his removal to Noble he became indentified with political matters, and held several official positions. For many years he was postmaster of the village, receiving his first appointment in 1863; reappointed in 1870, and held the office until September, 1885. From 1872 to 1878 he was deputy sheriff. In 1863 he was commissioned county recorder; was reelected and commissioned in 1866. In August of 1861 he enlisted in Company K, Thirtieth Ohio Volunteers; was wounded at the battle of South Mountain, and discharged for disability February 5, 1863. His death occurred March 22, 1886. Mr. Waller was married in 1847 to Miss Margaret Stuart, who was born in Belmont County, Ohio. He was a valuable citizen and an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Olive Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Noble Post, Grand Army of the Republic.

W. H. Bush was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1848. In the spring of 1853 the family came to Noble County and settled in Renrock, where the elder Bush built a woolen mill, which he operated until 1865, when he removed to McConnelsville. In 1875 W. H. assumed control of the McConnell mill at McConnelsville, which he operated very successfully until 1880, when he purchased the Island mill at Beverly, Ohio. In 1886, to obtain increased facilities and better power, he removed to Caldwell, and in company with P. M. McVay, established the Caldwell woolen mills. Mr. Bush is the pioneer woolen manufacturer in this sec

tion, and having been reared to the business, no one is more conversant with its details than he. He married Miss Ella Carroll in 1873. They have two children, Lester and Media.

BIOGRAPHIC.

THE CALDWELL FAMILY.

The name of Caldwell has been conspicuous in the annals of Duck Creek Valley from the earliest history of that region, to the present day. The progenitor of the Noble County Caldwells was Robert Caldwell, a native of Chester County, Pa. He was a man of much natural ability and of great force of character, these traits being inherited from his Scotch-Irish ancestors. He served as a teamster in the Revolutionary War, married and settled in Pennsylvania, and in 1795 emigrated to the Northwest Territory, settling in Washington County, Ohio, where were then the chief settlements in the territory. He explored this section of the county, and by the advice of General Putnam, made a selection of the land on which he afterward located. In the year 1808 he came up the west fork of Duck Creek with his sons and began an improvement. on the present Caldwell farm. He was, therefore, among the earliest pioneers of the valley, and the first to make a clearing where the town of Caldwell now stands. Robert Caldwell died in 1831. His wife's maiden name was Jane Fulton, who was also a native of Pennsylvania, and a niece of Robert Fulton, the pioneer steam navigator. Their children (several of whom were born

in Pennsylvania), were Robert; John, Joseph, Samuel, Hiram, Jane, Polly, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Matilda and Matilda and Nancy. The sons are all dead except Joseph. They were all prominent farmers, and resided in Noble County. Of the daughters, Jane married Rodney Severance, and died in Morgan County. Polly married James Logan, remained in Pennsylvania, and died there. Elizabeth, the widow of David Archibald, is still living in Noble County. Rebecca (deceased) was the wife of John Noble. Matilda, the wife of John Brownrigg, is still living in Noble County. Nancy became the wife of Samuel Price, and died in Morgan County.

Joseph Caldwell, the oldest living resident of the county, was born in Caywood, Washington County, Ohio, in the year 1798, and came to what is now Noble County in 1809. He has witnessed the transition of a wilderness to one of the fertile and productive regions of this section of the State, and in his person typifies many of the causes which have produced this great change. Beneath his observation, like a grand panorama, the forests have disappeared and fertile fields have taken their place. Villages and hamlets have sprung up as if by magic. The iron horse rushes over the same route that he traveled when a boy by blazed trees through an almost impenetrable forest. To-day he lives in the full possession of his mental faculties, one of the last survivors of a race the like of which will never be seen again.

His youth and early manhood were passed upon his father's farm, where he shared the privations of a pioneer family. At the age of twenty-six he married Miss Margaret, daughter of David McKee, whose personal history will be found in the chapter devoted to Noble Township. Shortly after their marriage the young couple commenced life upon the farm where he now resides, which is a part of the tract entered by his father in 1808, and which at the time was unimproved with the exception of a small field where is now the Caldwell school-building. Like his brother Samuel, he identified himself with nearly all the initial events in the history of this section of the county. He was one of the pioneer salt-makers of the Duck | Creek Valley, and was one of the parties who sank the second well bored in the valley; in this well petroleum was discovered, and it can be said to have been the first oil well in the United States. The life of Joseph Caldwell has been comparatively uneventful. His experiences have not been unlike those of most of the pioneer farmers of his time. With him the desideratum has been the welfare of his family and the acquisition of that priceless legacy, an unsullied reputation- and the full fruition of his desires has been attained. attained. His aged helpmeet was born near Stanlyville, Washington County, Ohio, in the year 1800. She has been to him a wife in all that term implies, and the mother of four children: Rhoda A. (Coffy), Milton, Ruth (Okey) and Joseph.

The latter resides on the farm where he was born in 1843. He married Miss Melissa, daughter of Jefferson Glidden, one of the pioneers of Olive Township.

Samuel Caldwell was in his lifetime one of the most active, prominent and best-known citizens of the county. He was born near Lower Salem, Washington County, Ohio, in 1800, came to Olive Township with his parents, and passed the remainder of his days on the farm entered by his father. Brought up as a pioneer farmer's son and subjected to the rigid discipline of that life, he had few educational advantages, though, perhaps, more than many of the youth of that day enjoyed. He attended school for one term in Marietta, and soon afterward finished his education in the pioneer schools of the township. He was active, as a young man, in all the sports of the early days. He held some offices in the State militia, and was widely known as "Colonel,” though he never attained to that rank. He followed farming and stock-raising and was successful in those pursuits. He was one of the leading citizens in advocating the formation of Noble County and in securing the county seat at Caldwell. For the latter purpose he donated several acres of ground to the county. He may justly be regarded as the founder of the town, which was named after him. He was a prominent member of the Democratic party, but never sought or held any important office. He was once a candidate for representative to the

legislature from Morgan County, but his party was defeated and he failed of an election, although he ran in advance of his ticket. He was a member of no church, but was a strictly honest, just, God-fearing man, who was universally respected. He died in 1869. He was married in 1827 to Sarah Brownrigg, who was born in Westmoreland County, England, in 1801, and came to this country with her parents about 1817. Of this union ten children were born: William B., Jane (Ogle), Joseph (deceased), Fulton, Mary, who died young; Sarah (McKee) and Mary (Young), twins; Happy (MeKee), John W. and Hannah (Belford). All live in Noble County, except William B. and John W., who are located in western Dakota, and Hannah (Belford) in Toledo.

William B. Caldwell, the oldest of the children of Samuel Caldwell, was born on the homestead, and resided in the county until about 1880. For twenty years he was probably the most extensive dealer in live stock in the county.

Fulton Caldwell, now a prosperous farmer and a leading citizen, was born on the Caldwell homestead in 1833. He was brought up a farmer, and has followed that occupation principally. His educational training was such as other youth of his day obtained while attending at the old log school-house and its successor, the old red school-house." He was engaged in mercantile business four or five years, and for about two years was a stock-buyer and drover. With these exceptions he