WILLIAM CALDWELL, son of Samuel Caldwell, was born July 29, 1830, in Peters Township, Washington Co., Penn. Samuel Caldwell was born in 1782, in Dauphin County, eastern Pennsylvania, and came with his parents to Allegheny county when but a child. He served an apprenticeship as a tailor, but after completing the trade was obliged to abandon it on account of poor health. He began farming, and in 1818 bought a farm in Peters township, Washington County, to which he moved, eventually becoming prosperous agriculturist. In Politics he was originally a Whig, then a Republican, and served for years as a member of the school board. In religion he was first identified with the Union Church, afterward uniting with the U. P. Society, then known as the Bridge Church, now called Canonsburg U. P. Church, to which he was a liberal contributor. In early life he was married to Elizabeth daughter of James Gilland, of Allegheny county, Penn., and the following children were born to this union: James (deceased), Ann (wife of John Charlton), Jane Eliza (Mrs. Thomas D. Weaver), Margaret (married to Henry Bennett), Harriet and William. The father died in 1856, having been preceded by his wife in 1841, and both are buried in Speer Spring cemetery. William Caldwell was reared and educated in Peters Township, and on March 12, 1857, was united in marriage with Margaret, daughter of John and granddaughter of Henry Miller. The grandparents were natives of Germany, and immigrated to America in the latter part of the last century, locating on the home farm Chartiers Township, Washington County, Penn. Henry Miller built one of the first mills for grinding grain, which was run by horses. He was a Whig and Republican, and in religion was for many years a member of and elder of the Presbyterian Church at Miller's Run. He died February 11, 1845, followed by his wife April 10, of the same year. Their children were John, Christina Ann (wife of William Bennett) and Nancy (Mrs. Johnson). John Miller was born April 24, 1798, on the home place in Chartiers Township, this county. On January 18, 1821, he was married to Margaret Jordan, who bore him children as follows: Stewart, Henry, Mary (wife of Thomas Chapman), Ann John, Hugh, and Margaret (Mrs. William Caldwell), Of these children Stewart, Mary, Ann, and John are deceased. The father was a Whig and Republican. He was for many years a member and elder of the Presbyterian Church at Miller's Run, and died on the old place November 17, 1874, Mrs. Miller having preceded him Nov. 3, 1873. Both parents are buried in the cemetery at Miller's Run. After marriage William and Margaret (Miller) Caldwell resided on the home place in Peters Township, until 1868, when they moved to the Miller homestead, and in 1886 came to their present home in Canonsburg. Three children have been born to this marriage, namely: John M., Annie E. , widow of Thomas I. Charlton, and Ella Paretta. Mrs. Charlton is the only one now living. Mr. Caldwell is an active worker in the ranks of the Republican party, and in religion a member of the Chartiers U. P. Church.

Text taken from page 563 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1998 by Bobbi Harville of Middleburg, FL as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1998 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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