Early life Born in
Lawrenceville,
Pennsylvania, Rockwell attended the
common schools. During the
American Civil War (1861–1865), he served in the
Union Army as a
private in the
23rd New York Infantry Regiment in 1861 and 1862. After the war, he studied law and was
admitted to the bar in 1869. He commenced his legal practice in
Elmira,
New York.
Political career Rockwell represented
Chemung County in the
New York State Assembly in the
100th New York State Legislature during 1877. He later served as
city attorney of Elmira. He was elected as a
Democrat to the
52nd United States Congress, holding office from March 4, 1891, to March 3, 1893. He did not stand for reelection, and resumed the practice of law in Elmira. He served as a delegate to the
1896 Democratic National Convention and as chairman of the Democratic State Convention in 1896.
Later life Rockwell again returned to his law practice in Elmira. He died in Elmira on December 18, 1918, and was interred in
Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira. ==Sources==