Sheriff Francis Caldwell

Francis Warren “Frank” Caldwell came to Canby, California as an adult. He was born in Ohio in 1862. He settled in Canby with the intention of putting down roots. He took up land and bought several homestead; including land in Stone Coal Valley. Francis Caldwell operated one of the first stores and post offices in Canby and he was also a teacher. Religion and education were always high on his priorities for community involvement. He married Francis Miller of Stone Coal Valley and they had five children. The large house that they built in Canby is still standing today. While Caldwell served as sheriff, he moved his family into another large home in Alturas, below what is presently known as Tank Hill. During the time of Caldwell’s tenure, the County built a sturdy brick jailhouse on the south end of Alturas. That jailhouse, serving a different function, can still be seen in Veteran’s Memorial Park in Alturas. In 1910, four years after moving into Alturas, Frank Caldwell died of pneumonia at the age of 48.