Version
Three:
Taken from Michael Caldwell's "Welcome.to/Caldwell"
geocities site.
Before the name Caldwell came into existence, our ancestors were
part of two groups of people living in Italy who called themselves
the Albigenses and Waldenses. Both of these groups were Protestant
in their beliefs and are mentioned often in historical accounts.
At this time, those of Protestant belief were being subjected
to heavy persecution by the Roman Catholic Church. Eventually,
because of these persecutions, they were forced over the mountainous
border that separates Italy from France and settled in a small
village called Toulon, near the foot of Mt. Aud (also called Mt.
Arid in some accounts). It was here that three brothers, John,
Alexander, and Oliver, were born.
They
spent all of their boyhood days in Toulon, and as they became
young men, began what became known as the Cold Well Estate. The
estate itself gained its' name from a much frequented and well
known watering place located within its' boundaries. As was customary
during this time, the three brothers became known as John, Alexander
and Oliver of Cold Well. Later, the "of" was dropped
and they were referred to as the Cold Well brothers.
[Michael
Caldwell comments: The above account seems to suggest that
the Caldwell name had its' beginning in France. However, two
independent research firms (Halberts, in Bath, Ohio and The
Historical Research Center, Inc. headquarters in Deerfield Beach,
Florida) indicate that the name seems to be original to Scotland.
Additionally, if Cold Well had been added as a surname in France,
one would reasonably expect that it would have remained in the
French form (i.e.. using French words for cold well, not English).
This same account, itself, which above seems to suggest a French
origin, refers later in this narrative to the beginning of the
Caldwell family on an estate in Scotland, not France. Finally,
a close reading of the above does not require the conclusion
that the estate was actually in France. I believe the three
brothers grew up in France, but established their estate (and
thereby gained their surname) after relocating in Scotland.
Research performed by the Historical Research Center indicates
that the name Caldwell, derives from the Old English words of
"Ceald Wielle" meaning, literally, cold spring or
stream.]
But persecution began to mount here in France under the reign
of Francis the First, a Catholic sympathizer. Again, they were
forced to leave their homes. This time they traveled by way of
Lisbon, Spain to an eventual new home in Scotland. It is from
this start of the Caldwell name that all Caldwell's, both in Europe
and America, appear to be descendant. According to the aforementioned
report, Hugh Caldwell once described a silver cup he had seen
which had been engraved with a pictorial history of these three
brothers. He had been in conversation with two other men who were
of the Caldwell family and relates the following:
"This
Oliver Caldwell, while in conversation there (Carlisle, Penn.),
showed me a copy of this document, which I was also permitted
to copy. Besides this document, Mr. Oliver Caldwell showed me
a richly engraved silver cup, with historic sketches engraved
thereon. This cup had been handed down through fourteen generations
from the first settlement in Scotland by the tree ancient brothers.
"First
on this cup was seen a man drawing water from a well, representing
the famous watering place near Toulon, France, where lived and
were reared the three brothers, John, Alexander and Oliver.
"Next
on the cup was seen three ships on the sea, tossed by high waves,
representing the former sailor life of the three brothers while
sea captains on the Mediterranean, and also representing the
emigrant ships in which they had previously sailed from Lisbon,
Spain to Scotland.
"Next
was engraved a fire burning on a hill signifying a beacon light
and signal of danger. It was during one of the cruel persecutions
in France that the Huguenots and other Protestants had to flee
for their lives from the face of their cruel persecutors and
our fathers had to leave France and go to Scotland to find safety.
"Next
was seen twenty men on horseback in armor representing the military
service required by King James VI of Scotland, upon their settlement
there.
"On
the bottom of the cup was engraved the name of the original
owner, 'Alexander Cauldwell, Mt. Aud, France'."
After
being forced to leave their homes in France these three brothers
were found as sailors on the Mediterranean Sea, manning three
cruisers (the three ships on the silver cup) and apparently became
rather rich and powerful sea
merchants.
