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- 66 - . CHAPTER 6 THOMAS COLEMAN by J. P. COLEMAN (Written January 4, 1964) In the chapter on Robert Coleman, who died late 1795, we have seen that on February 21, 1770, he conveyed to Thomas Coleman lands in Halifax County, North Carolina, on the west side of Rocky Swamp, acquired from William Roberts in 1761. On December 7, 1779, Thomas Coleman and Sarah Coleman, his wife, sold the same lands to his brother-in-law, Christopher Pritchett. Eleven years later, November 29, 1790, in Fairfield County, SC, Thomas Coleman bought 250 acres, on the waters of Beaver Creek, from William Con. On March 31, 1795, Robert Coleman conveyed to "his son" Thomas Coleman, a Negro boy named Moses. In the study of Coleman family history, we had, for many years, been quite curious as to what eventually became of Thomas Coleman. In 1963 we employed a professional researcher to compile a list of all Colemans appearing in the early census records of Kentucky. When she reported the presence of a Drewry Coleman in the Warren County census of 1820, our interest was doubly aroused because Robert Coleman, the elder, patented lands in Halifax County, North Carolina, in 1756, adjoining Drewry Coleman. At the 1820 Census, in Warren County, the Drewry Coleman family consisted of one male age 26 to 45, two males under 10, a female age 26 to 45, and a female under 10. The age of the children would indicate that Drewry Coleman and his wife were born between 1785 and 1790. This clue led us to Bowling Green. We went there on August 30, 1963, where we found an abundance of Coleman family records at the Courthouse. According to the Revolutionary War Record of Clement Moberley, at National Archives, he was born in 1746 in Bedford County, VA. He moved to South Carolina, then to Madison County, Kentucky, shortly after the Revolutionary War. He then moved to Warren County, Kentucky, and from there to Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1831. According to his Revolutionary War Record, Isaiah Moberley was born in South Carolina in 1754 or 1755, moved to Warren County, Kentucky, in 1807, thence to Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1830. Isaiah Moberley married Nancy Coleman, sister of Thomas. Here, we were able to pick up the post 1795 thread on - 67 - . THE ROBERT COLEMAN FAMILY Thomas Coleman. On January 12, 1807, Land Deed Book Q, Page 326, Fairfield County Deeds, Thomas Coleman sold to Wiley Coleman (son of Robert who died in 1809) the same 250 acres of land which he had purchased from William Con in 1790. D. R. Coleman, likewise a son of the aforementioned Robert, and Isaiah Moberley were witnesses to the deed. Then, in Warren County, Kentucky, on November 16, 1808, Book 4, Page 100, Landon Key and Katy Key sold to Thomas Coleman, "of Warren County," 200 acres on Bay's Fork. On December 12, 1811, Frederick Barnes and Elinor Barnes, Book 5, Page 519, sold to Thomas Coleman 50 acres originally patented to Abner Chapman. On July 16, 1814 (Book 6, Page 376) Thomas Coleman sold to Isaiah Moberley 400 acres on McFaddin's Fork of Gasper River. This is in western Warren County, near the Logan County line. At Page 377 of Book B of Warren County Wills is found the will of Thomas Coleman. It was dated February 23, 1816, but not proven until October, 1821, which indicates the year of his death. Since we have already shown that he was born not later than 1745, he was at least near eighty years of age at his death. His will names his wife, Polly; sons, William, John, Thomas and Benjamin; also a daughter, Betsy Fraker. From that excellent Coleman historian, Mrs. Etta Rosson, I first learned that Charity Coleman, daughter of Thomas Coleman, married Stephen Crosby. He was born November 10, 1782 and died March 20, 1856. She was born January 22, 1772 and died July 29, 1855. They were married in 1801. On July 25, 1964, I visited the Crosby family cemetery in the Cool Branch Neighborhood of Fairfield County. The directions to this cemetery are as follows: Driving south on South Carolina Highway 215, immediately south of the Chester-Fairfield line, turn right, or west, on a rural road. Go 8/10 of a mile and the cemetery is to the left, on top of a beautiful knoll. It cannot be seen from the road. It contains many expensive monuments, many Crosby graves, but is in poor repair. One of the graves is that of Coleman Crosby, son of Stephen and Charity. Of course, Charity Coleman Crosby did not move to Kentucky. As to the children of Thomas Coleman, we found the following from the Bowling Green Records. On December 8, 1814, Book 6, Page 424, Thomas Coleman sold to John W. Coleman the 50 acres adjoining Abner Chapman. Thomas Coleman, son of the Thomas who died in 1821, died some - 68 - . THE ROBERT COLEMAN FAMILY time prior to 1825. In that year, John W. Coleman, a brother to and executor of the latter Thomas (Book 12, Page 220) conveyed to Larkin P. Coleman