Anderson County Biographies
"Portrait and Biographical Record of Southeastern Kansas"
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1894
JOSEPH M. CALDWELL. This highly respected gentleman does a thriving business
in general merchandise and stock-dealing in
Glenlock, Anderson County, Kan. The father of our subject, John Caldwell, was a native of
Greene County, Ohio, and died in Minden, Neb.,
May 26, 1892, at the ripe old age of seventy-eight
years, five months and twenty-six days. The
mother, who was known in her maidenhood as
Mary A. Nichol, was born in Belmont County,
Ohio, March 26, 1822, and still survives. She is
the mother of the following children: Nancy J.,
Jackson N., Joseph M., J. Melanchthon, F. Marion,
J. Riley, Donna M. E., Lelia A., Eva J. and William
Elmer.
Our subject was born in Greene County, Ohio,
June 6, 1846, and was the third in order of birth
in the large family of children born to his parents.
When six years of age, he went to Warren County,
Ill., with the family and was there reared to manhood, spending the greater part of his youth on his
father's farm. He enlisted in Company H, of the
Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, in the spring of
1865, and served until the close of the war. He
then returned home and remained for about two
years, and in the fall of the year 1867 made an
extended trip through the west, finally settling
in Anderson County. In the spring of 1869,
he found a suitable location in Jackson Township, and at once removed here and began farming. Mr. Caldwell has been very prosperous in
his vocation as a farmer, and in all has improved three separate tracts, which are regarded
as some of the finest farms in the county. Besides
this, he has taken an active interest in the development of the town of Glenlock since the time it
was incorporated in 1866, toward which he did
much. He has erected several good buildings here,
and for a number of years has done a lucrative
business in the mercantile trade. In connection
with his store, he also engages in the stock business, keeping large numbers of fine horses, cattle,
sheep and hogs to a good advantage on his broad
and attractive estate, which aggregates six hundred
and forty acres.
The gentleman of whom we write was married
in this county February 23, 1882, the other contracting party being Miss Mattie L. Henry. She
was a native of Ohio, and was born April 29, 1851,
but died in Garnett, November 19, 1882, while
making that place her a temporary home. She was
a member of the Universalist Church, in which she
proved herself a worthy member. After the decease
of his first wife, Mr. Caldwell married Sarah S.
Henry, the wedding taking place January 29,
1891. This estimable lady was born in Clarke
County, Ohio, December 9, 1844.
Our subject has proved as capable a farmer as
he has shown himself to be an efficient business
man and prosperous merchant. He is a man of
solid virtues, sensible and thoughtful in his views,
and in him the United Presbyterian Church finds
a consistent member. In politics, he is an ardent
Prohibitionist, and is always ready to sustain his
favorite party. He has held the office of Township
Trustee, but has never aspired to anything higher.
For a more minute history of our subject and his
parents, as well as that of his respected ancestors,
we would refer our reader to the treatise on the
life of John Caldwell (deceased), which is given
in the history of Warren County, Ill. Mr. Caldwell of this brief sketch is a man of wide experience and one who stands high in the commercial
and social circles of the county. He possesses
sound common sense and a firm character and
is one whose influence for good is felt in this
community.
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