John & Josephine (Bedard) Caldwell
(George & Dewey buried here)
John Caldwell was of Irish stock, born in 1849 in Quebec, Canada, where he received his education and grew to manhood. Joesphine Bedard was of French background, the daughter of a Parisian teacher – she was born in 1852, also in Canada – she taught school at St. Johns Church in Montreal, where she met John Caldwell. They married in 1875 and lived in Montreal until 1886, when they came to the United States to “seek their fortune.” They came with their four children to Deadwood, South Dakota by train, then settled on a homestead six miles west of Beulah. Mr. Caldwell said, “When we went to the homestead, I did not own anything in my own name, except a three-legged dog and a dollar given me by my grandfather, when I was nine years old. With this Josephine and I, with our four children made our start in the United States.” The dollar was a Spanish coin, dated 1812 (still in the Caldwell family in the 1980s, owned by grandson Floyd Caldwell).
The family traveled to the homestead via “4 in-hand” – four horses pulling the stagecoach – daughter Josephine remembered riding on top if the coach with the luggage to make room for the smaller children. The children attended rural school having to learn the English language since they spoke French.
John bought more land to add to the homestead, until he had a ranch of 1100 acres. They raised horses, sheep, cattle, pigs, did some farming for grain. Butter, eggs, cheese, beef and pork were taken to Deadwood by team and buggy – in those days they called it “peddling produce from the ranch.” John knew good horses – he was very proud of his buggy team and kept them well groomed. They lived on their ranch for 35 years – 6 more children were born there, making twelve – six boys and six girls. John T., Jimmie (passed away in Canada), Josephine (John Grice), Sarah (Albert Andrews), Margaret (passed away in Canada), George, Kate (Walter Noonan), Mary (Henry Goodson), Emily (Ed Sloan), Emmitt (passed away while serving in WWI), Louis and Dewey. In 1918 they sold the ranch, retired and bought a home in Spearfish, with several lots and fruit trees. They are buried in Rosehill Cemetery in Spearfish.
Son George Caldwell was only 23 years of age at the time of his death. His obituary read in part, he “…had many friends among those who knew him. For several months prior to his death he had been in the employment of the Homestake mining company, where he contracted pneumonia, which finally proved fatal.”
Son Dewey was only 9 years old when he died. “Dewey, a little son of Mr. and Mrs. John Caldwell, Sr, died at the family home January 18, 1909, from the effects of scarlet fever…Three other children in the same family were seriously ill with the same disease but it is thought all will survive the attack. The place is quarantined and it is earnestly hoped the disease will be stamped out before further spread.”
Scary note -- Scarlet fever used to be one of the most feared infectious diseases during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and was a leading cause of child mortality. Like many infectious diseases of yore, its incidence decreased with the advent of antibiotics in the 20th century - but the disease is beginning to make a comeback in England and Asia and, disturbingly, scientists do not yet know why.
(George & Dewey buried here)
John Caldwell was of Irish stock, born in 1849 in Quebec, Canada, where he received his education and grew to manhood. Joesphine Bedard was of French background, the daughter of a Parisian teacher – she was born in 1852, also in Canada – she taught school at St. Johns Church in Montreal, where she met John Caldwell. They married in 1875 and lived in Montreal until 1886, when they came to the United States to “seek their fortune.” They came with their four children to Deadwood, South Dakota by train, then settled on a homestead six miles west of Beulah. Mr. Caldwell said, “When we went to the homestead, I did not own anything in my own name, except a three-legged dog and a dollar given me by my grandfather, when I was nine years old. With this Josephine and I, with our four children made our start in the United States.” The dollar was a Spanish coin, dated 1812 (still in the Caldwell family in the 1980s, owned by grandson Floyd Caldwell).
The family traveled to the homestead via “4 in-hand” – four horses pulling the stagecoach – daughter Josephine remembered riding on top if the coach with the luggage to make room for the smaller children. The children attended rural school having to learn the English language since they spoke French.
John bought more land to add to the homestead, until he had a ranch of 1100 acres. They raised horses, sheep, cattle, pigs, did some farming for grain. Butter, eggs, cheese, beef and pork were taken to Deadwood by team and buggy – in those days they called it “peddling produce from the ranch.” John knew good horses – he was very proud of his buggy team and kept them well groomed. They lived on their ranch for 35 years – 6 more children were born there, making twelve – six boys and six girls. John T., Jimmie (passed away in Canada), Josephine (John Grice), Sarah (Albert Andrews), Margaret (passed away in Canada), George, Kate (Walter Noonan), Mary (Henry Goodson), Emily (Ed Sloan), Emmitt (passed away while serving in WWI), Louis and Dewey. In 1918 they sold the ranch, retired and bought a home in Spearfish, with several lots and fruit trees. They are buried in Rosehill Cemetery in Spearfish.
Son George Caldwell was only 23 years of age at the time of his death. His obituary read in part, he “…had many friends among those who knew him. For several months prior to his death he had been in the employment of the Homestake mining company, where he contracted pneumonia, which finally proved fatal.”
Son Dewey was only 9 years old when he died. “Dewey, a little son of Mr. and Mrs. John Caldwell, Sr, died at the family home January 18, 1909, from the effects of scarlet fever…Three other children in the same family were seriously ill with the same disease but it is thought all will survive the attack. The place is quarantined and it is earnestly hoped the disease will be stamped out before further spread.”
Scary note -- Scarlet fever used to be one of the most feared infectious diseases during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and was a leading cause of child mortality. Like many infectious diseases of yore, its incidence decreased with the advent of antibiotics in the 20th century - but the disease is beginning to make a comeback in England and Asia and, disturbingly, scientists do not yet know why.