Biography of James L Caldwell, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 14 Nov 2008
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Transcribed by Lisa Hamilton from 
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SOURCE:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 
Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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James L. Caldwell is a native of Tennessee and a son of William and Amanda
(Christan) Caldwell, who came originally from South Carolina and Tennessee,
respectively. William Caldwell was born in 1811 and was reared on a farm,
removing to Bedford Co., Tenn, when a young man, where he was married in 1844 to
the mother of our subject. In 1861 they came to this county, and here the father
engaged in farming and also in the milling business, in which he was occupied
until his death in 1865. He was a prominent citizen of his county, a member of
the Masonic order and of the I. O. O. F, and belonged to the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, and at one time, while a resident of Bedford Co. Tenn.,
represented that county in the State legislature. Mrs. Caldwell was born in
Bedford Co., Tenn. in Feb., 1816, and died in April, 1888. James L. Caldwell
also first saw the light of day in Bedford County, his natal day being March 23,
1846, and when a young man he took charge of his father's mill, continuing it
until 1864. Then he enlisted in a company raised by C. M. Biscoe, which formed a
part of McGee's regiment, (The Fifth Arkansas Cavalry), was elected second
lieutenant, and a short time after promoted to First Lieutenant. After the war
he returned home and engaged in merchandising for about a year, subsequently
entering into the saw mill business, which he followed in this and Cross
Counties until selling out to his brother in 1887. He erected a mill two miles
west of Caldwell, and also took a contract for building ten miles of the Bald
Knob Railroad which he completed the following year. Mr. Caldwell has built and
owned fourteen different mills in St. Francis and Crittenden Counties, and now
owns the mill near Caldwell and a half interest in a mill in the last named
county; besides this he has and operates several farms in these two counties and
Cross County, in all about 1, 800 acres, with over 100 acres under cultivation,
the rest being fine timber land. He aided largely in putting in most of the
bridges in St. Francis and Crittenden Counties, and now has taken the contract
for the erection of the buildings for the Little Rock Oil Company. He was
married November 20, 1974, to Miss Annie Halbert, a daughter of John Halbert, a
native of Missouri. They are the parents of six children: Willie J., Lillie A.,
Mary Ann, Henry H., Tennie and James L. Mr. Caldwell was justice of the peace of
Johnson Township for six years, and is one of the prominent men of his county.
He is a member of the Masonic order, and belongs to the County Wheel, being made
vice-president at its organization here.