John Caldwell

CATHERINE CALDWELL

Catherine Caldwell was among the early immigrants to America of the Caldwell family. They were very involved at the highest levels of church, civil and political leadership in the colonies and later in state governments. Her older brother John Caldwell was the leader of the Caldwell group that immigrated.

Catherine was born 1691 in Ireland possibly in Lifford Parish, Ballybogan, Donegal of present day North Ireland. According to a document found in the Logan County, KY library entitled Family History, Caldwell, her and John's father's name was also
John Caldwell. The story goes that the father John was one of five brothers of Ireland. A different source, The Ancestral File states that
Joseph Caldwell was the father of John and Catherine. Joseph and John Senior were brothers. Neither wife is known. The search for the correct father to Catherine continues.

About 1714 Catherine Caldwell married John Dudgeon. It is believed that Catherine and John Dudgeon had a least three children by 1727. That is the year the extended family immigrated to America.. The group consisted of John & Margaret Caldwell, their five children, their two brother-in-laws and their families: Moore Richey and John Dudgeon and Margaret's sisters family, the Daughertys. They landed at New Castle Delaware on Dec 10, 1727.

This date is also in another document that can be found in the Logan County KY library simply titled Caldwell. There is no official documentation. We checked.

re The CALDWELL book by Imogene Terry (not listed in the Library of Congress Index, I don't know anything about it.)

"On 10 December 1727, landing at New Castle, DE, were the following relatives.
John CALDWELL, his wife Margaret, and five children:
1. William CALDWELL and his wife, Rebecca PARKS
2. Thomas CALDWELL and his wife, Mary Jane PARKS
3. David CALDWELL
4. Margaret CALDWELL
5. John CALDWELL
Catherine CALDWELL (John's sister) and her husband, Richard or John DUDGEON
Elizabeth CALDWELL (John's sister) and her husband, Alexander RITCHIE
George CALDWELL (John's brother) and his wife Jane PHILLIPS (Margaret's sister)
Thomas DOUGHERTY (Margaret (Phillips) CALDWELL's brother in law."

Another book supporting the above George Caldwell info is The Caldwell Book by Mrs. John Q. Anderson, December, 1959, on page 25 it states "George Caldwell, b. 1689 m. Jane Phillips and came to America."

John Caldwell settled his family in Chestnut Level, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is found in Drumore Township in the southern portion of the county near the Susquehanna River. They lived there for a few years.

There was another Caldwell family in Chestnut Level, at the same time. It is very likely that they are connected but the connection has not yet been found.

About 1738, the large family group moved to Lunenberg Virginia, in the mountains. They formed a settlement on Cub Creek known as Caldwell Settlement. There a Presbyterian Church was established, chiefly through the influence of John Caldwell. Cub Creek is claimed to be the oldest Presbyterian Congregation in Virginia. It is in present day Charlotte County. A plaque marks the location of the church. Most of this information is written about in a number of documents. Two were found in the Logan County, KY library: one entitled Family History, Caldwell, and the other simply titled Caldwell. Footes Sketches of Virginia 2nd Series, page 50 gives 1738 as the date of the settlement at Cub Creek.

Nadine Nabors posted on RootsWeb the following In the Lunenburg county Va Deeds 1746 1752, page 306 April 2, 1751
This is on land given by Wm Cadwell to John Caldwell (even though this was in Lunenburg Co it is now in Charlotte Co very close to Halifax Co Va. land given for a Cemetery as fas As I can tell by going backwards in land deeds a 1 acre on the N side of Stanton River on Cubb Creek. looking at map the Stanton river almost makes a circle. (this may be a lost Cemtery)
        "from Wm Caldwell of L. to John Caldwell, william Caldwell, Israel Pirkins, Richard Dudgeon, James Wackup,
        David   Logan, William Rogers, John McNeese Thomas Dougherty, John Midleton, Alexander McConnel,
       James Rutherford, James Caldwell, George Moore, George Harwood, David Caldwell, William Dudgeon,
        Francis Grymes, Isaac Jones, George McDavid, William Weakly, Thomas Rogers, James Logan, Richard
        Adams, James Barton, William Nichols, Isaac Vernon, Henry Parrillo, Henry Caldwell, John McDavid, John
        Caldwell, Thomas Caldwell, of the other part, for 1 shilling, grants 1 acre of land, including the graveyard that now stands
        on the land of said Caldwell for a possession of a burying place, the aforesaid parties and their heirs forever together with
        timber for paling in the said burying ground.   signed   William caldwell. wit none. recorded Oct 2 1751"
Is this the deed that created the Cub Creek Cemetery where John was already buried?

The two Dudgeon's mentioned I believe were sons of John and Catherine Dudgeon. It is not known why John, their father, was not mentioned. From the different histories of the Caldwell family, he is listed to still be alive at this time.

From different on line resources 6 children were listed for John and Catherine Dudgeon:
1. Martha who wed a Logan
2. Richard, born 1715
3. Rebecca, wed a Dickerson
4. Mary Dudgeon, born 1730, wed her first cousin David Caldwell
5. William
6. Thomas born 1722

Much needs to be clarified and source documents found.

Another online site states that both Catherine and John died in Cub Creek in 1763.
.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US.

1. Confirm Lifford Parish is the birthplace.

2. Confirm whether John or Joseph Caldwell was her father.

3. Confirm her birthdate

4. What are the birth dates of all the children?

5.. Did both Catherine and John died the same year?

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Doc: gscal055

Date created : 8/5/2023