Richmond B. "R. B." Caudill was the son of William J. "Miller Bill" and Martha Ann (Whitaker) Caudill. He married first to Jane Cornett on July 5, 1900, in Perry County, KY. After Janes's death, he married second to Sarah E. Cornett on March 20, 1946, in Mayking, Letcher County, KY.

R. B. was a farmer at Blackey and a well-known Caudill Family Historian, collecting data on the family for many years. Unfortunately, all his effort and valuable collection was lost to posterity by disposal by one of his heirs who did not realize its value. He was active in the large Letcher County Caudill Reunion for many years. The early issues of "The Mountain Eagle" newspaper are filled with obituaries written by R. B.

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The obituary of Richmond B. "R. B." Caudill as published in the September 21, 1961, issue of The Mountain Eagle:

R. B. Caudill, farmer and historian, succumbs

R. B. Caudill, 84, member of a pioneer family of Letcher County, retired businessman and an authority on the history of Southeastern Kentucky and the families of the first settlers, died Sept. 15 at Whitesburg Memorial Hospital after a heart attack.

He was chairman of the board of supervisors of the Letcher County Soil Conservation District. He was a charter member of the board. The other members at the organization of the board in 1952 were Randal Day, George Isaacs, Crit Webb and Ben Craft. The latter two are now also deceased.

Mr.Caudlll was active in farm improvement work since the early days of the Roosevelt administration.

Only recently he had been awarded a citation by the state for 20 years of work on the Letcher County Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Committee.

At the time of his death, Mr. Caudill was assisting Cecil Hensley, soil conservationist, in a census of all persons in the county interested in forestry as a part of the program of the Soil Conservation District.

With Cecil Caudill, office manager, he had been planning for the election Sept. 26 of the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Committee for the coming year. He attended a meeting in Whitesburg on Tuesday before his death.

Mr. Caudill was the first postmaster when the Blackey post office was established near the mouth of Elk Creek in 1911. The old name of Indian Bottom was abandoned then because the Post Office Department said it was too long.

Mr. Caudill for many years operated a feed and grain store in Blackey, where his big tin-covered building still stands as a warehouse for his brother, C. B. Caudill.

Mr. Caudill was long active in the church. He was clerk of the Indian Bottom Church of Regular Baptist of Jesus Christ at the mouth of Rockhouse Creek. He was an authority on the history of the church, which was founded over 140 years ago.

Mr. Caudill's second wife, Mrs. Sarah Cornett Draughn Caudill, survives him. He is also survived by a son, Hubert, of Knoxville, two daughters, Mrs. Lottie Davis of Knoxville and Mrs. Lizzie Speer of Grundy, Va.; four grandchildren, Capt. Harold Speer, Anchorage, Alaska; Dr. Keith Speer, Grundy; Mrs. Lois Bard, Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Dickie Caudill of Missouri; and seven great-grandchildren.

Surviving also are three sisters, Mrs. Annie Dixon, Mrs. Callie Back and Mrs. Crittie Andrews; and a brother, C. B. Caudill, all of Blackey. Deceased brothers were I. D., Willie J. and Jim Caudill. Deceased sisters were Mrs. Sis Stamper and Mrs. Ella Loggins.

He was a son of W. J. "Miller Bill" and Martha Whitaker Caudill and was born April 8, 1877 on Rockhouse Creek.

Mr. Caudill had been in good health and spirits for his age. Only the day before the attack he had been busy trimming the hedge in front of his home in Blackey.

He was stricken about midnight and was rushed to Whitesburg Memorial Hospital by his brother, C. B. Caudill, a nephew, I. D. Back, and Charles Nichols.

He appeared to rally somewhat after treatment, Dr. Speer reported, but failed and died about 8 a.m.

Burial was in the Caudill cemetery at Blackey with Craft Funeral Home in charge.