Stephen Caudill, b Feb. 7, 1794, in South Carolina, m Sarah Younts, b March 18, 1796, a daughter of William Younts of Letcher County, Ky.  Stephen and Sarah lived in Letcher Co. where their children were born.  Stephen was my great grandfather and was a son of Matthew Caudill who was my great great grandfather, b 1760.  Stephen and Sarah had 6 children.

I.  STEPHEN CAUDILL and SARAH YOUNTS CAUDILL
   Children:
1.  John Caudill, b April 23, 1815, in S.C., d Apr. 15, 1891, m Jan. 25, 1844, Phoebe Fitzpatrick, b June 15, 1821.  John and Phoebe were my grandparents.  They lived on Caudill Branch at the head of Hoods Fork of Blaine, about a mile above the Sip postoffice.  John’s brother, James Calvin Caudill, married Phoebe’s sister, Mary "Polly" Fitzpatrick.  This was a case of brothers marring sisters.  Phoebe and Mary Polly were daughters of John and Fannie "Rice" Fitzpatrick.  Phoebe died Feb. 5, 1870, after giving John eleven children.  For more information see Chapter 6.
2.  Jess Caudill, b Jan. 8, 1818, d Oct. 27, 1874, m in Pike Co., Ky., Aug. 6, 1834, Eleanor "Nellie" Estep, daughter of Joel Estep.
3.  Matthew Caudill, b Mar 16, 1820, m(1) Temperance Hitchcock, b 1824, m(2) Apr. 15, 1854, Nancy Williams, b 1827, Floyd Co.
4.  William Caudill, b Nov. 20, 1821, d 1911, in Johnson Co., Ky., m Martha Hitchcock, b 1824 Floyd Co., d Apr. 27, 1916 in Johnson Co.  For more information see Chapter 5.
5.  James Calvin Caudill, b Apr 26, 1823, Letcher Co., Ky., m June 14, 1846, Johnson Co., Mary "Polly" Fitzpatrick, b 1826, a sister to Phoebe Fitzpatrick Caudill who married John Caudill.  James Calvin and Mary "Polly" had 5 children: Louvina, Margaret, Lucinda, Matthew, Martha.
6.  Rueben G. Caudill, b May 7, 1825, d 1896, m Levisa Jane Barnett, Sept. 1, 1845 in Johnson Co., b 1829 in Floyd Co.  Rueben G. was a brother to my grandfather, John Caudill.  Rueben had a daughter named Cynthia Frances Caudill, b April 26, 1860 in Johnson Co., d Aug. 20, 1897, m Moses Franklin Cox.  They had a son named Clayton R. Cox who now lives in Lexington, Ky.  Clayton is a researcher, author and historian of the Caudill Family Tree. [ Clayton R. Cox died 3 Jul 1999.]
Rueben Caudill had a small mine.  Each morning he and his wife would leave early and walk the few miles to the mine.  While he worked she would stay near the entrance.  Whether her daily vigil was of love or jealousy is not known.  They would return late so the evening meal was always after dark.  It was necessary that the older children prepare dinner.  To light the long log walled kitchen pine knots were stuck between the logs around the room.  As the pine knots burned down someone would have to jump up quickly and knock the pine knots out of the wall to avoid catching the logs afire.  These pine knots were used in preference to kerosene lamps for kerosene was 5 cents a gallon.
When one of Rueben Caudill’s children married, a "Bell Crowd" (called Chivaree) began to form.  An oldtimer asked them where they were going and upon being told, he warned them "you better not go up there and start a ruckus around Rueben Caudill’s he’ll gun you down.
During the civil war Rueben was walking down one of the main roads when a sentry called "Halt".  Rueben walked on.  Again the sentry yelled halt and Rueben walked on.  The sentry said if you don’t halt I will have to shoot.  Rueben replied as he walked on, "I am a free man, this is a public road and I’ll walk where I please".