born on a farm near new lexington in perry county, ohio, calderhead received private schooling and also attended the common schools and franklin college in new athens, ohio. during the civil war, he enlisted in august 1862 as a private in company h, 126th regiment, ohio volunteer infantry|one hundred and twenty-sixth regiment, ohio volunteer infantry. he was transferred to company d, ninth veteran reserves, for disability incurred in service and discharged june 27, 1865.