About
Posthumously famous as the great-great-great-grandfather of American pop star Kelly Clarkson, this Union Army soldier, sheriff, and Ohio state senator was also a prominent political figure among his contemporaries.
Before Fame
During his service in the Union Army, he was confined to a Confederate prison camp in Andersonville, Georgia. Shortly after escaping, he was accidentally shot by his own Union troops and was left disabled for the remaining decades of his life.
Trivia
As a member of the Ohio Senate, he championed the temperance cause and successfully banned liquor sales in several Ohio counties.
Family Life
His marriage to Melissa Ellen Crawford resulted in six children.
Associated With
His direct ancestor, Kelly Clarkson, learned the details of his story while participating in an NBC genealogical series titled Who Do You Think You Are?
