Biography of Mason Blake Caldwell, MD - Mercer Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 545 MASON BLAKE CALDWELL, M. D., is a physician and sur- geon at Matoaka, and first came into that district of Mer- cer County as a mining physician, but is now in general practice. He was born on his father's farm in Clover Bottoms on Bluestone River in Mercer County in December, 1884, son of Joseph and Mary E. (Hardy) Caldwell. His father was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, in 1849 and his mother in Mercer County, West Virginia, in 1851. Joseph Caldwell was twelve years of age when he came to Mercer County. He was one of a large family of children, and his parents were poor people. He did farm work, later pro- vided the means for the purchase of a small farm and grad- ually increased his holdings and improvements until he had one of the most perfectly adapted places for general farm- ing in Clover Bottoms. He is now living retired at Athens. In connection with farming he always carried on a con- siderable business in the buying and selling of livestock. He was never content to become a candidate for public office, preferring the role of a private citizen. He is a trustee of the Christian Church, a republican, and was the first president of the Bank of Athens. His family con- sists of three sons and three daughters. The son Walton B. is a dentist at Matoaka, and Blaine is in the automobile business. Dr. Mason Blake Caldwell is a graduate of the Concord State Normal School at Athens, and taught two schools in McDowell County. In 1910 he entered the University Col- lege of Medicine of Richmond, Virginia, where he remained two years, when that school and the Medical College of Virginia were consolidated, and he remained with the larger school the two years necessary to secure his degree. After graduating, Doctor Caldwell came to Matoaka and was as- sociated with Doctor Clements as a mine physician, but for the past three years has practiced as an individual and has a justly high reputation in his profession in this section. Since the war he has been a member of the Volunteer Med- ical Corps. In 1910 Doctor Caldwell married Miss Elsie E. White, daughter of Edward and Nicatie (McKinzie) White, of Oakvale. The three children of their union are Mildred, Joseph and Mason Blake, Jr. Doctor Caldwell is a member of the Christian Church at Athens, is a republican and be- longs to the County and State Medical Societies. Submitted by Valerie Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************