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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: CALDERWOOD, Andrew C.
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
September 25, 1999
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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative
Citizens
W.S. Laidley
Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL.
1911
p. 404-405
ANDREW C. CALDERWOOD, general contractor and builder at Charleston, W. Va.,
of which city he has been a resident since the spring of 1881, is vice
president of the City National Bank and was one of its incorporators. Mr.
Calderwood is of Scottish birth and ancestry and the thousands who yearly
make the pilgrimage to the birthplace of Robert Burns, in Ayreshire,
Scotland, doubtless pass the little cottage, a few miles distant, in which he
was born, March 12, 1856. His parents were James and Mary (Kerr) Calderwood,
both natives of Ayreshire, where the mother died in the prime of life and the
father survived to the age of eighty-four years. Of their seven children,
six survive and five of these still live in Scotland.
Andrew C. Calderwood learned his trade under the supervision of his father,
who was also a contractor and builder, and before Andrew was of age he had
become superintendent of large contracts in his native section. He was
ambitious and after succeeding so well in his own country felt that in
America, where better labor conditions pre-vailed and larger opportunities
could be found, he could undertake still greater tasks. After considerable
preparation he left the shores of Scotland for the United States, taking
passage on a steamship, the Achovia of the Anchor line which took 8 days to
make the trip, Mr. Calderwood land-ing safely in the city of New York. From
there he went to Baltimore, Md., where he was engaged for some months and
came from that city to Charleston, having been engaged to work on the
construction of the State Capitol building. He was given a position of
authority as superintending foreman, and before the completion of that
contract he had determined to make this city his home and had commenced the
building of the Kanawha Presbyterian church. He built also the Roman
Catholic church, the Ruffner Hotel and innumerable public buildings and the
time has come when the volume of his business amounts to more than $100,000
annually. His reputation as builder is by no means confined to Charleston
but extends all through the state. Mr. Calderwood is justly proud of his
success, it having been honestly won. He is especially proud of the fact that
in the larger number of his con-tracts at the present time he is given carte
blanche, his repu~ation for business integrity being well understood. He is
an active and public spirited citizen, a supporter of honest civic government
and a promoter of education and religion.
Mr. Calderwood was married to Miss Belle Wilson, who was born and reared at
Charleston, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Neal) Wilson, both of whom were
born in the Kanawha Valley. Mr. and Mrs. Calderwood attend the Presbyterian
church. He belongs to Kanawha Lodge No.20, F. & A. M., Chapter and Commandery
at Charleston and is also a Shriner. He is identified also with the Odd
Fellows and with other local organizations. In politics he is a Democrat.
FRANK WOODMAN, who is interested in and also officially connected with many
of the great industries which make Charleston, W. Va., a point of
considerable business importance, has been a resident since 1875. He is of
New England ancestry, but was born at Mineral Point, Wis., September 26,
1846, a son of Cyrus and Charlotte (Flint) Woodman.
Cyrus Woodman and wife were both born in Maine, of old Puritan stock. A
graduate of Bowdoin College and an able member of the bar, Cyrus Woodman
seemed particularly well fitted to enjoy and take part in the intellectual
life of the East, but in early manhood he turned his back on these
surroundings and, as a pioneer, ventured into the West, locating in Illinois,
where he lived for many years and then moved to Wisconsiti. In the latter
state he subsequently entered into partnership with C. C. Washburn, later a
member of Cpngress and governor of Wisconsin, in purchasing and developing
lands. After the close of the Civil War, however, he returned east and
settled at Cambridge, Mass., where the remainder of his life was passed, in
most congenial surroundings. His death occurred in 1889, his widow surviving
him.
Frank Woodman was sixteen years old when his parents removed from Wisconsin
to Massachusetts, and following this removal he was afforded exceptional
educational advantages. During a visit of three years made by the fam-ily in
Germany and France, he was instructed in the languages of those countries.
After three years at Phillips Academy, Exeter, N. H., he entered Harvard
College, where, in 1869, he was graduated with the degree of B. A., acquiring
other degrees in the course of years. He then entered the Cambridge
Scientific School and studied civil engineering, afterward spending three
years in practical work on railroads in the northwestern part of the country.
In 1871, Mr. Woodman returned to Europe, where he visited many sections and
also perfected himself in civil engineering by taking a course in the great
polytechnic school at Paris, France.
In 1875 Mr. Woodman chose Charleston, W. Va., as his home, immediately
investing and identifying himself with the city's varied interests. To name
all the successful enterprise with which he is connected would be to recite
those which are of major importance to this section. He is president of the
Vulcan Iron Works; president of the Donaldson Lumber Company, of Monroe
County; secretary and treasurer of the Kanawha Woolen Mills and of the
Daveley Furniture Company, and is also connected with the Kanawba Brick
Company.
In 1884 Mr. Woodman was married to Miss Nannie Cotton, a daughter of Dr. John
Cotton, a well known physician of Charleston.
They have two children, Ashton Fitzhugh and Charlotte. The family residence
is, No. 1210 Kanawha Street, Charleston.
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
State Contact for WV GenExchange
http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm
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