from History of Kentucky Illustrated, Edition 3

Hart County, Kentucky

Captain Isaac R. H. Caldwell was born in Green County, Kentucky, at Mount Gilead, on Skinhouse Branch, October 28, 1839, and is one of six children, only two of whom are living, born to Robert H. and Elizabeth H. (Hodgen) Caldwell, both of whom were natives of Green County.  There were of English and English-French descent, respectively.  Robert H. Caldwell was born March 15, 1807; he was mainly engaged in farming; was converted in early life and joined the Baptist Church; afterward identified himself with the Christian Church; he and his wife were among the first to withdraw from the Baptist Church under the teachings of Alexander Campbell; he was a regularly ordained minister in the Christian Church for more than fifteen years; his death occurred May 24, 1841; his father, Beverly Caldwell, was a native of Virginia and one of the pioneers of Green County, Kentucky.  Mrs. Elizabeth H. Caldwell was born December 26, 1808, and departed this life in March, 1876, in her sixty-eighth year, a life-long and devoted Christian, and was unusually well versed in the Scriptures, knowing her Bible almost by heart; her father, Isaac Hodgen, was also a native of Virginia, and one of the first settlers in Green County, as well as one of the most noted and successful pioneer Baptist preachers in Kentucky.  Captain I. R. H. Caldwell received a fair common school education; remained on the home farm with his mother until he was fifteen years old; he was employed as a salesman in a general store at Greensburg, Kentucky, where he remained about two years, after which he went to Louisville, where he was employed in a tobacco warehouse for about a year; he then took a regular commercial course in the same city and after graduating came to Horse Cave, where he engaged as a clerk, in a general store, remaining until the breaking out of the late civil war.  In September, 1861, he recruited Company G, Thirteenth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry (Federal service), Col. E. H. Hobson’s regiment, and served until March, 1864, when he was discharged on account of physical disability resulting from measles.  Although he was nearly totally disabled and has not been able to do a day’s work since his return from the army, he was unable to secure a pension until very recently, and then only by special act of Congress; even this does not provide for his back pay.  He participated in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, the siege of Knoxville, the battles of Campbell’s Station, Huff’s Ferry, and many other lesser engagements.  After his return he engaged in general merchandising at Horse Cave, Kentucky, continuing for about two years; he was then engaged in the drug trade at the same place, which he continued for three years; when on account of poor health of himself and family he sold out and bought the farm of 100 acres, three miles east of Horse Cave, upon which he now resides and where he is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits, making the culture of tobacco a specialty.  The Captain was the enumerator for Horse Cave District during the taking of the last census, and has served as clerk on every election board for the past ten years; he was married, December 12, 1866, to Miss Quintilla Bryant, a native of Hart County, Kentucky; she was born May 17, 1847, and is a daughter of David and Eliza (Anderson) Bryant, natives of Cumberland and Metcalfe Counties, respectively, and of English and Scotch Irish descent.  To Captain and Mrs. Caldwell have been born five children, only three of whom – two sons and one daughter – are now living:  Luther B., George A. and Sallie P.  The Captain and his wife are members of the Christian Church; he is a member of the Bear Wallow Lodge, No. 321, A. F. & A. M., and has filled nearly every station in the lodge.  In politics he is a Republican.