duties of both offices until 1784, when he was again elected governor, and held that position until he became ineligible by the laws of the state. In 1787 he was a delegate to the convention for framing the federal constitution; in 1789 was elected state senator, and was a member of the convention which ratified the constitution; and was also speaker of the senate. He died Nov. 20, 1789, in Fayetteville, N. C.
CATCHINGS, THOMAS CLENDENIN, soldier, lawyer, congressman, born Jan. 11, 1847, in Hinds county, Miss. In 1875 he was elected state senator for a term of four years; resigned in 1877, and was elected attorney-general of Mississippi for four years; and in 1881 was re-elected. He was elected a representative from Mississippi to the forty-ninth, fiftieth, fiftyfirst, fifty-second, fifty-third, fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth congresses as a democrat.