The
three brothers were originally and apparently aligned with the
Barbarossa brothers, generally considered pirates of much note
at the time. The Barbarossa's were of Algerian birth and became
the dominant power in the Mediterranean for 20 or more years after
driving the Spanish from Algeria. These pirates were themselves
defeated by the Governor of Aran when he made a massive effort
to end the dominance of the Barbarossa's. John, Alexander and
Oliver escaped with out being captured by the Aranian Governor
and returned to Toulon for a short time.
[Michael
Caldwell comments: One of our visitors (Karen--see Guestbook
entry) offers the following very plausible alternate narrative:
"I personally do not believe our christian ancestors were
in anyway associated with these Muslum Turks who used Christian
slaves to row their ships. The brothers became well known in
1504 when they captured two of the Pope's Galleys. These ships
were almost ten times the size of the pirate ships, so it was
a great fete! . . . The Barbarosas' were African pirates who
probably came upon the Caldwell brothers and perhaps a band
of pirates that they belonged to. My personal guess is that
it was the Barbarous brothers who defeated the Caldwell fleet."
Thanks, Karen, for the input!]
John,
Alexander and Oliver, however, put their years of experience on
the sea to good use and amassed a naval fleet of their own, one
rivaling the defeated Barbarossa's in force. Spanish Merchants
hired John, Alexander and Oliver to do away with the remaining
pirates on the Mediterranean. Though hired by the Spanish, King
Francis I of France was so pleased with their success, that he
rewarded the brothers, as well, to the tune of $20,000-a substantial
sum of money in that day!
They
then determined from that time forward to abandon the high seas
and returned to their home in Mr. Aud, France. But on their return
there, they found France now in a state of turmoil as a result
of the persecutions suffered by the Huguenots and Piedmontees,
as the Protestants in France were called. They, being protestant
themselves, returned at once to Spain.
[Michael
Caldwell comments: This is quite a "romantic"
and fun story with very little direct evidence as to its' authenticity
other than the included references to valid dates and historical
events. However, the story seems to be fairly consistent and
persistent as it comes from several different branches of the
family. It is likely that there is much of truth in the account
as well as a healthy sprinkling of fantasy to spice it up a
bit. There are some discrepancies in some of what is here related.
The above recount and the reference to King James I in the paragraph
below, would both indicate a time frame of early to mid-1500s.
However, a number of records have been found which attest to
the existence of a number of individuals with the Caldwell name
as early as the first part of the 14th century (i.e.. 1300s),
two hundred years before that indicated in this narrative. Further
examination of this apparent discrepancy is included below]
From
Spain, they took a merchant ship bound for the coast of Scotland.
They landed at a place called Solway Firth. And, finding the country
(Scotland) in peace under the Protestant reign of King James VI,
they determined to settle there. After finding a large land holder,
he being a wealthy bishop of the place they purchased from him
a large estate, and sent back to their native land for other relatives
and friends and in a few years became numerous and prosperous.
But, in order to acquire full title to this land, it was necessary
that they should gain the consent and signature of the King to
their purchase. This they did. But the King, upon signing their
titles, imposed the following condition; that the three brothers
should, when the King required it, each send a son with a troop
of twenty men to aid in the wars of the King. And these should
be men of sound mind and able bodies, fit for service.
[Michael
Caldwell comments: Another source names that Bishop as Bishop
Douglas with the clarification that they did not simply purchase
some land from him, but, rather, purchased his entire estate.
Also, variations in this history usually refer to King James
I and never mention James VI. There was a King James I of Scotland
who ruled from 1406 until his murder in 1437. However, he was
largely an "absentee" monarch having been captured
by the French in the year of his coronation and being held until
1424. Also, other events and people refered in the story (the
Barbarossa brothers, for example),do not coincide with the rule
of this king. This, then, would also have been the estate with
the cold well or spring located on it. However, it may well
be that John, Alexander and Oliver were not the first from that
estate to be referred to as coming from Cold Well. One William
de Caldwell is recorded with a fee (i.e.. a "fee"
was usually an inherited estate of land) in 1342. The "de"
was a popular preposition used as surnames began common usage
and could be read as "at" or "of the" with
in a name. Those prepositions were later dropped, in most cases,
or, for some, became part of the surname (i.e.. At-wood).
