The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-11-24


Gle and changed the mare 20 The
Charlotte Daily Observer. NJ. Cz,a-
well became editor and general man
ager and continued IN con,rcl OF il
until stricken in 1863 Xhca he
took the helm The Observer wac Il
small. Insignificant lcca, dai.. With
small circulation and less ness
BY his untiring efforts he has .piac-
ed ii at the head OF North Carolina
newspapers and from his heayenl,
sanctum he may look down upon the
offspring Of his genius with JUS.
cause to be proud OF the service ne
has rendered to his CRY and BIS
State. He has placed The Observer
IN a position to weld a. Influence
over an army o. readers and COM
mand the respect and confidence of
all. He was one OF those editors
wno are. greater than the papers
they edit.
Joseph Pearson Caldwell was a
son OF the late Hon. Joseph Pearson
Caldwell and Amanda Mccullough
Caldwell aud was born in Statesyille.
Iredeil county. \. C.. June ie, 1888.
The early years OF his life were
spent in his native village. where
he was educated by his sister. Miss
JAMIE A. Caldwell. He also at
times attended a night school.
At IA years CT age Mr.. Caldwell,
then nothing mere than a lad. went
10 work az printer in the office OF
The Iredeil Express. weekly news
paper whose name was changed
shortly after the war 10 The Arari-
can. Soon after this Mr. Charles
Il. Jones located In Statesville and
established The StatesviIle lntelli-
gencer. Mr.. Caldwell was offered =
position On this paper At S. a week
with a raise OF 81 a week, which he.
accepted. II vas while setting type
IN this office that he tried ont his
prentice hand. offering his services
|ct nights 10 do a little writing in
the local department.
After working for several years
in the office OF The Statewide Intel
'igencer, Mr. Caldwell decided TO
pay a visit 10 Charlotte. He went
down 70 one Of the old Carolina
fairs and while in Charlotte paid
visit % ell 81 The newspaper Offices
in the city Dropping IN al the Of
flee 81 The old Charlotte Observer.
NJ Caldwell net sir. johnson Jones
iie editor 81 that time. Nc. Jones
questioned Mr Caldwell Is 70 what
line OF work he was enesged in and
on being told that be worked in a
newspaper office. Offered him s35
4 month 20 become local editor. This
tender was accepted. Mr. Caldwell
moving 70 cherlotte IN November.
1872.
A few months after the arrival
Of Mr. Caldwell In Charlotte to work
on The Charlotte Observer, Mr.
Jones Of The Statasviile Intelligence
er went TO Charlotte and purchased
The Observer The two worked to-
gether until 1875. when Mr.. Cald-
well was seized with rheumatism
and returned to statesyille. remain
Ing in bed six weeks. While in bed
Mr.. Caldwell received an offer from
Mr.. William N. Bernard. editor OF
The Wilmington Star. al $50
month and was about to accept ii
when he was offered a better posi-
ton In Charlotte After working
in Charlotte about a year he was
offered $1,000 a year and the posi-
ton Of city editor OF The Raleigh
News He went 10 Raleigh and lis-
ed about a year. Soon after this
Mr.. =. Drcyard Mcdowell parchas-
ed half interest IN The Observer
and Mr.. Caldwell was sent for ara
offered si.ie0 10 serve as assistant
editorial writer He accepted. re-
turned 20 Charlotte and In June.
1877. was welded TO Miss Margaret
spratt. she died in 1898. surviv-
Ing "a the result Of this marriage
are three children. namely: Mrs. D.
". McColloueh. OF Empire. Panama:
Mrs. Julia n. Taliaferro Of New
York. and Mr.. Frank N. Caldwell
OF Charlotte. Miss JAMIE A. Caid-
we'll Mr.. caldwell's sister. also sur
vivca.
N 1891 Mr. Caldwell purchased
Tho statcsvillc Landmark and went