Dallas Co., TX - Bios: Solomon W. Caldwell
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Robert Bennett <longcreekfamilies@hotmail.com>

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Solomon W. Caldwell (26 Mar 1818 - Feb 1894)

Biography on pages 551-552 in Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas
County, Texas (Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1892)
Transcribed on 26 Mar 2005 by Robert Bennett

SOLOMON W. CALDWELL is another one of the venerable pioneers of Texas. He came
here in 1841, when he was twenty--three years of age, working his way by
driving a team for a man who was traveling to this State. Here he found
employment as a farm hand and worked in this way until he was able to -buy a
piece of land. He had many difficulties to meet and overcome, as did all the
early settlers. When he first camped on the little creek where he now lives,
Mr. Caldwell had to go four miles for water. On one occasion, while lie was
gone for water and his wife was getting supper, a panther approached,
attracted by the odor of the meat she was cooking. She threw it the pan of
meat, and when it had eaten the morsel it went away satisfied. Bears were also
troublesome and frequently made raids on their hogs. Worse to be dreaded than
the wild animals were the savage Indians.

Mr. Caldwell was born in the Territory of Illinois in 1818, on the 26th day of
March.

His father, Matthew Caldwell, was born in Union district, South Carolina, in
1783. He was first married in South Carolina and moved to Kentucky when that
State was a Territory. There he reared a family of six children: Curtis; John;
Isaac; Christian, wife of John Couch; Sallie, wife of Thomas Cowsert; and
Pollie, wife of a Mr. Williams. Of the children by his father's first wife Mr.
Caldwell knows nothing, having lost trace of them years ago. After the death
of his wife in Kentucky, Matthew Caldwell was married, in that State, to Nancy
White, who was born in North Carolina in 1785, their marriage occurring in
1803. About 1817 they moved to Illinois.

By his second wife he had five children, namely: Meron, wife of John Eads;
Matthew H.; George H.; Solomon W.; and Hugh C. The subject of our sketch is
the fourth-born in this family and is the only survivor. His father died in
1826, at the age of sixty-three years, and his mother in 1837, aged fifty-
three.

When he came to Texas Mr. Caldwell first located in Red River county. In 1842
he was there married to Miss Leona Crownover, who was born June 3, 1820. After
twelve years of wedded life she died, in 1854, aged thirty- four years,
leaving no children.

Mr. Caldwell had taken a headright of 320 acres. He sold that and moved to
Dallas County in 1850. Here he pre-empted 160 acres and bought ninety-nine
acres more, making in all 259 acres, his present farm. September 5, 1855, he,
Caldwell was united in marriage with Miss Martha Ann Coats who was born
January 1, 1837. Samuel Coats, her father, was a native of South Carolina,
born in 1802, and her- mother, nee Nancy Jones, was born in 1800. Mr. Coats
moved to Texas in 1844 and settled in Dallas county. His death occurred in
1874, at the age of seventy-two years, and his wife died in 1872, aged
seventy-two. They were the parents of eleven children, viz.: John J.; Thomas
D.; Fannie, wife of J. P. Lawrence; Elizabeth, wife of E. C. Browder; James
A.; Nancy; Martha A. and Marion A. (twins); John W.; Sarah M.. wife of Bennett
Manning; Pernicia, wife of Ballis Johnson. Of this numerous family only three
are living; Mrs. Caldwell, Mrs. Lawrence and Marion A. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell
have had six children, namely: Nancy E., wife of W. H. Coyle; Samuel B., who
married Virginia Singletery; James A., who married Mary May; John D., who
married Sallie McNeal; Mary J., deceased; and Mattie, wife of William White.
Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

Mr. Caldwell served in the Mexican war, and is now a Mexican pensioner,
drawing $8 per month.

ADDITIONAL NOTES;  Soloman Caldwell’s first wife, Elizabeth Leona Crownover
was the first person buried at what became Long Creek Cemetery, Sunnyvale,
Texas.

Mr. Caldwell was a member of Scyene Lodge #295, Scyene, Dallas County, Texas.

Addition information on his family may be found in the book, ‘The Families of
Long Creek Cemetery, Sunnyvale, Dallas County, Texas” compiled by Robert
Bennett or online at Families of Long Creek, Dallas County, Texas
  http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=longcreek