I have already sent this to McCurtain Co., OK but haven't received a
response as of yet but thought there might be some other related Caldwells
that might have some answers to some of these questions.
Thanks!
Jane Foley
NC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jane Foley" <mjfent(a)bellsouth.net>
To: "OKMCCURT" <OKMCCURT(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 11:39 AM
Subject: Goodwater, OK and the Caldwells
1. Does anyone know who might have the records to the Philadelphia
Church
that existed at Goodwater?
2. What year did the Whiteman Mercantile store at Goodwater close?
I was in that old Whiteman Mercantile store one time in the 1950's. I was
about 10 or 12 years old.
3. Isn't the Whiteman home still in existence?
4. I am looking into the possibilities of what DNA can tell us about our
indian heritage. Newton D. Caldwell wore a pigtail. I am in the process
of locating who has it because it as it was cut off before he was buried
at the Philadelphia Cemetery in 1918. I saw it at a Caldwell reunion at
DeQueen, AR in the 1970's. I hope to get a few strands and have it
tested.
My great aunt, Ida Pierce who was post mistress at Goodwater told
me that her grandfather (my gggrandfather) Newton D. Caldwell had
been a JP - Justice of the Peace. It seems to me that she had an article
or maybe it was his obituary stating that fact. I would love to get a
copy of his obituary if anyone could help me. He died December 30, 1918
at Goodwater. From my understanding, he had not been sick. He was
sitting
in a chair with a 2 yr. old grandson on his lap when he died.
I was thinking that to my knowledge he was the only Caldwell who wore a
pigtail. To me that says that he was proud of his indian heritage when it
was not popular to be an indian.
RUMOR has it that Newton's grandfather Andrew Jackson Caldwell had married
an
indian woman or his mother was indian. They came from TN in about 1828
to Washington, AR where they settled and raised their family.
INTERESTING NOTE: Andrew J. Caldwell went "back" to Lexington, Fayette
Co.,
KY in 1847 and died in January 1848. He did leave a will. I have him
being
born in TN.
NOTE: In the 1910 census of McCurtain Co. that Newton D.
Caldwell was listed as an Cherokee indian according to my aunt.
I have not seen this proof.
MYSTERY: I would love to clear up once and for all his middle name.
DUDLEY
or DOUGLAS or possibly DAVID.
DISPUTE: There aso seems to be a dispute about Newton's father, James D.
Caldwell. My great aunt
told me it was DAVID. But researchers believe it was DOUGLAS.
5. Could it be possible that Newton D. Caldwell was a JP for the indians
and not the
whites? Because I have not found any information so far that confirms
that
he as a JP and WHERE he practiced.
6. Is a JP a real judge or does he just perform marriage ceremonies?
7. And IF he WAS a JP, that meant he knew how to read and write.
But my grandfather, Joseph W. Caldwell could not read or write?
His wife Charity taught him after they got married. At least how to
write his name. There were 12 children. I don't know how many of
the other children learned out to read and write. I am thinking that
maybe the younger ones learned.
8. Where kind of training did Newton D. Caldwell need in order to become
a JP?
9. Are their any indian records that might verify that Newton D. Caldwell
was indeed a JP?
I know this is a lot of questions. But someone might be able to point me
in the
direction I need to go. Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give
me.
Jane Foley
Cornelius, NC