Jefferson-Butler County AlArchives Biographies.....Caldwell, Henry Martin, Dr. 1836 - August 7, 1895
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Carolyn Golowka http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00012.html#0002972 June 13, 2006, 4:28 pm

Author: “Memorial Record of Alabama,” Volume 2, published by Brant & Fuller in Madison, WI (1893), pages 250-251

Henry Martin Caldwell – First among the great private corporations of 
Birmingham, Ala., undoubtedly stands the Elyton Land company, whose wide 
possessions cover several thousand acres of pasture, wood and arable land of 
Jones’ Valley, and first among the management of this great scheme stands Henry 
Martin Caldwell.  The courage and sagacity necessary to the inauguration of 
this enterprise may be more readily estimated when we reflect that its 
promoters had to deal with a variety of untoward circumstances, likely to arise 
out of the contingencies of threatened adverse state and national legislation.  
In considering the practicability of a municipal corporation at Elyton, it was 
essential to probe, as far as possible, these problems with reference alike to 
their influence upon its ultimate success, and the prejudice of local 
jealousies, most likely to be incited in a new country, which divides its 
golden promises between the business foresight of the legitimate settler and 
benefactor, and the speculations of the adventurous “land shark.”   To contend 
with the vicissitudes of such a situation, no man could have been found better 
fitted than he, who came to the management of the enterprise in 1875, perhaps 
the most momentous period in the history of the company; and the manner in 
which he has discharged the burdensome duties of his position amply attend the 
wisdom of his choice.  When he took charge, it was without a salary, but he was 
voted a salary, which has been annually increased without demand. It is said 
that had he received, from the company, the usual commissions of real estate 
dealers, he would, on several occasions, have realized the neat sum of $50,00 a 
month.  Dr. Caldwell is a native of Greenville, Butler county, Ala., where he 
was born in 1836.  He spent his youth, and received his early education there, 
but afterward attended and graduated from the medical department of the 
university of Pennsylvania.  He practiced his profession at home until the 
opening of the war, when he entered the medical department of the Confederate 
army, serving principally in the field with the Alabama forces.  He has large 
private interests in and near Birmingham, being president of the Caldwell Hotel 
company, a director of the First National bank of Birmingham, of the Williamson 
Iron company, and of the Birmingham Iron works.  Mrs. Caldwell’s maiden name 
was Milner, a sister of Maj. W. J. Milner of Birmingham, Ala.  John Caldwell, 
the father of the doctor, was a native of North Carolina, and his mother, 
Elizabeth Black, a native of South Carolina.  His father died in 1870, and his 
mother in 1871.  Dr. Caldwell is a Mason, and he and wife are members of the 
First Presbyterian church.

Additional Comments:
Henry's wife, Elizabeth, was born in Georgia about 1841 per the 1860 Census, 
Butler Co., AL.  Also with them in 1860 were his mother, Elizabeth (E. M.), age 
60, F. C. Milner, a female, age 22, born in AL, and H. W. Milner, age 2, born 
in AL.

They were still in Greenville, Butler Co., AL for the 1870 US Census.  With 
Henry and Lizzie were Mary, age 9, Charles, age 6, John, age 1, and Mary 
Milner, age 57, born in Georgia.  The children were born in AL.

By 1880 they had moved to Birmingham and with them there were Beattrace 
(Mary?), age 19, Charles H., age 16, John M., age 11, Pauline E, age 7, Willie 
M., age 4, (a male), Nealy A. W. Millner, age 67 mother-in-law, plus servants.  

Henry is buried in the Oakhill Cemetery, Birmingham.  He was buried Aug 9, 
1895.  His wife, Elizabeth "Lizzie" was buried there August 21, 1894.  Also in 
this cemetery:  son Charles, who was buried Sept 22, 1914, and his wife, Ida 
Lee, buried June 19, 1905; son John Milner, buried Jun 18, 1926 and his wife, 
Willie Augusta Morrow, buried May 22, 1957.

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