John Henry Caldwell (1826-1902) was a prominent member of Jacksonville, Alabama society -- a teacher, attorney, newspaper editor, lieutenant colonel during the Civil War, trustee for the University of Alabama, member of the Alabama House of Representatives, and United States Congressman.
The bulk of the materials in this collection are made up of personal correspondence dating from 1848-1912, written by and concerning Caldwell, his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, their children and immediate family and friends. Later generations of the family added in correspondence and genealogical research-related items in the 1930s-1960s, and an incomplete genealogical study was compiled in 1991.
Transcripts for the items are included to enhance accessibility. The original items are housed in the Library's Alabama Gallery Special Collections. More information is available in the Caldwell Papers Finding Aid.
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Letters & Documents | Newspapers & Scrapbooks | Speeches, Essays & Poetry
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Correspondence | Letter from Mary Caldwell to Josie Lay, May 1912
Mary Caldwell
Letter from Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell to her granddaughter, Josie Caldwell Lay, [before May 24, 1912].
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Correspondence | Note from Mrs. M.A. Crocheson to Carl Lay, Jr., May 1912
Mrs. M.A. Crocheson
Note from Mrs. M.A. Crocheson addressed to “my dear little Carl” [Carl Lay, Jr.] accompanying the gift of a spoon, [before May 24, 1912].
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Correspondence | Letter from Septima Forney to Mary Caldwell, May 1912
Septima Forney
Letter from Septima [Sexta Middleton Rutledge Forney, wife of Maj. General John H. Forney] at Jacksonville, Alabama to Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, on the occasion of the death of Carl Lay, Jr., May 25, 1912.
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Newspaper Clipping | Obituary of Carl Lay, Jr., May 1912
Newspaper clipping of obituary for Carl Lay, Jr., [after May 24, 1912] [accompanying typewritten note: “probably written by Mary D. Caldwell.”]
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Newspaper Clipping | Obituary of Carl Lay, Jr., May 1912
Newspaper clipping of obituary for Carl Lay, Jr. [son of Josie Caldwell Lay], May 25, 1912.
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Correspondence | Letter from Sallie Hoke to Josie Lay, May 1912
Sallie Hoke
(1) Letter from Sallie L. Hoke at Jacksonville, Alabama to her cousin, Josie Caldwell Lay at Gadsden, Alabama on the occasion of the death of Carl Lay, Jr. (2) Envelope addressed to Mrs. Carl Lay, May 26, 1912.
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Correspondence | Letter from Mary Caldwell to Josie Lay, May 1912
Mary Caldwell
(1) Letter from [Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell] to her granddaughter, Josie Caldwell Lay on the occasion of the death of Carl Lay, Jr. (2) Envelope addressed to Mrs. Carl Lay [accompanying typewritten note gave date as May 28, 1912].
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Correspondence | Letter from R.R. Harris to Josie Lay, May 1912
R.R. Harris
Letter from R.R. Harris at Arden, North Carolina to Josie Caldwell Lay on the occasion of the death of Carl Lay, Jr., May 28, 1912.
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Correspondence | Letter from Amelia to Josie Lay, May 1912
Letter from Amelia at Montgomery, Alabama to her niece, Josie Caldwell Lay at Gadsden, Alabama on the occasion of the death of Carl Lay, Jr, May 29, 1912 (2) Envelope addressed to Mrs. Carl Lay, postmarked May 29 1912.
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Correspondence | Letter from Mary Caldwell to Josie Lay, June 1912
Mary Caldwell
(1) Letter from Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell at Jacksonville, Alabama to her granddaughter, Josie Caldwell Lay at Gadsden, Alabama, on the occasion of the death of Carl Lay, Jr, June 11 [1912] (2) Envelope addressed to Mrs. Carl Stanton Lay, postmarked June 11 [1912].
