Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

CALDWELL The surname Caldwell dates back to the beginning of the use of surnames in England and Scotland. It is a place-name, meaning simply cold-well, and localities bearing the name are found in various counties of the United Kingdom. The family is found and has achieved some prominence in the counties of Stafford, Berks, Worcester, Gloucester, England, in Meath, Ireland, and in London. It is numerous in Scotland. The family history in Scotland dates back to before 1300 in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire. The coat-of-arms of the Caldwell family of Caldwell, Scotland: Argent three piles issuing from the chief sable and in base four bars waved gules and vert. (I) James Caldwell, the immigrant ancestor, was born in Scotland about 1770 and came with a party of Scottish people to Ryegate, Vermont, a town settled by a Scottish colony during and after the revolution. He was a farmer, first at Ryegate, later at Topsham, an adjacent town. He married, March 8, 1803, _____. Children, b. at Ryegate: 1. Jean, born March 2, 1804. 2. Mary, born Oct. 2, 1806. 3. James Jr., born Dec. 10, 1808, mentioned below. 4. John, born Dec. 27, 1810. 5. William, born Jan. 21, 1813. 6. Christian, born Feb. 6, 1815. 7. Agnes, born March 19, 1817. 8. Elizabeth, born April 6, 1819. 9. Archibald, born March 7, 1823. (II) James (2), son of James (1) Caldwell, was born in Ryegate, Vermont, Dec. 10, 1808, died in Topsham in 1863. He was educated in the district schools, and worked during his youth on his father's farm. He remained at home after coming of age and succeeded to the homestead at Topsham. He was an old-line Democrat in politics, a prominent and useful citizen. He was road surveyor and selectman of the town of Topsham. He married (first), March 17, 1835, Jennie Craig, who died Feb. 18, 1838. He married (second) Jan. 7, 1841, Nancy Chamberlain, of Newbury, Vermont. Child of 1st wife: 1. Mary, married Gustavus Tibbetts, of Neponset, Illinois. Children of 2d wife: 2. Joseph C., born Dec. 3, 1842, mentioned below. 3. Eliza, married James Lang. 4. James R., born Sept. 3, 1846, remained in Topsham; married Jan. 15, 1878, Ella Vance; children: Rosamund, Nathan R. and Joseph. 5. Dr. Martin, settled in Herscher, Illinois, and died there in 1884. 6. Eber. 7. Child died in infancy. (III) Dr. Joseph Chamberlain, son of James (2) Caldwell, was born in Topsham, Dec. 3, 1842. He was educated in the common schools, the Topsham high school and at Maine Medical College, where he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1870. He had to work his own way through college. In August after receving his degree he opened an office in Buckfield, Maine, where he has since been located, a period of nearly forty years. He has had a large general practice and stands high in professional ranks. He is a member of the American and State Medical societies and Oxford County Medical Association, and of Evening Star Lodge of Free Masons, Buckfield. In politics he is a Republican; in religion orthodox. He married (first) Dec., 1870, Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Stanwood, of Brunswick. She died June 7, 1872, and he married (second) Nov. 30, 1896, Harriet Lucas, born Hartford, Maine, daughter of Amasa and Mary J. (Larrabee) (Lucas) Wyman. Her father was born in Hartford, Maine; her mother in Durham, Maine. Her grandfather, Amasa Lucas, was born at Carver, Mass., moving from his native town to Hartford, Maine, on an ox-team. Children of 1st wife: 1. Josephine, born March, 1872, married Alfred Cole, merchant, Buckfield. 2. Bessie M., born Dec. 7, 1877, married Charles P. Buck, Traverse City, Michigan. 3. Wilbur Chamberlain, born June 5, 1888, educated in the schools of Buckfield and at Hebron Academy; student in Bowdoin College, class of 1911.