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Joseph Caldwell
1806-1871
Block 43, Lot A3c
Born in Harrison Co., KY on February 7, 1806, Joseph Caldwell is buried here with his wife, Mary B. Caldwell (1806 - 1870) and perhaps son Joseph S. Caldwell (1843 - 1868). This may be the oldest burial marker still standing in this cemetery.
Joseph Caldwell is one of the true founding fathers of Kern County. He was a member of a committee that helped draft appropriate resolutions and petitions to aid in the creation of a new county. When approved by the 9th California Governor (1863-1867), Fredrick Low, Kern County was established with Havilah being designated as the county seat. It remained so until 1874 when county government was moved to Bakersfield.
Mr. Caldwell, and Judge Joseph Warren Sumner had a stamp mill operation and it was pretty profitable. Joseph Caldwell built the first house in Kernville. Shortly after, a gentleman, Adam Hamilton set up a saloon across the street from the Caldwell residence. Mr. Caldwell and Judge Sumner promptly instructed Mr. Hamilton that their mine was a temperate camp and instructed him to set-up down river about a mile. Whiskey Flat was born and the rest is history.
Mr. Caldwell holds another place in the history of the valley. He was Justice of the Peace in 1863. It was to Joseph Caldwell's house that Judge Sumner had instructed the Indians of the valley to take their guns for safe keeping. When the Army requested the weapons both Judge Sumner and Caldwell refused. The ambitious, if misguided Captain Moses McLaughlin removed the guns. The result was the Keysville Massacre of 1863.
The Old Kernville Historic Cemetery Tour was researched and created by Kern River Valley Historical Society members Jenny Hanley, and Richard Rowe as part of the 2010 Kern River Valley Historical Society Annual History Days, celebrating the history of the Kern River Valley.