Ernest W. Caldwell Biography

	This biography appears on page 481-483 in "History of Minnehaha 
	County, South Dakota" by Dana R. Bailey and was scanned, OCRed 
	and edited by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031
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CALDWELL, ERNEST W., the subject of this sketch, was born June 13, 
1846, at Chesterfield, Pa.  He came West with his father when quite 
young and until he was eleven years of age attended the public schools 
where he resided.  On the 12th day of August, 1857 he began his 
newspaper career in a newspaper office at Boonshoro Iowa.  At the age 
of fourteen years he published the Boonsboro Times, on shares, at New 
Boonshoro, Iowa.   This partnership came to an untimely end by reason 
of one of the partners engaging in a drunken frolic with a circus 
outfit which was temporarily stopping there. When sixteen years of age 
he started the Jefferson City Star at New Boonshoro, for the purpose of 
printing the tax list for five counties. This paper was the only one 
published it western Iowa at that time between Sioux City and Des 
Moines.  At the expiration of three months, after having completed the 
tax lists he discontinued the publication of the paper and went to Des 
Moines and entered the printing office of a daily paper.  He remained 
there until in 1864 when he enlisted in the 44th Iowa Infantry, and 
went to the front and helped clean up the rebellion.  After his 
discharge he spent a year in Pennsylvania, then went to Omaha, Neb., 
and at the age of twenty-one years was foreman of the Herald job 
office.  In 1868, he joined a co-operative company in Omaha and 
assisted in starting the Evening Times, but the enterprise failed in 
1869, and he says he "followed the debris to Sioux City and assisted at 
the birth of the first daily newspaper ever published in that 
metropolis." He sold his interest in this paper in l870 and became 
connected with the Sioux City Journal, where he remained as printer, 
business manager, local reporter and chief editor for eight years.  In 
1878 he came to Sioux Falls and in connection with J F. Stahl purchased 
the Pantagraph, which in 1882 was consolidated with the Times and 
became the Press.  In 1879 he was village clerk of Sioux Falls; was 
postmaster from 1883 to 1885, and was appointed territorial auditor and 
insurance commissioner of Dakota in 1885, and held these positions two 
years.

In 1887 Mr. Caldwell and Charles H. Price were appointed to compile the 
territorial laws.  He was a member of the constitutional convention of 
South Dakota in 1889 and was a member of the joint commission to adjust 
the assets and liabilities of the territory between the states of North 
and South Dakota.  But it is as editor of the Daily Press that he is 
best known.  It is in this field he has won his way to the hearts of 
the people, and no name in the state is more familiar than that of L. 
W. Caldwell.  His editorials embrace almost every topic of the day; 
sometimes the great questions of science are discussed; the literary 
subjects receive his attention; theology is shaken up; political 
economy elucidated.  In short, the subjects that come to his editorial 
pen are too numerous to enumerate. No line along which the average mind 
is accustomed to travel is without Caldwell's guide posts. But the best 
feature of his editorial work is the spirit of fairness, good nature 
and kindliness which accompanies his bright and vigorous style.  As a 
man he is generous, genial and companionable; as a citizen, honest and 
enterprising; as a politician--well he generally helps to make up the 
band wagon train, and is in the driver's seat before the motive power 
is attached. He is "Cal" to everybody, rich and poor, old and young, 
and what is more he is color blind.

Since the foregoing was written Mr. Caldwell has terminated his 
connection with the Press and removed to Sioux City, Iowa.  In the 
Sunday morning's issue of the Sioux Falls Daily Press November 15, 
1896, Mr. Caldwell announced that his connection with the Press as 
proprietor and editor had ceased and that he was about to remove from 
the state.  It occasioned great surprise and regret among his thousands 
of friends not only in Sioux Falls and its immediate vicinity but 
throughout the state.  The loss to the city of Sioux Falls was deeply 
felt, and the high esteem in which he was held by her citizens was 
shown by numerous testimonials by his former employes and organizations 
with which he had been connected, and especially by an elaborate 
banquet that was tendered him by the Commercial Club of the city.  He 
is now in editorial charge of the Sioux City Journal at Sioux City, 
Iowa.