Alfred Caldwell (the Elder), 1817 – 1868

 

Alfred Caldwell (the Elder) was born June 4th, 1817, at St. Clairsville, Ohio.  After receiving a preliminary education, Alfred entered Washington College (now Washington and Jefferson College, Washington PA) and graduated in the class of 1836. He then entered Harvard University and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1838.

 

Caldwell returned to Wheeling and became a very prominent lawyer. He married, on August 16th, 1839, Martha, daughter of George Baird, of Washington, Pennsylvania. Their home stood on the current site of the Scottish Rite Cathedral at the corner of Fourteenth and Byron Streets. The couple had nine children, one of whom died in infancy. After Martha’s death in 1859, Caldwell married Alice Wheat, of Wheeling, who survived him. They had five additional children.

 

Caldwell was the chairman of the Virginia delegation to the National Republican Convention at Chicago in 1860 and strongly supported Abraham Lincoln for the nomination. Following the election, Lincoln appointed him as consul of the United States at Honolulu, Hawaii, where he served from 1861 to 1867.  He returned to Wheeling in the summer of 1867 and resumed his law practice. His health deteriorated, however, and he died of pneumonia on May 3, 1868.