John Lawrence Caldwell was the United States Ambassador to Iran from 1914 to 1921. He was the Bourbon County Prosecuting Attorney, 1907-11. He was a candidate for U.S. Representative from Kansas 2nd District, 1910; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kansas, 1912; U.S. Minister to Persia, 1914 to 1921.

He died on December 6, 1922.