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Below is a family biography included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.   These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JOHN CALDWELL (deceased) was born at Newtonlimavady, County Londonderry, Ireland, in the spring of 1790, son of James and Sarah (Wilson) Caldwell, who were of Scotch ancestry. In 1804, his wife being deceased, James Caldwell came with his only child (the subject of this memoir) to Pittsburgh, where he engaged in the tanning business; he died within a year or two after, and the son was sent to Philadelphia, where he was apprenticed to a tanner and currier. Returning to Pittsburgh, he resumed his father’s business, which he carried on till he retired, his last tannery being at the upper end of Allegheny; he also dealt in lumber. Mr. Caldwell was a stockholder in the first Allegheny bridge, and a director of the Monongahela Bridge company; he was also one of the first trustees of the Pittsburgh Gas company, and for many years was a director in the Bank of Pittsburgh. In 1815 he was one of the five selectmen of the borough of Pittsburgh; was a member of the council after a city charter was secured, and was a director of the public schools of the First ward, where he lived. He was a stanch supporter of the Presbyterian Church, in politics a thorough whig, afterward a republican.

In 1812 he married Letitia, daughter of William Anderson, who came from near Belfast, Ireland, and of their thirteen children ten reached adult age. Mary, Agnes, Kate, James and Nelly G. are deceased; Sarah Ann, William, John, Letitia (widow of James Holmes) and Charles L. are living. Of these William was born in Pittsburgh in 1824. Having finished his education at the Western University, at the age of eighteen years he entered a wholesale grocery as clerk, where he remained eight years; then formed a partnership with Mr. Massey under the firm name Massey & Caldwell, ship-chandlers. Mr. Massey retiring from same after seven years, Mr. Caldwell continued in the business for ten years more. He then became president of the Monongahela Insurance company in 1867, which position he still retains. He is a director of the Bank of Pittsburgh, and has served as member of Pittsburgh common council. He is now a resident of Allegheny and attends the First Presbyterian Church.

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This family biography is one of 2,156 biographies included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.

View additional Allegheny County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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