George Caldwell Biography


	This biography appears on pages 841-842 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				GEORGE CALDWELL. 

	George Caldwell was one of the early settlers of South Dakota and 
is yet remembered by many of the pioneers notwithstanding the fact that 
more than a quarter of a century has come and gone since he passed away 
on the 29th of September, 1887. He was born at South Bend, Indiana, 
December 18, 1841. The Caldwell family is of Scotch-Irish descent, the 
first representative of the family in America being, so far as is 
known, George Caldwell, who left Ireland in the eighteenth century. He 
was the father of John Caldwell, who lived and died in Indiana and who 
in turn was the father of George Caldwell of this review. 

	The last named when twelve or fourteen years of age went to 
Wisconsin and located in Sauk county, there remaining until 1863, when 
his patriotic spirit was aroused by the continued attempt of the south 
to overthrow the Union and he enlisted for active duty at the front in 
Company D, Forty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry, with which he went forth to 
the defense of his country. He served in Virginia and Alabama for about 
fifteen months and upon the expiration of his term of enlistment he 
returned to Wisconsin, where he took up the occupation of farming. He 
was there busily engaged in tilling the soil until 1875, when he 
removed to Sioux Falls. Soon afterward he located upon a farm about six 
miles west of the town and still later he took up a homestead near 
Hartford, South Dakota, proved up on it, developed it and there resided 
to the time of his. death. He was killed by a wild bull which belonged 
to a neighbor and which had gotten into Mr. Caldwell's field and 
attacked him. He was found dead in the field. 

	Mr. Cahdwell was twice married. In Wisconsin, soon after his 
return from the war, he wedded Miss Mary Rhine and to them were born 
two children: Augustus, deceased; and Willard M., a resident of 
Minnehaha county. The mother died and was laid to rest in Wisconsin. In 
1876 Mr. Caldwell was again married, Miss Mary E. Draper, of Wisconsin, 
becoming his wife. She was born March 4, 1857, a daughter of Clinton D. 
and Harriet (Vertner) Draper, of Baraboo, Wisconsin, formerly of Henry 
county, Illinois, where he owned a farm upon which his daughter, Mrs. 
Caldwell, was born. Mr. Draper has passed away but his widow now 
resides in Minnesota. To George and Mary Caldwell were born three 
children: Clarence C., the present attorney general of South Dakota, 
residing at Howard; Charles Vertner, who is state's attorney of 
Minnehaha county; and Harlan L., a civil engineer residing at 
Jacksonville, Illinois. The widow of George Caldwell has married again 
and is now Mrs. J. R. Wilder, of Hartford, South Dakota. 

	During the years of his residence in this state Mr. Caldwell took 
an active interest in promoting public progress along lines leading to 
the state's material, intellectual and political development and 
upbuilding and he was one of the worthy citizens who laid broad and 
deep the foundation upon which the present progress and prosperity of 
the county have been built.