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Correspondence | Postcard from Mrs. Herbert Stevenson to Mrs. Carl Lay, June 1912
Mrs. Herbert Stevenson
Postcard from [Mrs. Herbert] Stevenson at Jacksonville, Alabama to Mrs. Carl [Josie Caldwell] Lay at Gadsden, Alabama, on the occasion of the death of Carl Lay, Jr., June 23, 1912.
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Correspondence | Letter from Mary Caldwell to Old Auntie, November 1912
Mary Caldwell
Letter from Mary [Darthula Greer Caldwell] at Athens, Alabama to “Old Auntie” relating the death of Mrs. Harris, November 27, 1912.
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Correspondence | Letter from Mary Caldwell to Josie Lay, April 1913
Mary Caldwell
Letter from Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell at Jacksonville, Alabama to her granddaughter, Josie Caldwell Lay, April 2, 1913.
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Document | Deeds of transactions made by John Henry and John M. Caldwell from 1896 to 1913, after 1913
Deeds representing all transactions made by John Henry and John M. Caldwell from 1896 to 1913, after 1913.
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Document | Mortgage deed filed in Calhoun County for the sale of 240 acres, June 1914
Mortgage deed filed in Calhoun County for the sale of 240 acres by Blackwell & Agee to Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, Ed G. Caldwell, John H. Caldwell [grandson of Col. John Henry], Katie Burke Caldwell, Amelia Forney Caldwell, Avery Baker Caldwell and Cary [sic] Forney Elliott for $624.00 on June 19, 1914.
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Correspondence | Letter from Salita Johnston to Mary Caldwell, July 1918
Salita Johnston
Letter from Salita [Salita Judson Johnston] at Franklin, Tennessee to her cousin, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, July 28, 1918.
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Correspondence | Letter from Mary to Josie Lay, 1919
Letter from “Mary” [probably Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell] to “Jose” [Josie Caldwell Lay] dated Thursday [before February 1919].
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Newspaper Clipping | Obituary of Mary Caldwell, January 1919
Newspaper clipping of an obituary for Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, 3 copies, [January 27, 1919].
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Newspaper Clipping | Obituary of Mary Caldwell, January 1919
Newspaper clipping of an obituary for Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell [with her middle initial misprinted as “Mary B. Caldwell"], [January 27, 1919].
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Correspondence | Letter from Josie Diemer to Josie Lay, February 1919
Josie Diemer
Letter from Josie [Diemer] at Fayetteville, Tennessee to Josie [Caldwell Lay] on the occasion of the death of Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, February 1, 1919 [accompanying handwritten note: “Josie Diemer to Josie Lay, loss of Aunt Mary (Mary Caldwell)”].
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Correspondence | Letter from L.W. Johnson to Josephine Lay, March 1930
L.W. Johnson
Letter from “Cousin L.W.” [Johnson] to Josephine [Caldwell Lay] March 14, 1930.
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Newspaper Clipping | Obituary of Sarah Caldwell, October 1930
Gadsden Times
Newspaper clipping of obituary for Sarah Forney Caldwell [probably from The Gadsden Times; handwritten note on clipping gives death date as October 22, 1930].
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Newspaper Clipping | Obituary of Thomas Caldwell, October 1932 or 1933
Newspaper clipping of obituary for Thomas Jefferson Caldwell, [1932 or 1933].
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Correspondence | Letter from Mrs. Oscar DeWolf Randolph to Josephine Lay, June 1932
Mrs. Oscar DeWolf Randolph
(1) Letter from Mrs. Oscar DeWolf Randolph from Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Virginia to Josephine [Caldwell Lay] (2) Envelope addressed to Mrs. Carl Lay, at Gadsden, Alabama, June 14, 1932.
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Correspondence | Letter from Mrs. Oscar DeWolf Randolph to Josephine Lay, June 1932
Mrs. Oscar DeWolf Randolph
(1) Letter from Mrs. Oscar DeWolf Randolph on board S.S. Pennland to Josephine [Caldwell Lay] June 25, 1932 (2) Envelope addressed to Mrs. Carl Lay at Gadsden, Alabama, 25 Jun 1932