David Caldwell letters
Collection — Folder: S207
Identifier: S0207
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of three typed pages of letters written by Alexander and David Caldwell to their parents in 1835 and to brother John from David in 1838.
In the 1835 letter, written first by Alex and then by David, they give the price of food, tell about the deaths of Thomas Thompson and his daughter Martha, and mention that they moved from Baltimore, which was a good change.
The 1838 letter relates that Alexander and his family moved to “Moorefield” County, Indiana, where he is farming. It is located six hundred miles down the Ohio River from Wheeling.
David, who was single in July 1838, gives a description of his trip from Wheeling on a steamboat down the Ohio River to Cincinnati, then on a canal boat to Dayton. He took a stage coach to Piquay, and then went to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Getting to Fort Wayne, David wrote: “I traveled where there was nothing but a blazed pathway that is a notch cut on each tree for a directory.” Houses were 15 or 20 miles apart. He said that in Fort Wayne, there are half Indian people who called themselves French Americans, and “they are in general lazy.” David met the Miami Indian chief, who had a plantation of 600 acres, spoke broken English, and had two wives. David purchased land within four miles of the Indian chief’s land.
In the 1835 letter, written first by Alex and then by David, they give the price of food, tell about the deaths of Thomas Thompson and his daughter Martha, and mention that they moved from Baltimore, which was a good change.
The 1838 letter relates that Alexander and his family moved to “Moorefield” County, Indiana, where he is farming. It is located six hundred miles down the Ohio River from Wheeling.
David, who was single in July 1838, gives a description of his trip from Wheeling on a steamboat down the Ohio River to Cincinnati, then on a canal boat to Dayton. He took a stage coach to Piquay, and then went to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Getting to Fort Wayne, David wrote: “I traveled where there was nothing but a blazed pathway that is a notch cut on each tree for a directory.” Houses were 15 or 20 miles apart. He said that in Fort Wayne, there are half Indian people who called themselves French Americans, and “they are in general lazy.” David met the Miami Indian chief, who had a plantation of 600 acres, spoke broken English, and had two wives. David purchased land within four miles of the Indian chief’s land.
Dates
- 1835, 1838
Creator
- Caldwell, David (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Calvin J. Coppock was born in Miami, OH in 1827 to James and Jane Coppock, one of at least 10 children. He enlisted Aug. 8, 1862 in Jonesboro, IN as a private in Company C, 89th Regiment Indiana Infantry and was promoted to corporal in Dec. of 1862. He was a prisoner of war briefly in 1862. He was discharged July 19, 1865 at Mobile, AL and suffered chronic diarrhea throughout the war and afterwards, applying for disability pay in 1864. He also was injured during the explosion of a shell during the war, rendering him partially deaf. He and his first wife, Mary Ann, were married in 1851 in OH and had 7 children, one of whom, Elmer, had infantile paralysis. Mary Ann died Nov. 8, 1868 and is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Gas City, IN. He married Elizabeth Anderson on Aug, 11, 1870 in Grant County, IN, and they had 3 children. Elizabeth died in 1893 and is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Gas City, IN. Calvin worked as a farmer and carpenter. He died Sept. 11, 1898 and is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Gas City, IN.
Information found within the collection. "Coppock, Calvin." 1850 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin." 1860 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin." 1870 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin." 1880 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://www.findagrave.com "Coppock, Calvin." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://archives.ancestry.com "Coppock, Elizabeth". Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Mary A.". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://www.findagrave.com "Coppock, Mary Ann". U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com
Information found within the collection. "Coppock, Calvin." 1850 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin." 1860 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin." 1870 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin." 1880 United States Federal Census. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Calvin". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://www.findagrave.com "Coppock, Calvin." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://archives.ancestry.com "Coppock, Elizabeth". Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com "Coppock, Mary A.". Find a Grave Memorial. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://www.findagrave.com "Coppock, Mary Ann". U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900. Retrieved 2014/09/24. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Archives on 1979/06/25.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing and finding aid completed by Nikki Stoddard Schofield during May 2013. EAD finding aid completed by Bethany Fiechter on 2018/05/11.
Creator
- Caldwell, David (Person)
- Title
- David Caldwell letters
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
