LETTER TO JOHN T CALDWELL

LETTER TO JOHN T. CALDWELL
By JUNE B. BARKMAN
Originally published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly
Vol. 55, No. 1, March 1967

Transcribed and Submitted to Genealogy Trails by K. Torp

"THE FOLLOWING LETTER was written during the War of 1812 and addressed to John Caldwell by his wife Rebekah who expressed her anxieties concerning Indian uprisings in Knox County in 1812. It is, of course, left in the original; there are errors in grammar, misspellings, and other inconguities. The original of this letter can be found in the private papers of the Caldwell family in Washington, D. C. This letter was found among the effects of Rebecca Hay who is the daughter of Eliza Jane Caldwell. The latter is the infant mentioned in the enclosed letter.

"The Caldwell family are of French origin but the family Red from France during the persecution of the Huguenots to Scotland in the reign of James the First. From there part of the family went to Antrim County. John Caldwell, a descendant of this branch, came to the U. S. and settled in Lancaster Co., Pa.he afterwards removed to Charlotte Co., Virginia. He had seven children, one of whom is our grandfather, but don't know which one. Several sons were officers Revolutionary War, three of whom were killed."

The paragraph immediately above is an excerpt from a letter of Margaret Badollet Caldwell, the daughter of John Thompson Caldwell, dated September 24, 1878. John Thompson Caldwell is believed to be the son of Charles Caldwell and Jane Browneboth of whom died during the 1790's. Andrew Caldwell and Isabella (Andrews) Hayes are his grandparents, as are Alexander Browne and Elizabeth Thompson.

Mr. Edwin G. Ridgway of California was kind enough to send a copy of the original letter to Miss June B. Barekman of Chicago, Illinois. Miss Barekman, the great-great-great grand daughter of Peter Barrickman and the great-great grand daughter of Pvt. John Barkman did the footnotes on the Rebekah Barkman Caldwell letter.

Vincennes, Sept. 16, 1812

Dear Caldwell,¹
Yours of the 7 instant came to hand which gives me great pleasure to hear that you are in health, as for myself I am in pretty good health only the alarming news in keeps us all in fear² Eliza³ was taken somewhat unwell last evening but I hope it will not continue any time on her. I have again returned to town as there was no fortification in the country to keep safe.⁴ I am sorry to hear that our effects were damaged on their way to you, I wish you could settle yourself until change of times, as for the selling our house I can't tell you anything. Doctor Scull⁵ and Captain Beckes⁶ was started on the expedition to Fort Harrison before your letter came to hand. Mr. Andrew Scott⁷ still remains in the house and I stay with them, a great number of the country people have moved to town and the Seminary is full of plunder from top to bottom. I wish you not come through the wilderness until you find a safe opportunity, there were some small articles in the drawers and the silver teaspoons you will in particular in keeping for me.

I hope as our things have got damaged you'd not reflect on me. I took all the care I could and done what I thought was the best and put up all safe.
Wyant and family compliments to Mr. Caldwellexcuse haste
I remain your most affectionate
signed Rebakah Caldwell⁸

P. S. Last Saturday evening the army started from this place to Fort Harrison consisting of nearly 1200 men the greater part of them were mounted men, our county⁹ and territory set a example to all other states. There are but few men left to keep the forts and homes but what is left turned out, they are in great spirits. Last evening a express arrived from Fort Harrison,¹⁰ brings an account of the Indians attacking the fort. Captain Taylor¹¹ lost three men and two wounded and kept the garrison. The
garrison was obliged to live sometime on green corn and not much of that. The express missed the army on their way. The Shakers are partly all gone off, three large boatloads and two waggon loads passed by here yesterday on their way to the south of Ohio.¹² Wyant and family are all at home yet.¹³ Mother is with me.¹⁴ John Wyant and John Barkman¹⁵ are gone on the expedition, and the rest of my friends are in different parts of the county. I expect you have heard of (Hull)¹⁶ of his surrender as a traitor.
Yesterday arrived three-hundred men from Redbanks¹⁷ here and very soon we expect six or seven-hundred from Kentucky. They crossed at Louieville under command of General Hinlock for this place.

