From "HISTORY OF WHEELING and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens."  Edited & Compiled by Hon. Gibson Lamb 
Cranmer.  Biographical Publishing, 1902; pgs. 746-749. 

DR. J. R.  CALDWELL

     Dr. J. R. Caldwell has been located in West Liberty, Ohio 
county, West Virginia, since 1897, and in that time has taken the led 
in his profession, and now commands a large and lucrative practice.  
He was born July 2, 1872, and is a son of W. R. Caldwell.
     The Caldwell family is one which has long been prominently 
identified with the affairs of Ohio county.  John Caldwell, great-
grandfather of the Doctor, was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 
1783, and died in Ohio county, West Virginia, in 1872, at the age of 
eighty-nine years.  He came to this county early in the nineteenth 
century and purchased a tract of land on Short Creek, where he built 
the first grist-mill and also the first woolen mill in that part of 
the country.  These mills were much needed at the time, for without a 
mill the grain had to be ground in a primitive manner, and the people 
were obliged to card wool and make their cloth by hand.  John 
Caldwell married Rebecca Hedges, a daughter of Joseph Hedges, who was 
born in Ohio.
     Joseph Caldwell, grandfather, of Dr. Caldwell, was born on Short 
Creek, Ohio county, July 23, 1829, and became a merchant at West 
Liberty, where he conducted a store until his retirement, in 1901.  
He married Mary Ridgely, a daughter of Richard Ridgely, who was born 
in Ohio county, and died at the age of sixty-nine years.  The latter 
was a son of Paragon Ridgely, who had come with his brother Absalom 
from Maryland, both being wealthy men and large slave owners; they 
purchased many acres of land in Ohio county, and long before the war 
freed the slaves in their possession, and at their own expense sent 
them to a free state.
     Dr. J. R. Caldwell attended the common schools, after which he 
entered the West Liberty State Normal School.  He took a course of 
three years' study, and graduated from that institution with honor.  
He then taught school for three years, and in the meantime entered 
upon the study of medicine.  At the end of that period he entered 
Rush Medical College, of Chicago, and was graduated after three years 
of study, with high honors, in 1896.  He was then located at St. 
Clairsville, Ohio, for one year, and in 1897 returned to his native 
town, West Liberty.  Although four other practitioners are located 
there, his ability was soon recognized, he made a success from the 
start, and his practice has steadily increased ever since.  In 
addition to caring for his practice, he conducts a prescription drug 
store.
     Fraternally, Dr. Caldwell is a member of Lodge No. 26, A. F. & 
A. M., of West Liberty, and Lodge No. 24, K. of P., of Elm Grove.  He 
is a Republican, in politics, and is a member of the executive 
committee of the West Liberty State Normal School, having been 
appointed by the state.  He is a member of the West Virginia Medical 
Society and the American Medical Association.                     
       
(Linda Fluharty)