: Portions of the data on this line has been donated by family member Lisa Downing Stahl (Descendant of Levi Caldwell) from her sources.



Levi Caldwell, engaged in farming and stock-raising on section 17, Clay Township, was born in Portage County, Ohio, October 23, 1822, his father, John Caldwell, being a native of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and an early settler of Ohio.

Our subject received his education in the schools of his neighborhood, which were supported by subscriptions, the school-house being a rude log cabin. He was reared to agricultural pursuits which he has followed through life, and by his persevering industry and excellent management he has succeeded well in his farming operations, and is now the owner of a fine farm in Clay Township which contains 205 acres of land under good cultivation. He has been a resident of Wayne County since 1855 when he located in Richman Town ship, four miles north of his present farm. He has made his home on section 17, Clay Township, since 1860, but the board shanty in which he then settled has given place to a substantial farm dwelling. Mr. Caldwell was married in Portage County, Ohio, October 25,1843, to Louisa M. Curtis, a daughter of Reuben and Hopy (Hills) Curtis. Nine children have been born to them, five of whom are living--Oscar G., Marietta J., John F., Lydia A. and Seymour G., all now married and settled in life. One son, Gilbert C., was killed in a snow slide in Colorado, in February, 1878, at the age of Twenty-six years. Mr. Caldwell has served his township as trustee, school director and road supervisor. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Typed as written in the Biographical and Historical Record of Wayne and
Appanoose Counties Iowa. Page 308

Inter-State Publishing Company

113 Adams Street, Chicago

1886


From "The History of Richman Township and Humeston";,

"There was no one living in the southwest part of the township, until August 1854, when Brit Fisher and family, his son-in-law Jr. W. Chadwick and father Luther Chadwick pitched their tents one-half mile from the Decatur County line and began their building of two houses. On May 28, 1855, Levi Caldwell and family and Wm. Chadwick arrived from Michigan with teams. Chadwick bought land from Fisher, married his daughter, Nancy; he improved his farm, returned to Michigan, then back to Iowa, but located in Clay township just across the line."