Education Litchfield School Party Republican Party Role Michigan politician | Name John Caldwell Political party Republican | |
 | ||
Born July 4, 1849 Ridgeway, New York Occupation farmer, timberman,
state representative Died March 7, 1916, Manton, Michigan, United States | ||
John Caldwell (July 4, 1849 – March 7, 1916) was a Republican member of the Michigan State House of Representatives from 1897 through 1900. He represented the Wexford district comprising the counties of Wexford, Missaukee and Clare. He was also a respected farmer and knowledgeable timberman of northern Michigan.
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Early life
John Caldwell was born at Ridgeway in Orleans County of New York state on the 4th day of July, 1849. His name given at birth was George Washington Caldwell as he was born on the anniversary of national independence. His parents decided a year later to change it to 'John Jr' after his father's name. He was the fifth in the family of eight boys and one girl, seemingly breaking then the Irish tradition of the third 'born' son receiving the father's name since this name change was an afterthought. He was the third surviving son, however, so could have inherited the name 'John' and suffix by default. The third and fourth sons died before they were 10 years old and do not show up on any census records.
Caldwell's parents, John Caldwell Sr and Jane (Thompson) Caldwell, immigrated from Ireland and arrived separately in the state of New York in the early part of the nineteenth century. They were married in 1840. Their first born was James in 1841, being Caldwell's grandfather's name.
Caldwell came with his parents to Litchfield township in Hillsdale county in 1856 from upper New York state by way of the Erie Canal. He worked on his father's farm in the summers and attended school during the winters. While his older brothers and his father were Civil War veterans, he was too young to enlist during this time period of 1861 - 1865. When he was eighteen years old in the early part of 1868 he went to the woods of Tuscola County of the thumb area of Michigan for about two years in his first employment. This was the beginning of his timber career where he learned the industry. In November 1869 Caldwell then went to Missaukee county in northern Michigan. He was gainfully employed there for years as a land agent for George A. Mitchell and the Mitchell Brothers Company for timber development in Michigan and New Mexico. He was one of their key timber-men representatives. He worked with lumberjacks that used logging wheels for hauling timber out of the woods.
Adult
John Caldwell obtained a homestead of 101 acres (0.41 km2) of government land in 1875 in Section 4 in Caldwell township of Missaukee County. He later purchased an adjacent 40 acres (160,000 m2) land and a nearby 80-acre (320,000 m2) parcel. These all contained old growth white pine timber that was of considerable value for the development of Michigan. Much of this timber was used in the construction of Lake City, Manton, Cadillac and other northern Michigan towns.
Caldwell and his older brother Thomas (1843–1882) were among some of the first settlers in Missaukee County, Michigan. The township of Caldwell within Missaukee County is named in honor of these Caldwells. Both were deeply involved in developing northern Michigan in the later part of the nineteenth century. Thomas was the second son in the family after James. His middle name was "Thompson", their mother's maiden name, following the Irish naming practice. Other Caldwell siblings were William, George, Charlie and Mary Jane.
Genealogy
Caldwell is of Scotch-Irish descent. Caldwell's grandfather (James Jr) immigrated from northern Ireland in 1817 from Ulster in Antrim County (Ireland) with some of his ten children a year after his first wife Caroline (born 1778) died. They traveled on the ship Aeolus which sailed out of Derry and arrived in the port of New York, June 18, 1817. Caldwell's father (John Sr, b. 1805 d. 1872 Big Rapids) was one of those family members. He was an Irish day laborer that worked on the Erie Canal. Other children of the family that immigrated were John Sr's sisters Eliza (born 1807) and Gertrude (born 1809). They first settled in Connecticut. Caldwell's grandfather lived to be 100 years old and sired at least 24 children with three wives. The other wives of Caldwell's grandfather were Deborah and Margaret.
Caldwell married Martha Babock of Missaukee county on June 29, 1873. She outlived her husband by 32 years and died in 1948 in their Manton home. They had three children that grew to adulthood. They were Florence, Leona, and Frank. Their first child named Ida May died within a year. Florence married an Ed Huested and had one child named Lewis. Florence divorced Huested and Lewis then lived with his Caldwell grandparents in Manton. She later married a George Whiting. Leona married a Burt Mow and they had five children. Frank, their only son, married a Mary Blue Kennedy and they had one child named George. George ultimately inherited many of Martha's possessions and properties that were once owned by John Caldwell. He married a Lois Crawford of Manton and they had four daughters and one son.
Caldwell's father died in Big Rapids of Mecosta County, Michigan, on Christmas eve in 1872 at the age of 67, although some biographies on Caldwell say his father died when he was 65 years old and on December 26, 1872.
Caldwell's mother (Jane Caldwell) died in Jonesville, Michigan of Hillsdale county in 1886 at the age of 67 as is revealed on her tombstone in the Jonesville cemetery (pictured). She was able to get Civil War pension pay due to her eldest son (Caldwell's brother) being killed in the Civil War, as well as her husband (Caldwell's father) being in the Civil War.
Political career
John Caldwell was elected in 1897 on the Republican ticket as a representative for the state of Michigan. Two years later he was reelected to the legislature receiving 3,173 votes to 1,888 votes for Joseph Yarnell (Democratic People's Union silver certificate).
The Escanaba Tribune reports in an article of June 1900 titled "The Tax Detective Here. Representative John Caldwell visits Escanaba in the interest of the Tax Commission"
The article even explains the authority he has from the state of Michigan:
Caldwell gave an assessment of Missakee County in 1900 to the state of Michigan legislature saying:
He then summarized the forest products and acreage involved with each of these products. The total acreage involved was 339,097 acres (1,372.28 km2).
Caldwell took much interest in public matters and served Caldwell township as highway commissioner, township clerk, township treasurer, justice of the peace, township supervisor, and school board officer. He was involved with the township's educational interests and at times filled the school offices, which advanced the educational interests of the community. Caldwell was the county treasurer of Missaukee County for four years and supervisor for ten years.
Caldwell was also involved with the laws concerning hunting deer in northern Michigan.
Farming endeavors
John Caldwell and his wife were members of Missaukee Grange # 918 of the Patrons of Husbandry. Caldwell was also the Master of Pomona Grange # 56 of Missaukee county in 1903 when it was organized.
Caldwell originally acquired a Homestead of 101 acres (0.41 km2) of government land in Caldwell Township of Missaukee County in 1875. He later added an adjacent 40 acres (160,000 m2). From this he cleared 80 acres (320,000 m2) of timber that was then worked in an agriculture enterprise. Caldwell had a successful diversified system of farming with multiple substantial buildings for his goods and commonities.
Retirement and death
Caldwell retired in 1909 and lived the last seven years of his life in Manton. He built a house (pictured) 2 blocks east of downtown Manton on Main Street, which still exists today some one hundred years later.
His daughter Leona and her husband took over the ownership of his homestead in Missaukee county which they continued to farm for many years.
Caldwell was president of the village of Manton for one term. He often took a walk downtown to associate with the locals during his retirement. Caldwell died March 7, 1916 at his home and is buried at the Caldwell cemetery.