In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1834, Champaign county
From History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882. Together with biographical sketches .. (1883)
CALEB J. SWEET, farmer and stock-raiser, post-office. Lone Tree; was born in Champaign county, Ohio, February 12, 1834. He is a son of David and Lydia Sweet, who came to this county in 1838 and settled, where Mrs. Swe.et and the subject of our sketch still lives in section 6, Fremont township. Mr. Sweet dying September 19, 1844; he was born January 27, 1801, and Mrs. Sweet was born January 1, 1801. Mrs. Sweet was left with five small children to make a living for, and farm not paid for, but she finished paying it oti and still enjoy-s good health, sight and memory. The subject of this sketch went to California in 1853 across the plains, and followed mining until 1859, when he returned by way of the Isthmus and New York. He enlisted in company G, Second Iowa Cavalry, at Davenport, in a Muscatine company, and served three years and one month; he was taken prisoner at Booneville, Miss, and was in the prisons at Mobile, Alabama, Macon, Georgia, and also at Libby prison, where he was paroled after being a prisoner four months and twenty days. Since the war he has been paying his attention to farming and raising stock, and now owns 620 acres of land; he feeds considerable stock every year. He has never married.
As printed in History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882. Together with biographical sketches .. (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.