Footnotes:
¹ John Thompson. Caldwell, b. ca. 1784--either Pa. or Va. Came to Knox Co., Ind. He was appointed as receiver of monies at Kaskaskia on March 30, 1812. John T. Caldwell died October 10, 1835 at Shaweetown, Illinois.
² The Piankashaw Indians were making surprise attacks on the countryside surrounding Vincennes area, having been inflamed by the Prophet and his brother Tecumsah.
³ Eliza was the infant daughter and only child of John and Rebekah Caldwell.
⁴ Rebekah Caldwell was living at this time at the Old Peter Barrickman Ferry Station, near the DuShee River, Knox County, Indiana.
⁵Dr. Edward Scull was a surgeon's mate at the Battle of Tippicanoe.
⁶ Captain Parmonas Beckes was killed in a duel by Dr. Edward Scull on July 6, 1813 over
a remark made by Scull about Parmenas Beckes' step-daughter.
⁷Andrew Scott, a son of Rev. Samuel T. Scott. Through the efforts of Rev. Scott the upper and the lower Indiana Presbyterian became established. From 1811, through 1815 Rev. Scott served as head of Vincennes University.
⁸Rebekah Barkman was the first wife of John Caldwell. They were married on December 23, 1807 in Knox Co., Indiana. After the untimely death of Rebekah Barkman Caldwell, John Caldwell married Sarah Badollet on February 10, 1814. Sarah Badollet was the daughter of John Badollet who was appointed register of the newly created land office at Vincennes, capital of Indiana Territory, in 1804.
⁹Knox Co., Ind.
¹⁰The site of Fort Harrison was near Terre Haute, Indiana at an old Indian Battleground so named by Joseph H. Daviess -- atty. and militia leader from Kentucky after Governor William Henry Harrison of the New Indiana territory. Harrison later became the ninth president of the U. S.
¹¹Captain Zachery Taylor, Virginian by birth, came to Vincennes to take command of Fort Knox. Distinguished in battle at Fort Harrison. Later became twelfth president of U. S.
¹² The Shakers were so called because of their hand clapping and ritualistic shaking. They purchased land on upper Busseron Creek. Here they settled and attempted to convert others to their faith. The Shakers had odd views on marriage. Higher learning was frowned upon. All material goods became common property. They did not believe in the amusements or in the arts. In 1811 the Shakers started to leave Vincennes because of their fear of the Indians. However in 1813 many Shakers returned and purchased the Bassinet Donation Tract.
¹³Wyant is Christopher Wyant. He and his wife, Martha Barrickman Wyant, came from
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1785. Christopher Wyant was an ensign in the Vincennes Militia in 1790. Martha Barrickman was a daughter of Peter Barrickman, who died in Vincennes late in 1791. Pvt. John Barkman is also a son of Peter Barrickman.
¹⁴ Mother is Elizabeth Anthia Barrickman of the colonial Maryland-Virginia and Pennsylvania Antis family. Her husband Peter Barrickman (father of Rebekah Barkman Caldwell) served in the colonial French-Indian Wars in Maryland in 1767. Peter Barrickman had a Ferry service near Fort Pitt in 1776 and 1777 and ferried men and supplies for the American cause during the Revolutionary War.
¹⁵ John Wyant is a younger son of Christopher Wyant and is Rebekah Caldwell's nephew. John Barkman who married Jane Hannah of Greene County, Pennsylvania served as a private as also did John Wyant. They both served in the fourth Militia of Mounted and Foot Soldiers of the state of Indiana under Captain BeckerWar of 1812.
¹⁶General William Hull was appointed Governor of the newly organized Michigan Territory 1805he later surrendered to the British in 1812.
¹⁷ Redbanksnear Henderson, Kentuckythe soldiers would have marched over the old Red Banks Trace that ran from the site of Henderson, Kentucky to Vincennes, Indiana.

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