Rothwell was born on April 24, 1836, near
Fulton, Missouri, of John Rothwell. He attended common schools, and in 1857, graduated from the
University of Missouri at the top of his class. He was
admitted to the bar in 1864, after which he commenced practice in
Huntsville. For a time, he taught at Mount Pleasant College in Huntsville. In 1873, he moved to
Moberly. Rothwell was a Democrat. In 1888, he was a
presidential elector, as which he voted for
Grover Cleveland. In 1893, Rothwell received an honorary
Bachelor of Arts from
William Jewell College. He was married and had four children: three sons and a daughter. The Rothwell Gymnasium, an athletic facility at the University of Missouri, is named after him. ==References==