Gholson Kercheval

Kercheval Gholson (December 4, 1805 – July 17, 1875) was an American politician who was an early settler of Chicago, and served as an Indian agent and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. In his later life, he moved to California.

Early life Gholson was born in Mason County, Kentucky on December 4, 1805.

Life and career in Chicago Gholson was one of the earliest non-native settlers of Chicago, While sub-agent, he signed the 1833 Treaty of Chicago as a witness. On August 10, 1833, Kercheval voted in the inaugural Chicago town election.

During the Black Hawk War, Gholson served as a captain of the Chicago company in the Illinois Militia.

In August 1838 he was elected to serve as a Democratic Party member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing a constituency in Cook, McHenry, and Will Counties. He served until 1840.

Later life in California In 1850, Kerchaval and his family moved to the state of California. Kerchaval died there in the city of San Francisco on July 17, 1875.

Personal life, family, descendants On November 25, 1833, Kercheval wed Blanche Felicite Hotchkiss in Kaskaskia, Illinois. Together, they had two sons. Only one of their sons, Walter Gholson Kerchival, lived to adulthood. He married Clarissa Agnes Doud, and had a single child (daughter Blanche Felicitie Kerchival, who married Oma Carr and had two sons: Hugh R. Kerchival Carr and Lee Kercheval Carr).