Biographical Sketch of William E. Caldwell, Johnson County, Missouri, Centerview Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** William E. Caldwell, proprietor of the "Caldwell Valley Stock Farm," is a native of Illinois. He was born in Kendall county, July 28, 1863, and reared to maturity in Grundy county, Illinois. He is the son of Lewis and Julia Ann (Shepherd) Caldwell, the former, a native of West Virginia and the latter, of Ohio. They were the parents of the follow- ing children: Alex, who is a prosperous and well known farmer and stockman of Audubon, Iowa; Mary, the wife of Ara Dix, of Morris, Illi- nois; Frank, a prominent farmer and stockman of Morris, Illinois; Hortense Jane, who was the wife of John Woodward, and she is now de- ceased, her remains being laid to rest in the cemetery at Lisbon in Kendall county, Illinois; and William E., the subject of this review. Lewis Caldwell went from a farm near Wheeling, West Virginia, where he was born, to Kendall county, Illinois, and with his family moved from Kendall county to Grundy county, where his death occurred in 1904. Mrs. Caldwell survived her husband thirteen years, when she joined him in death in February, 1917. Their remains were interred in the cemetery at Morris, Illinois. In the public schools of Grundy county, Illinois, William E. Caldwell received his education. He remained at home until he was 26 years of age and then he began life for himself, engaged in farming in Grundy county, Illinois. In 1907, Mr. Caldwell came to Johnson county, Missouri, where he purchased in partnership with Hold- erman Brothers the Smizer farm of 295 acres, paying fifty-three dollars an acre. All told, Mr. Caldwell is farming 455 acres. September 18, 1889, William E. Caldwell and Ettie M. Dix were united in marriage. She is the daughter of Oliver and Louisa S. (McKenzie) Dix, of Grundy coun- ty, Illinois. Oliver Dix was born in New York, January 5, 1822 and Louisa S. Dix was born April 5, 1838. They were the parents of the following children: Lydia B., who was born October 21, 1860; William O., born October 7, 1862; Ettie M., born February 13, 1868, the wife of the subject of this review; Susan, born October 3, 1872; and George R., who was born September 2, 1877. By a former marriage, Oliver Dix and Lydia (Wing) Dix were the parents of two sons: Ara W., born January 6, 1850; and Orville, who was born December 27, 1852. Lydia (Wing) Dix died in 1857. The death of Oliver Dix occurred February 16, 1900 and ten years later he was followed in death by his wife, Louisa S. Dix, whose death occurred August 30, 1910. Both father and mother were buried in the cemetery at Lisbon in Kendall county, Illinois. To William E. and Ettie M. (Dix) Caldwell have been born three children: William Earl, Jr., born March 19, 1892; George Dix, a student of Warrensburg Normal and is now captain of the junion class in Wentworth Military Academy, Lexington, Missouri, and is assistant coach of the football and basket- ball teams, who had charge of the Warrensburg Normal Training School and made a record as an athlete, born September 7, 1895; and Landy Lewis, who was born August 13, 1898. The "Caldwell Valley Stock Farm" is pleasantly and conveniently situated. It is an ideal stock farm, well watered and improved. Mr. Caldwell handles Durham and Shorthorn cattle of good grade and at the present time, in 1917, has 110 head on the farm. He has not fed for beef purposes for many years, but he is contemplating doing so within a short time. Mr. Caldwell also raises mules. There is no better watered farm in this section of the country. Devil's branch, a tributary of Blackwater, runs through the place and there are three splendid wells on the farm, one of which is 342 feet deep and is pumped by an engine. An excellent pond is also on the "Caldwell Valley Stock Farm." Two hundred acres are in bluegrass, twenty acres in wheat, and thirty acres in corn. Mr. Caldwell is one of the best agriculturists in this part of the state and he and Mrs. Caldwell have made scores of friends in Johnson county, since their coming here but a few years ago. No family in the county is more high- ly esteemed and respected than the Caldwell family. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================