It became a matter of significant pride for one to be called
by their Christian or given name with a reference to the land
from which they came, added to it. Land owners as well as anyone
associated with that land or area often did so, as a way of
differentiating themselves from others with the same given name.
That the land here in question with the cold well or spring
existed prior to the arrival of our three brothers would be
understood and unquestioned (i.e. they did not create the land
nor the spring). That others may have added the descriptive
of "Cold Well" to their names before the time of our
three brothers would certainly be a possiblity and is, in fact,
indicated by the apparent existence of individuals with that
name years before John, Alexander and Oliver. None-the-less,
it would remain within the realm of possibility that the Caldwell
name, as an inherited surname began with the three brothers.
It is not apparent when the usage of surnames evolved from being
only a differentiation used at the descretion of isolated individuals,
to that of an inherited surname passed from parents to children.
In addition, it was not an uncommon practice, apparently, for
clerks of that time period to arbitrarily add a descriptive
addition to the given name of a vassal (ie. one who had been
given some rights to portions of land owned by a superior Lord),
for example, in order to identify them from others with the
same given name, but totally without the vassals knowledge.
It is possible, for example, that the William de Caldwell mentioned
above was such a vassal and never knew that he would ever become
known as anything except plain old William.]
We
find our forefathers peacefully settled in Scotland, under the
most favorable circumstances in life, both in wealth and in talent.
Their descendants have borne the favored name of Caldwell, through
fourteen generations in Scotland, England, Ireland, and America.
Shortly thereafter, part of the family migrated across the Highlands
of Scotland. It was nearly one hundred years prior to the time
of Oliver Cromwell that they went northward from Solway Firth,
through Scotland, mingling with these people as they traveled.
The
people of Scotland were adherents of John Knox, the Scotch reformer
and many of them became part of his "Presbyterian" belief.
They were among the covenanters of Scotland and the seceders of
Ireland and, through several generations in Scotland, they became
Scottish Highlanders. Passing over from the highlands of Scotland
into the north of Ireland, they became Scotch-Irish. They, however,
never mingled with the native Irish of Ireland. The Irish were
of the Celtic race and had inhabited the island from time immemorial
and were converted to the Roman Catholic faith by St. Patrick.
But in the north of Ireland were Picts and Scots who were converted
Protestants and Presbyterians and the two races were ever at antipathy
with each other, socially and religiously. Consequently, they
were always a separate and distinct people and have kept it so.
Some
of these ancestors or ours lived in the north of Ireland, near
a lake called Yon. The great-grandfather of the original writer
of this report (Thomas H. Caldwell) brought with him from that
lake, a resin hone made from hickory wood which was formed into
stone, by the action of the lake, which petrifies wood into stone
in seven years. The lake contains a very fine emery sand which
enters into the pores of the wood and petrifies it. This relic
he brought to America with him and it was handed down until it
came into possession of R. A. Caldwell, brother of Thomas H. Caldwell.
But it was lost during the Civil War of 1861. This hone was greatly
prized and greatly lamented when lost.
From
the north, they migrated to the south of Ireland, through Wales
and from thence to America. The Caldwell family in Scotland and
Ireland was probably very numerous because we find that after
fourteen generations of nearly continuous emigration to America,
Oliver Caldwell comes to America, as well, leaving behind still
more Caldwell's in Ireland.
Several
well known historical figures play an important role in our history.
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), Protector of England from 1653 to
1658, was of our family through his grandmother, Ann of Cauldwell.
He brought over from Scotland a large host of his kindred of the
Cauldwell family and gave them positions of honor and trust during
his lease of power at the head of the English nation.
From
the north of Ireland, one of the young men who still retained
the old family name from which he had descended, Alexander Caldwell,
emigrated south in the days of Cromwell and joined the "Friends"
under Cromwell with other Caldwell families in their schemes of
ambition in attaining places of honor and trust under the government
of the Cromwell's.
