James H. Caldwell has spent his entire life upon the farm which he now occupies, his birth having there occurred on the 2nd of February, 1841. He is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of this section of the state. His paternal grandparents were Stephen and Catherine Caldwell, natives of Maryland, in which state the former died. The latter spent her last years in the home of her son, James, and was called to her final rest at the advanced age of ninety years. This worthy couple had a family of four children: Martha, who became the wife of John Myers and died at Gettysburg, Ohio; Margaret, who died in 1863; James, the father of our subject; and one who died in childhood. James Caldwell was born near Emmitsburg, Maryland, August 6, 1797, and died in February, 1861. In the state of his nativity he wedded Hannah Bouey, who died in September, 1853, at the age of thirty- nine years. Leaving his home in Maryland, James Caldwell walked to Ohio and located a farm in Darke county, about 1832. He then returned on foot to his home, and later removed his family to the Buckeye state, making the trip with wagons. He, however, again walked the entire distance. About 1835 he purchased a quarter- section of land in the extreme northwest corner of Newton township, and there made his home until his death, which occurred in 1861. By trade he was a blacksmith. His children were: Nancy, wife of Ephraim Pierson; and James Harvey.

The latter has made farming his life work. He was reared to that pursuit, beginning work in the fields as soon as old enough to handle the plow. Through the winter I seasons he attended the country schools until about nineteen years of age, and in the summer months he assisted in the work of plowing, planting and harvesting. In 1861 his father died and the entire management of the old homestead devolved upon him. When the country became involved in hostilities between the north and south he greatly desired to enlist but was compelled to remain at home until 1864, when he responded to the call for one hundred-day men, and was made second lieutenant of Company G, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Ohio Infantry. When that regiment was consolidated with another he became a private. Throughout his business career he has carried on agricultural pursuits, and is today the owner of a valuable and attractive farm of eighty acres, upon which he has made excellent improvements. These well tilled fields yield to him a golden tribute, and the substantial buildings, kept in good repair, indicate his careful supervision and progressive spirit.

On the 4th of July, 1861, Mr. Caldwell was united in marriage to Miss Eunice Pearson, who was born in Newton township, December 18, 1837, and is a daughter of Joseph and Lydia (Macy) Pearson. Her paternal grandparents were Benjamin and Esther Pearson. Her maternal grandfather, Paul Macy, was born in North Carolina, was of Quaker faith, and was a direct descendant of Thomas Macy, the first white man that lived on Nantucket Island. He had a son, John, and the latter became the father of four sons, Thomas, John, Richard and Jabez. Of these Thomas, the eldest, had a son Joseph, whose son Paul was the great-grandfather of Mrs. Caldwell. John Macy was married and had a son John, whose daughter Bethiah had a son Paul. The last named became the father of Lydia and she had a daughter Eunice. Richard Macy had a son Zacheus and he a daughter Phoebe, and she a daughter Sarah, and she a son William, and he a daughter Delilah, and the last named married David S. Macy, an uncle of Mrs. Caldwell. Jabez Macy had a son Matthew, and he had a son, Matthew, and the latter had a daughter Eunice, and she had a daughter Lydia, who became the wife of Joseph Pearson and the mother of Mrs. Caldwell. Paul Macy, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Caldwell, was born March 5, 1740, and died on the 2nd of August, 1832, at the very advanced age of ninety-two years. His wife, Mrs. Bethiah Macy, was born March 8, 1744, and died on the 29th of September, 1810. Her ancestry can be traced back to John Folger, who came from England in 1636, and settled at Martha's Vineyard. Among his descendants was Peter Folger, the grandfather of Benjamin Franklin. The line of descent is traced down through Johanna Folger, John Coleman, Elihu Coleman and Eunice Coleman to Bethiah Macy, the great-grandmother of Mrs. Caldwell. By her marriage the last named become the mother of the following: Eunice, who was born November 30, 1762, and. died August 13, 1840; Thomas, born February 28, 1765, and died February 1, 1833; Judith, born March 22, 1767; Matilda, who was born March 2, 1770, and died May 3, 1832; Jemimah, who was born April 6, 1772, and died October 16, 1823; Phoebe, born April 26, 1775, and died in December of the same year; Lydia, born March 27, 1777; Paul, born January 10, 1780; Obed, who was born May 26, 1782, and died February 21, 1821; Hannah, born August 11, 1784, and died November 30, 1825; Phoebe, who was born March 10, 1789, and died January 19, 1842.

Paul Macy, the grandfather of Mrs. Caldwell, was born January 10, 1780, and married Eunice Macy, who was born May 25, 1782, and was a descendant of another branch of the Macy family. With their family and a colony of Quakers they left North Carolina for Ohio, making the journey in wagons. They settled in Montgomery county, and for many years the grandfather followed farming there, but died at the home of his son Obed in Troy, Ohio, having survived his wife. They were married March 5, 1801, and their children were: Phoebe, born January 17, 1802; Thomas, born September 30, 1804; Lydia, who was born December 19, 1806, and died April 7, 1846; Annie, born February 10, 1809, and died September 11, 1863; Beulah, born February 1, 1811, and died April 11, 1845; John G., born September 27, 1813; Paul, born February 8, 1816, and died October 31, 1819; David S., born May 28, 1818, and died September 27, 1862; Eunice, born February 21, 1821; and Obed, born May 26, 1826.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell are: Lyvirgia, who was born April 10, 1862, and is the wife of D. O. McCool, of Newton township, by whom she has four children, LeRoy, Harvey, Harry and Marie; Charles C., who was born August 12, 1863, and married Emma Cox, by whom he has four children, Viola, Carl, Thern and Ina; Lizzie, who was born November 30, 1867, and is the wife of Samuel Hart, of Newton township, by whom she has a daughter, Ethel; and Jennie, who was born March 10, 1874, and is the wife of Clinton Snyder. She has two children, Park and Herman.

Since early manhood Mr. Caldwell has taken a deep and active interest in political affairs, and gives his support to the Republican party, of whose principles he is a stanch advocate. He does all his power to promote the growth and insure the success of the party, and is able to defend his position by intelligent argument. He and his wife belong to the Christian church at Pleasant Hill, and he is a member of Arnold Post, G. A. R., of Bradford. He served for one term as township trustee and for seven years was a director of the county infirmary, and is a member of the Grange. His life has been well spent in earnest devotion to daily duties. His career has been a quiet but useful one, and through consecutive labor and earnest purpose he has won a competence that classes him among the substantial residents of Miami county.