THE FAMILY OF JOSEPH CALDWELL By Linda Cunningham Fluharty Copyright 2000 Joseph Caldwell was born in 1837 in Marshall Co, West Virginia, the s/o John Caldwell & Jane Poole. He lived at Little Grave Creek and was married to Rebecca Jones on 23 Oct 1856 in Limestone, Marshall County, by Moses Tichnell. Rebecca Jones was born in 1836 in Wood Hill, Marshall County, the daughter of Phillip and Jane Jones. Joseph and Rebecca had the following children, all born in Marshall County: George Hanson, born 27 Jul 1857; Mary Jane, born 8 Oct 1858; Lydia Ann, born 27 Mar 1860 and Emma Caroline, born 12 July 1861. #1568 in the Marshall County 1860 Federal shows: Caldwell, Joseph 23 VA, Rebecca 23 VA, George 5 VA, Mary A 3 VA, Lydia 1 VA. On 16 Aug 1862, when he was 24, Joseph enlisted in Co A 12th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded at Winchester, Virginia, 24 Jul 1864, and was promoted from Sergeant to 2nd Lieutenant on 16 Dec 1864. He was Killed In Battle, 2 Apr 1865, at Fort Gregg and was buried in Petersburg National Cemetery in Virginia. His heroic actions during the final moments of his life are memorialized in the 1892 book, The History of the Twelfth West Virginia Infantry: "The colors were then seized by Lieut. Joseph Caldwell of Company A, who leaped upon the parapet, and in attempting to plant the colors there was killed, falling also into the ditch. The flag fell inside of the fort." And Theodore Lang wrote in Loyal West Virginia, 1895, "Several other of the regiment were killed inside the fort, among whom were the gallant Lieut. Joseph Caldwell, of Co. C." Following her husband's death, Rebecca obtained a government pension for herself and her children. However, on 16 July 1870, she relinquished her own pension when she was married to Walter Hanson Evans, the son of George Washington Evans and Rebecca Porter, in Greene County, Pennsylvania by A. J. Hindman, a Justice of the Peace. Pension records reveal that John P. Eckles and Daniel Jones attended the ceremony. In the 1870 Federal Census of Clay District, Marshall County, West Virginia, the head of household #38 is Hanson Evans, 21, a farm laborer. Rebecca Evans is 34 years of age and the value of her Real Estate is $2,250. Also in the home are George H. Caldwell, 12; Mary Jane Caldwell, 10; Lidda A. Caldwell, 8; Emma C. Caldwell, 7. Rebecca applied, 6 Feb 1871, for an additional $2 per month for her dependant children. This is the last document in the pension file that names her as the Guardian of her children. On 26 July 1876, in Woodfield, Monroe County, Ohio, Phillip Pool applied for the Guardianship of Emma C. Caldwell; he was appointed the same on 11 January 1877. On 4 Sept 1876, in Wetzel County, West Virginia, Phillip asked on behalf of Emma that she be given a pension based upon her father's rank as a 2nd Lieutenant, rather than as a Private. John W. Conner appeared in court on behalf of George H., Mary Jane and Lydia A., also requesting a pension rate based on Joseph Caldwell's rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Mr. Conner declared himself to be the only guardian of George H., Mary Jane and Lydia A. Caldwell. In a document, dated February 2, 1877, summarizing the pension claims of the Caldwell children, Rebecca is referred to as "former guardian." Rebecca's death in Rosbys Rock, Marshall County, is mentioned in the 'Claim of Heirs for Arrears of Pension,' dated 17 May 1880, but no date of death is given. Wesley C. Riggs, 34, claims to be Guardian and legal representative of George, Mary Jane and Lydia. Walter H. Evans, 31, is residing in the home of his father, George, in the 1880 Federal Census of Clay District, Marshall County, West Virginia. Walter Hanson Evans, born 05 June 1850, married Kate E. Anderson, 7 April 1881, in Marshall County. Lydia Ann Caldwell married Charles S. Riggs, 13 April 1880. In a biography of Charles in the 'History of the Upper Ohio Valley,' the death of Lydia's father, Joseph Caldwell, is described. The bio also states that Rececca died in 1870, at the age of 45. This is clearly an error; the date is surely closer to 1880. Lydia died 9 July 1913 and is buried in Mt. Rose Cemetery, Marshall County. Mary Jane Caldwell married Alfred R. Hammond, 23 Jan 1878. In the 1880 Census, Washington District, Marshall County, they have a daughter Carie, age 1. George Hanson Caldwell gave an address, Lisbon Kandal Co, Ill., on an undated paper included in the pension file. Nothing further is known about George. Emma Caroline Caldwell married Mahlon Ellsworth Riggs, brother of Charles S., on 21 Nov 1882. Emma died in 1939 and is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Marshall County.