But
after Cromwell's death and the restoration of the monarchy under
Charles II of England, they were banished, and this portion of
the family also fled to America, forming colonies, one in Virginia,
one in New Jersey, one in New York, and one in Philadelphia. Our
historian writes;
"Joseph,
John, Andrew and David of Cauldwell, went with Oliver Cromwell
to Ireland, of which he was Lord Governor, after he was promoted
to the Protectorship of England. They remained in his interest
in Ireland, until the restoration of the crown under Charles II,
when John, David and Andrew fled to America. Joseph died in Ireland,
Daniel continued there; but several of his children emigrated
to America and helped form colonies at James River, Rhode Island
and Philadelphia."
Before
coming over, however, he (Alexander) confided to a family relative
of the same name who had come from the old estate of Solway Firth,
of the defeat of the Caldwell family and determined to make her
his bride. Her name was Mary of Cauldwell, a distant relative
but too distant to form a barrier to a closer union. After a short
acquaintance and a shorter courtship, they were married in Wales
and the family emigrated to America with one brother of the groom
(David) and two brothers of the bride, John and Andrew, both young
men. They landed at Philadelphia and formed a colony, but poverty
had overtaken the Caldwell family at the time of their emigration
to America and instead of the wealth and honor with which they
were surrounded in the palmy days of the Cromwell's they had now
become exiles and had been hunted throughout England for their
lives, which made it necessary for them to go into self-banishment
for personal safety. These were dark days for the Caldwell families,
and they had to sell themselves to the ship master to gain their
passage over to America. The ship master in turn had to hire them
out to service in Philadelphia to such as he could find, to pay
their passage. This service, however, they accomplished with faithfulness
and hearty good will, without a murmur, and when accomplished
were glad to call themselves "free men of America."
And this freedom they ever afterwards maintained at the point
of the sword and the mouth of the cannon and when kings and tyrants
from the "mother country" sent armies to America to
again subject them to vassalage, their breasts were bare to the
conflict and, like Cromwell, their relative and preceptor, their
war cry was "down with the tyrants." They fought through
the war of the revolution in the cause of liberty.
So
we learn that the Caldwell families from the old estate in Scotland,
know as the Cauldwell Estate, are numerous in America. Not only
was Oliver Cromwell and many other members of the Revolution in
England members of our family, but also Queen Elizabeth of England
is of the same family. Thomas H. Caldwell tells us that his mother,
Mrs. Elenor Caldwell once had in her possession a gold chain that
belonged to Queen Elizabeth, and had been handed down through
many generations but was lost during Mrs. Caldwell's lifetime.
She
was much grieved over the circumstance, of course. Our ancestors
were descendants of Alexander Cauldwell; Oliver Cromwell, a descendant
of Oliver, the younger brother; and John Caldwell Calhoun of South
Carolina from the eldest brother, John.
Although
our friends at the time of landing in Scotland were probably not
religious, yet being raised up by Protestant parentage gave them
partiality to that form of doctrine and church policy taught by
John Knox, the great Scottish reformer. And settling among the
Scottish people, a people preeminently religious and of the strictest
order of faith, Presbyterianism, they were not long in falling
in with the sentiments and religious views of their new neighbors.
They no doubt also found their future partners for life among
the daughters of that clime, reared and brought up within the
pale of the church and deeply imbued with the principles and doctrines
of the Presbyterian church. Thus the new generations became so
thoroughly Presbyterian that in successive ages they have shown
their attachment to the Presbyterian all their settlements, wherever
they have gone. And ministers of the gospel, elders, deacons and
numerous church members have been among their later descendants.
Our
forefathers personally were men of stately mien and large physique
and possessed of bright, open and intelligent countenances; were
of dark skin, deep penetrating eyes, high rolling, smooth foreheads,
were affable and genial in their manners, friendly and accommodating
in their disposition and were disposed to be talkative and generous
to a fault. Although naturally of dark complexion, in mingling
with the "blue-eyed belles of Scotland" through thirteen
generations, the younger generations have shown many instances
of the fair hair and blues eyes of the mother's family. Thus the
blue eyes and the black eyes appear in almost every family.
For
Michael's footnotes and additional commentary, click
here.
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