Early Life
John Caldwell was born at Ridgeway in Orleans County of New York state on the 4th day of July, 1849. His name given at birth was George Washington Caldwell as he was born on the anniversary of national independence. His parents decided a year later to change it to 'John Jr' after his father's name. He was the fifth in the family of eight boys and one girl, seemingly breaking then the Irish tradition of the third 'born' son receiving the father's name since this name change was an afterthought. He was the third surviving son, however, so could have inherited the name 'John' and suffix by default. The third and fourth sons died before they were 10 years old and do not show up on any census records.
Caldwell's parents, John Caldwell Sr and Jane (Thompson) Caldwell, immigrated from Ireland and arrived separately in the state of New York in the early part of the nineteenth century. They were married in 1840. Their first born was James in 1841, being Caldwell's grandfather's name.
Caldwell came with his parents to Litchfield township in Hillsdale county in 1856 from upper New York state by way of the Erie Canal. He worked on his father's farm in the summers and attended school during the winters. While his older brothers and his father were Civil War veterans, he was too young to enlist during this time period of 1861 - 1865. When he was eighteen years old in the early part of 1868 he went to the woods of Tuscola County of the thumb area of Michigan for about two years in his first employment. This was the beginning of his timber career where he learned the industry. In November 1869 Caldwell then went to Missaukee county in northern Michigan. He was gainfully employed there for a few years as a land agent for the Mitchell Brothers Company timber development of northern Michigan as one of their key timbermen representatives. He worked with lumberjacks that used logging wheels for hauling timber out of the woods.
Read more about this topic: John Caldwell (Michigan Politician)
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