General Notes

The following letter can be found in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 19,
pp 92-94 (a letter from John Roger to Elias B. Caldwell; subject-the Caldwell family).

"Our [John Roger and Elias B. Caldwell--cousins] grandfather emigrated from Scotland to Ireland soon after King William's conquest of that place [ie. Scotland--King William III of England; 1650-1702][JAC NOTE: Other sources indicate during the reign of James I]. Our grandfather, John Caldwell, was born in Ireland and was there married to a Margaret Phillips (our grandmother). He remained there until they had five children, at which time he got three of his brothers-in-law, who had married his sisters, to come to America with him (to wit) Moor, Ritchey, and Dudgeon. Wll:[?] of whom I well remember and one brother-in-law who married his wife's sister whose name was Dougherty, grandfather of my wife and Thomas Dougherty formerly clerk to the lowest house of Congress. They set sail together and landed in Delaware the very day that King George II was proclaimed there [King George II of England; 1683-1760]. From thence they got up the country to a place in Pa., then, called Chestnut Level. Our grandfather naturally of an enterprising spirit, explored the country southwesterly from a place in Va. to Albemarle Co. to which he moved and was soon followed by all his kindred.

There he lived some years; there our grandfather died and his oldest son and my mother-his only daughter-were married.

They and their companions moved with him to Roanoke River and the fine lands there explored the country westerly until his followers fixed on a fine level waterly spot not 30 miles outside any inhabitants, to which place him and his sons and brothers-in-law moved about the year 1742-43.

They were soon after joined by other friends mostly from Ireland or Pa. until they formed a little settlement which was known and always called Caldwell Settlement. For thirty years after father was the first Justice of the Peace and his oldest son the oldest militia officer that was ever appointed under King George II within 25 miles of that place in that neighborhood. I was born and in it was married and had six children before I moved to Ky in the year 1781.

Our grandfathers children were William, Thomas, David, all are buried in the same graveyard with their father. David's widow and all the family moved to Ky. Uncle John went to So. Carolina and died there. Uncle William's widow and all that family went also to So. Carolina. Our friend John C. Calhoun is a son of the 2nd daughter of that family."

(signed by) Cousin John Roger