Pg 339

         ROBERT CALDWELL, a prominent attorney-at-law of Columbus Junction, Iowa, was born in Butler County, Ohio, Dec. 20, 1838, and is a son of Robert and Catherine (Irwin) Caldwell. His father was born in South Carolina, of Irish descent, and the paternal grandfather, William Caldwell, an emigrant from the North of Ireland, was the first of the family to come to America. The mother of our subject was born in Kentucky, of Scotch-Irish parentage.

Robert Caldwell was educated at Miami University, where he took a scientific course, but left the school at the close of the sophomore year. He then entered upon the study of law with Judge . . .

Pg 340

. . . James Clarke, of Hamilton, Oho, and was graduated at the Cincinnati Law School in the class of ’61. On the completion of his law course he began practice at Hamilton, Ohio, continuing there until 1863, when he went to Cleveland, and conducted a law practice in that city until the latter part of 1866, when he removed to Cameron, Mo., and was in practice there until the spring of 1872. Going to Kansas City in the autumn of that year, he made it his home until the following spring, and then went to Monmouth, Ill., but only remained there until July, at which time he became a resident of Columbus Junction, Iowa. Mr. Caldwell has pursued the practice of his profession at that city alone to this date, with the exception of two years, from 1882 to 1884, when he had P. F. Forbes as his partner.

On the 21st of April, 1879, Mr. Caldwell was married, at Lancaster, Mo., to Miss Isabella, daughter of James Smith, and a native of Pennsylvania. They have two children, a son and a daughter: Catherine E., aged seven years, and Robert Calvin, aged five years. In politics Mr. Caldwell is a Democrat, and not being on the popular side has never figured conspicuously in public affairs. He is well up in his profession, and ranks as one of the leading lawyers of Louisa County.