Siskiyou
County
Biographies
ANDREW JACKSON CALDWELL
Among
the real pioneers of the Sacramento Valley must be numbered the late Andrew J.
Caldwell, who came to this state soon after the discovery of gold, became a
permanent resident three years later and from that time until his death was one
of the most industrious, substantial and respected citizens of the Shasta
valley. He was born in Lycoming County,
Pennsylvania, on the 9th of October, 1832, a son of John and Mary
(Baird) Caldwell, the father a farmer of that county. In 1840 the family moved to Knox County,
Illinois, and there Andrew J. was reared to manhood, working on his father’s
farm during the summer months and attending school in winter. In 1847, when fifteen years
of age, he went to Peoria, Illinois, where he learned the blacksmith trade. After the completion of his apprenticeship he
spent a year in Knoxville, and in the spring of 1850 crossed the plains to
California, lured by the stories of the fortunes to be found in the newly
discovered gold fields. After a three
month journey, he arrived in El Dorado County and at once engaged in mining on
Weaver Creek, near Cold Springs. A year
later he returned to Illinois, by way of the Nicaragua route, intending to
remain in that state. However, he found
it too quiet and in 1853 fitted out an ox-team and wagon and because he had
previously crossed the plains, was employed by some parties to take them to
Oregon. They traveled by the northern
route, reaching Oregon City in the fall.
Mr. Caldwell spent the winter there, engaged in blacksmithing, and then
started for Yreka, where he arrived June 6, 1854. He sold his oxen and engaged in mining on the
Greenhorn, where he continued until 1856, when he came to the Shasta valley and
bought the tract of land on which he established his home, residing thereon
until his death. In 1852 a blacksmith
shop had been started on his land, and he also acquired that. His original purchase was about one hundred
and sixty acres, to which he added from time to time until he became the owner
of about eight hundred acres, all under fence and well adapted to the raising
of grain, hay and stock. A comfortable
residence was built in 1859. Recently
his sons sold this ranch and property to Peter B. Kyne, the author, and W. D.
Duke, the cattle king of Siskiyou County.
On
January 1, 1867, Mr. Caldwell was united in marriage to Miss Leona Arbaugh, a
daughter of George W. and Rebecca (Graves) Arbaugh. The Arbaugh family has long been established
in this county, its progenitor having been Francis Arbaugh, who came from
Germany in colonial days and lived first in Maryland, and then in
Virginia. His son John, born in 1774,
married May Davidson, a daughter of David Davidson, of eastern Tennessee, and
they had three children, one of whom was George W., who was born at Decatur,
Alabama, August 9, 1822. In 1831 he
accompanied his family to Arkansas and lived on a farm in Johnson County, that
state, until 1846, when he enlisted for the Mexican War, serving at Fort Gibson,
in the Cherokee nation. In April, 1850,
he came to California, by way of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, arriving at Los
Angeles on August 9th. He
fought in the war against the Yuma Indians, and soon afterward went north to
the gold fields, mining at Fine Gold Gulch, Shasta, Yreka, Scott Bar and
Weaverville. In 1853 he returned to
Arkansas, but later in that year came west again with his wife and child, this
time following the Oregon Trail. Leaving
his family in Oregon, he again entered the gold fields of the Sacramento valley
and in 1855 brought his family here. In
1857 he bought the farm which became his permanent home. On February 3, 1848, he married Miss Rebecca
Graves, who was born in Alabama on December 25, 1828, and was a daughter of
Samuel and Rebecca Graves. To that union
were born nine children, Leona being the eldest.
To Andrew J. and Leona (Arbaugh)
Caldwell were born six children, as follows:
John, born June 6, 1868, now deceased; William Anthony, born September
25, 1869; Andrew J. born September 4, 1871; Harry, born January 3, 1874; Mattie
Ann, born February 3, 1876; and Edward Harrison, born June 9, 1878. Andrew is a farmer and lives near Yreka. Harry, who lives in Weed, is practically
retired. Mattie lives in Richmond, this
state, and William A. and Edward H. live together near Edgewood. They are represented elsewhere in this work.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 237-238. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Siskiyou
County Biographies