author
John A. J. (John Angel James) Creswell
1828–1891
A lawyer, abolitionist, and Civil War-era politician from Maryland, he rose to national office during Reconstruction and later published a memorial oration on Henry Winter Davis. His career traces a striking path from state politics to the U.S. Senate and the Post Office Department.
1 Audiobook
Oration on the Life and Character of Henry Winter Davis
by John A. J. (John Angel James) Creswell
About the author
Born in Port Deposit, Maryland, in 1828, John Angel James Creswell studied at Dickinson College, read law, and built a career that joined legal work with public service. He became a prominent Maryland Unionist during the Civil War era and is best remembered as an opponent of slavery who supported the Union cause.
Creswell served Maryland in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, and President Ulysses S. Grant later appointed him Postmaster General. In that role, he was part of the federal government during Reconstruction, extending the reach of a career that had begun in local and state politics.
Although he is known more for politics than for a literary career, he is also associated with published work, including an oration on the life and character of Henry Winter Davis. He died in 1891, leaving behind papers and records that reflect both his legal practice and his years in public office.