Biography
The following story is told of his wife Rebecca Parks Walkup Caldwell (submitted to
DAR in 1974 by Ann Roy):

Rebecca Parqu (Park) was born 1707 in County Antrim, Ireland, the daughter of a Hugenot
refugee, Jaques Parque (James Park). At the age of sixteen seh was married to John Walkup, a marriage arranged by her father and the groom who was 52 years old at the time. Four months after the wedding, Rebecca was a childless, penniless widow. In 1724 she married William Caldwell in Ireland. William had been schooled in Scotland at an early age and was considered educated, a man intensely proud of his heritage and possessing charm and tremendous physical strength. William and Rebecca came to America in 1727 with the Caldwell family and had children born in PA and VA, Margaret in 1728, Martha in 1730, Rebecca in 1738, John in 1740, Eleanor, William Thomas in 1748, Sarah and James in 1755, Elizabeth in 1757, and David Robert in 1760.

When William died in 1761 (in Virginia), leaving Rebecca with so many young children, he
stipulated that their slave, Sambo, be her possession until her death. Within the next ten years, the entire family had moved to South Carolina and shortly thereafter the Revolutionary War started.

During the War, a Tory by the name of Bloody Bill Cuningham swept through the western side of Newberry County, S.C. A negro gave the alarm that the Tories were coming. James Creswell,
afterward to become Col Creswell, was at the Caldwell home at the time. Because James Creswell was so openly hostile to the Tories, Rebecca had to think fast. She told her daughter, Elizabeth, to hide and dressed James in the clothes of Elizabeth. She ordered horses to be saddled for herself and her "daughter." As the Tories approached the homestead, Mrs. Caldwell was seen calling out, "Betsy, come along I am in a hurry." Out walked Creswell, hiding his face under the bonnet. He and Mrs. Caldwell mounted in the presence of the Tories and rode away on a pretend visit to Mrs. Neely.

The Tories searched the area for James Creswell and found Elizabeth in hiding. In retaliation,
they carried away most of the Caldwell household belongings. One of the Tory remarked about the
long strides the pretender had taken to approach and mount the horse.

In the 98th year of her life, Rebecca Park Walkup Caldwell conceived of a plan for a family
reunion and wanted every person of the family present. When she told her family of her wish the reply was that there was no house that could accomodate such a crowd. Her reply was, "I have all my children near me except those in Abbeville (William, James, Elizabeth, Dr. Martin, and Sally, John Moore and Eleanor). You all do not live in excess of five miles in a circle with all your children and grandchildren in adjoining districts. None lives so far that they can't find welcome in their family's homes nearby. William, James and David, build me a snug shelter in case of rain, for a dining hall and a smaller one for the children to play. I shall never meet them agian on earth. I am now 98 years old and will be happy if you would give me this pleasure before I die." Her plans were carried out.

Rebecca Caldwell died one year later in 1806 at the age of ninety-nine. She is thought to be
buried with her son John who was killed by William (Bloody Bill) Cunningham. That burial site is on the former grounds owned by John Caldwell between Mudlick Creek & Little River, Newberry Co., South Carolina.
Facts
  • ABT 1707 - Birth - ; France (French H
  • 1806 - Death - ; Mill Creek, Newberry Co. SC
Ancestors
   
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Rebecca PARKS (PARQUE)
ABT 1707 - 1806
  
 
  
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Family Group Sheet - Child
PARENT (U) ?
Birth
Death
Father?
Mother?
PARENT (U) ?
Birth
Death
Father?
Mother?
CHILDREN
FRebecca PARKS (PARQUE)
BirthABT 1707France (French H
Death1806Mill Creek, Newberry Co. SC
Marriage1727to William Findley Caldwell
Family Group Sheet - Spouse
PARENT (M) William Findley Caldwell
Birth1 Feb 1704
Death1761
Marriage1727to Rebecca PARKS (PARQUE)
FatherJohn Caldwell
MotherMargaret Phillips
PARENT (F) Rebecca PARKS (PARQUE)
BirthABT 1707France (French H
Death1806 Mill Creek, Newberry Co. SC
Marriage1727to William Findley Caldwell
Father?
Mother?
CHILDREN
MJames Caldwell
Birth8 Jul 1755VA
Death11 Jan 1813SC
MarriageABT 1778to Elizabeth Forrest at Newberry Dist., SC
FMartha Caldwell
Birth1750ub Creek, Lunenburg (Charl
Death15 May 1801Abbeville Distri, SC
Marriageto Patrick Calhoun
FSarah Caldwell
Birth1730
Death
Marriageto Dr. James Martin
MDavid Caldwell
Birth1741
Death
Marriageto Sarah Martin
Marriageto Nancy Carey
Marriageto ? Forrest
FEleanor Caldwell
Birth1746
Death
Marriage16 May 1766to John Moore
MWilliam Thomas Caldwell
Birth10 Mar 1748Charlotte Co. VA
Death16 Dec 1814Newberry Dist, SC
Marriageto Elizabeth Ann Williams
FElizabeth Caldwell
Birth15 Oct 1757
Death29 Dec 1851SC
Marriageto Robert Gillam
FAnn Caldwell
Birth1756
Death
F(Phoebe?) Rebecca Caldwell
BirthAFT 1724
Death
Marriageto Josiah East
FMargaret Caldwell
Birth4 Jan 1729PA
Death12 Sep 1802Abbeville Distri, SC
Marriageto James Ritchie
MJohn Caldwell
Birth1728Pennsylvania
DeathNov 1781SC
Marriageto Margaret (DAVIDSON ?) at Macklenberg, NC
Descendancy Chart
Rebecca PARKS (PARQUE) b: ABT 1707 d: 1806
William Findley Caldwell b: 1 Feb 1704 d: 1761
James Caldwell b: 8 Jul 1755 d: 11 Jan 1813
George Forrest Caldwell b: 1794 d: 12 Mar 1834
James Butler Caldwell b: 1823 d: 18 Nov 1850
Martha Caldwell b: 1750 d: 15 May 1801
John Caldwell Calhoun b: 18 Mar 1782 d: 31 Mar 1850
Sarah Caldwell b: 1730
David Caldwell b: 1741
Eleanor Caldwell b: 1746
William Thomas Caldwell b: 10 Mar 1748 d: 16 Dec 1814
William T. Caldwell b: ABT 1815
John Caldwell b: 9 Sep 1785 d: 15 Jan 1856
Elizabeth Caldwell b: 19 Jul 1803 d: 2 May 1889
Patrick Calhoun Caldwell b: 10 Mar 1801 d: 22 Nov 1855
Elizabeth Caldwell b: 15 Oct 1757 d: 29 Dec 1851
Ann Caldwell b: 1756
Margaret Caldwell b: 4 Jan 1729 d: 12 Sep 1802
James Jr. Ritchie b: 2 Nov 1752
Robert J. Ritchie b: Abt. 1754
Andrew Ritchie b: Abt. 1768
William A. Ritchie b: Abt. 1769
Nancy Agnes Ritchie b: 30 Jun 1763
Ann Ritchie b: Abt. 1758
Alexander Ritchie b: ABT 1748
Jeanne Ritchie b: Abt. 1753
Margaret Ritchie b: Abt. 1753
John Ritchie b: Abt. 1750
John Caldwell b: 1728 d: Nov 1781