Matthew was born ca 1781 (age 69, 1850 census)in Virginia, the son of Samuel Caldwell. He was probably
in KY by 1790. In 1810 he signed Kinkead Caldwell's petition
from a part of St. Louis County where Kinkead lived as well as Andrew Caldwell, Section 26.
Bev Golden, descendant writes:
He married Ann Scott Martin in Bourbon Co., KY in Apr 1805, so came to MO later than Kinkead. Ann may
have been the daughter of the William Martin who along with Kinkead and Matthew's brother Walter Caldwell
witnessed the 1795 Bourbon Co., KY will of Joseph Kincaid. This or another William Martin was also a
founding member along with Andrew Kincaid (husband of half-sister Mary Caldwell?) of the Lebanon
Presbyterian Church in Grant Co., KY.
Matthew was in St. Louis County by about 1807, I think. He and Ann were charter members of the
Bonhomme Presbyterian Church in 1816. In 1817 or 1818, they joined Kincaid and his family in Franklin
Co., MO. Matthew was a justice of the peace, county judge, and state legislature (1834). Ann died
sometime between 1840-1850; Matthew in 1855, both in Franklin Co, MO, near the town of Washington. In
fact, their land bordered that of Kinkead's son Samuel K. Caldwell.
Matthew and Ann had only one child that I can find who survived to adulthood, Serena K. Caldwell who
married Ephraim Strickland 1820-22 in Franklin Co., MO. She is the one who handled Matthew's estate in
1854. Bev Golden
In 1819 we find that Matthew was appointed road commissioner in Franklin County (Goodspeed:260)
We have not yet found him in the Missouri 1830 Census but his record may have just been overlooked. He
is recorded in the 1840 census of Franklin County.
Matthew is listed as a County Judge serving at Washington, MO 1822 to 1823 and again 1831-5. He was a
State Representative in 1834 from Franklin County.
The Centennial Biographical Directory of Franklin Co. states that Mathew Caldwell was in the 1830 census
of Franklin County in Saint Johns Township. He had three whites and three slaves in the household. In
1840 he was still in St. Johns Twp now with 5 whites and 7 slaves in household. The 1850 census shows
him born in VA. He gave his age as 59 or born 1781. He gave his property holdings as worth $2,300.
He was named in his half-brother's will in St. Francois Co., MO. in 1840. It did not name
heirs of Matthew. Matthew Caldwell was named as Justice of the Peace in Labadie
1817-18 (Mo Historical Bulletin Vol. XIII:307) There was also a Matthew Caldwell who owned
land in 1818 with Samuel K. Caldwell in Sec. 34 Twp 44 R1W.
Matthew was still alive in 1840 with a male in the household born 1800-10
and a daughter born 1820-25. There were probably others who were on their own by that time.
Roseanne Markham is descended from the Mathew who died in Gasconade County.
Matthew, b. 1763 in SC, married (2) Nancy White in 1803 in Warren, Kentucky. First wife's name is unknown
at this time. Children by first marriage:Curtis, John, Isaac, Christina or Christian, Sallie, Polly, and
Jane Meron. Children by second marriage: George H., b. 1813, Solomon W., b. 26 Mar 1818, Ill., Matthew H.,
Hugh C., b. 1821, Mo. We would like to know when this Matthew came to Missouri as some of the above
records may pertain to him.