Aquilla B. Caldwell

Aquilla Bolton Caldwell (February 11, 1814 – June 18, 1893) was West Virginia's First & Fifth Attorney General between 1863–1864 and 1869–1870. (Elected 1863, Appointed 1869)

Caldwell was born outside of Wheeling, on Caldwells Run in Ohio County to Mary Yarnell Caldwell (1781-1819) and her husband Joseph Caldwell. His grandfather, James Caldwell, settled in Ohio County in 1770. His father or an uncle James Caldwell II was the first president of Merchants and Merchants bank, and would remarry after Mary died when young Bolton was five. Thus, Bolton had an older sister Anne McGill Caldwell Moyston (1805 - 1865) and a younger full brother, James Yarnall Caldwell (1815 - 1853), as well as younger half brothers Henry Clay Caldwell (1832 - 1917) and Alexander J Caldwell (1835 - 1916).

After private education locally, Bolton attended Jefferson College (now Washington & Jefferson College) and received a degree in 1833. He then went to Harvard University and studied law under Joseph Story and Greenleaf. On May 14, 1846, he married Mathilda Anne Newman (1824-1906), with whom he would have Therese Caldwell Moise (1847 - 1882) and George E Caldwell (1863 - 1866).

After graduation, Caldwell sought his fortune by practicing law in Mississippi beginning in 1840, and Louisiana in 1844, winning elections in 1845, 1847 and 1852 and becoming the parish attorney (prosecutor) for East Carroll Parish, Louisiana. Caldwell then returned home and joined the Virginia bar. He practiced law in Wheeling beginning in 1858, including terms as a federal prosecutor and as the Ohio County prosecutor as discussed below.

A. Bolton Caldwell became the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia after nomination by President [[Abraham Lincoln and the concurrence of the U.S. Senate, serving from 1861 until 1863. In 1863 West Virginians elected him as their first Attorney General. He served for 18 months, completing his term. During President Lincoln's first term in office, Caldwell was offered an appointment as Judge to the United States District Court, but for personal reasons, he turned down the appointment, John Curtiss Underwood being selected instead.

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