克利夫顿·莫特·考德威尔法官

1919-1965年HSU理事

克里夫顿·莫特·考德威尔出生于5月1日, 1880, 在帕洛平托县, 戈登以北10英里, 德州, 致詹姆斯·S. 和珍妮·莫特·考德威尔. He attended rural schools until the age of 13 when he had to drop out to help on the family farm. 两年后，他回到科罗拉多城上学, 最终获得了教师资格证书.

At age 16, his family moved to Breckenridge where he met his future wife, Cora Belle Keathley. By 1901, 他已经攒够了这对夫妇结婚的钱, 还有他的马车和科拉的马, 他们一起开始了他们的生活. Their first home was in Caddo 社区 where Caldwell was teaching. They lived in a former one-room school house that was located next to the new school building. 他以20美元的价格买下了这所房子, and the couple pasted newspapers over holes in the walls to help block the winter wind while they hunkered near their potbellied stove.

坚信教育的重要性, 1905年，考德威尔被任命为卡多学校的校长. He was able to be an effective disciplinarian by counseling and guiding his students rather than using the more traditional methods of the day of thrashing and whipping.

The young couple welcomed their first child, Guy in 1904, with Mildred and Agnes to soon follow. In 1908, 带着三个孩子, 考德威尔一家带着毕生积蓄搬到了奥斯汀, where he was to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. He entered the University of 德州 Law School, but expenses were more than their savings could cover. 他们在大学附近租了一所大房子. 考德威尔收留寄宿生，帮助维持一家五口的生活. 除了学习法律, Caldwell worked at the library and in a bookstore to supplement their income.

He performed well in law school, serving as secretary and vice president of his class. He graduated in 1911 at the age of 31, and returned to Breckenridge where he began his law practice. 1912年，他被选为县检察官, 1916年被任命为县法官, 后来的地区法官. He held these posts briefly, but the nickname “Judge” stuck with him for the rest of his life.

作为县检察官和法官, Caldwell used the same tactics he had applied in the schoolroom, choosing to counsel with the person rather than pressing charges or levying fines.

在此期间, 考德威尔与布雷克·沃克建立了商业伙伴关系, 其中包括租赁周边农场的采矿权. 他和沃克后来进入了银行业, Caldwell as a director of the First National Bank of Breckenridge and Walker as president.

In 1917, shortly before the Ranger oil boom, the Walker-Caldwell Oil Company was formed. 考德威尔投资房地产，一度拥有超过225个,在德克萨斯州西部Toyah附近的4个牧场，占地1000英亩. He also bought smaller tracts of land around Breckenridge and in Callahan and Shackelford counties. 觉得这是他的公民义务, he also invested thousands of dollars in the Breckenridge community, financing a dam and pipeline to replace the Breckenridge water-wagon business. He was also largely responsible for bringing the railroad to the area.

In 1922, 考德威尔举家迁往阿比林, where he again gave of his time and resources to the community. 当HSU校长，Dr. J. D. Sandefer, approached Caldwell about contributing to the building of a fine arts building, 克利夫顿和科拉捐了100美元,000英镑——足以支付这幢大楼的全部费用. This donation was the first of many contributions to HSU to come from the Caldwell family, 包括他的孩子和孙子们做的.

Caldwell served on the HSU board of trustees from 1919 until his resignation at age 85 in 1965. He also served as a director of the 德州 and Pacific Railroad during the 1920s and again in the 1950s. He gave the land to build Hendrick Memorial Hospital and served as a hospital trustee. He also served on the boards of two of the city’s leading banking institutions, 国民银行和阿比林储蓄协会, 40多年了.

他曾担任西德克萨斯商会(West 德州 Chamber of Commerce)会长, working toward his goal of making West 德州 the “most democratic section on earth, 包括正确的生活和黄金法则.他在两次世界大战期间都主持了战争贷款活动, 筹集了四千万美元的战争债券和邮票.

In 1951 he was named the Top Citizen of the Year by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, and in 1953 the Boy Scouts of America recognized him with the Silver Beaver Award. 他得到了许多赞赏的决议, 包括1月29日州议会通过的一项法案, 1969.

In his later years, Caldwell stated that his most treasured title of all was Baptist Deacon. Caldwell’s humility and caring are well illustrated in a letter he wrote to one of his grandsons:

“我一直有一个雄心壮志，想要学习一些东西, but I didn’t have the early opportunity and therefore I haven’t learned fast enough. If I could have had the opportunity my children have made for their children I believe I could have made a stronger, 更好的, 更有用的公民. 我就指望你了…….我只是想让你成为德州最好的公民之一.I want you to learn how to make a living for yourself and be able to help others who are less fortunate than you.”

C. M. Caldwell died at the age of 88 on August 8, 1968, one of the best citizens 德州 has ever claimed.