Biographical Details
Date of Birth: December 18, 1825
Birth Location: Lawrence County, IN, USA
Major Study: Law
Graduation Year(s): 1850
Degree(s) Earned: Bachelor of Laws
Date of Death: September 5, 1901
Death Location: Terre Haute, IN, USA
Date of Birth: December 18, 1825
Birth Location: Lawrence County, IN, USA
Major Study: Law
Graduation Year(s): 1850
Degree(s) Earned: Bachelor of Laws
Date of Death: September 5, 1901
Death Location: Terre Haute, IN, USA
Ambrose Bolivar Carlton was born in Lawrence County, Indiana, in the area of Bedford, the same year that it was laid out as a town. He was educated at an academy, at common schools, and under private tutoring by Richard Wiggington Thompson (future U.S. Secretary of the Navy). He served in the U.S. Army from 1846 to 1847 during the Mexican War. He returned to Indiana and graduated from IU with his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1850.
Carlton was admitted to the bar in 1853 and began private practice in Bedford. He twice held the office of circuit judge and twice more prosecuting attorney from 1854 to 1856. In 1856, he returned briefly to IU to serve a one-year position as professor of law. He continued private practice during the Civil War.
After the Civil War, Carlton settled in New Albany. He served in the Indiana House of Representatives in 1877. Around 1881 or 1882, he wrote the legal book, The Law of Homicide followed in 1891 by the book, The Wonderlands of the Wild West about his Utah years. He returned to Terre Haute, serving as a judge for the rest of his life.
Carlton married Mary Ann Dow and had two sons.
In 1883, President Chester Arthur appointed Carlton U. S. Commissioner for Utah. He, his wife, and his younger son lived there for eight years. During his appointment, he imposed legislation to restrict plural marriage parties (polygamists) from abusing duplicate citizenship rights.