all of the right of the said Thomas Coleman in and to the estate of Thomas Coleman, Sr. in 55 acres of land. On January 14, 1825, Book 12, Page 306, John W. Coleman, executor of Thomas Coleman, deceased, conveyed to Thales Morrison 48 acres of land belonging to the late deceased, and David Chapman was a witness. On October 14, 1826 (Book 12, Page 250) John W. Coleman, executor, sold to James Weatherspoon 115 acres of the lands of Thomas Coleman, deceased. On the same date (Book 12, Page 264) James Weatherspoon sold land to Daniel Coleman, adjoining land "formerly belonging to Thomas Coleman, deceased." On December 14, 1826, Book 12, Page 264, Daniel Coleman sold to yet another Thomas Coleman 115 acres. The thread continues. On June 4, 1834, Daniel Coleman sold to Larkin P. Coleman, land formerly belonging to Thomas Coleman, deceased, adjoining land "where Larkin P. Coleman now lives," book 15, Page 389. On October 28, 1842 (Book 19, Page 130) John Coleman, of Allen County (adjoining Warren), sold to Daniel Coleman, of Warren County, KY 107 acres on Drake's Creek, where Daniel now lives, once owned by Thomas Coleman, now deceased. John W. Coleman, the son of Thomas who died in 1821, died intestate. On August 28, 1848, his heirs conveyed lands belonging to him. The deed was signed by Margaret Doyel, Edward F. Coleman, Susan S. Coleman, Mitchell H. Coleman, John W. Coleman and James W. Coleman. Reverting to Drewry Coleman, on November 30, 1818 (Land Deed Book 9, Page 12), Drewry Coleman bought 250 acres on the East fork of Gasper River from Thomas Proctor. In Land Deed Book 16 1/2, Page 217, March 14, 1839, the heirs of Drewry Coleman sold to William Covington the 250 acres "in the barrens," on which Drewry Coleman lived at his death, subject to dower rights of the widow. The deed was signed by Emily Coleman Dillon, William S. Coleman, Joseph Coleman, Robert Coleman, Elizabeth Coleman, Nancy Coleman, and Susan Coleman. We still do not know the exact relationship of this Drewry Coleman to - 69 - . THE ROBERT COLEMAN FAMILY the 1756 Drewry Coleman of Halifax County, North Carolina. Yet, he lived in the same community in Kentucky with Thomas Coleman, the Moberleys, and the Chapmans. His children bore the given names so common to all the other Colemans. Since the Kentucky Drewry Coleman was born about 1785, it is reasonable to assume that he was the son, grandson, or nephew of Thomas Coleman. The will of C.htm#N002771">Larkin P. Coleman appears at Page 361 of Will Book C, Warren County, dated June 19, 1858. His widow was named Jane. He had sons named James P. and Thomas. The daughters were named Melcena Dempsey and Mary M. Weatherspoon. From the old Survey Records and Marriage Records of Warren County we found the following: Survey Book A, Page 296, July 29, 1800, 200 acres surveyed for William Chapman, three miles north of the Barren River. From Land Deed Book K, Page 124, Fairfield County, we know that William Chapman was the son-in-law of Robert Coleman who died in 1795. His wife, Sarah, was a sister of Thomas Coleman At Page 13() of the same book we find a survey of 200 acres for George Chapman on the north side of Barren River, and Thomas Chapman was one of the surveyors. Over thirty Chapmans appear on the marriage records for the first few years following 1800. We now revert to the Moberleys. On May 10, 1799 (Deed Book 1, Page 108) the Trustees for the town of Bowling Green sold to Clement Moberley lot 17 in said town, one-half acre in size. On June I, 1807 (Deed Book C, Page 3) Clement Moberley sold this lot to Samuel Campbell. On August 19, 1799, Survey Book A, Page 231, 200 acres were surveyed for Clement Moberley on McFaddill's Fork, adjoining Elisha Moberley and John Moberley. John Moberley and Charles Moberley were chainbearers. Previously, Page 165, 200 acres had been surveyed for John Moberley on a branch of Gasper River, in which Clement was a chainbearer. I was advised in Bowling Green that all of these 200 acre tracts were for Revolutionary soldiers and that the land between the Green River and the Barren River was originally set aside for land grants to Revolutionary soldiers. On February 9, 1810, Book 4, Page 230, Isaiah Moberley, sold 200 acres on Casper River to Anthony Turney, evidently the same land which had been surveyed for Isaiah Moberley back in 1799 while he was still a - 70 - . THE ROBERT COLEMAN FAMILY resident of Fairfield County, South Carolina. In this deed Isaiah Moberley referred to himself as a resident of Bedford County, Tennessee. On October 17, 1828, Book 13, Page 183, Clement Moberley sold to Benjamin Hampton 71 1/2 acres on McFaddin's Ford of Gasper River. Burwill Cox, who had married Rebecca Moberley on March 14, 1820, was a witness to the deed. On the same date, David A. Moberley and David R. Moberley sold 100 acres to Benjamin Hampton at the same location. In Marriage Register A, Warren County, we find the following marriages: Page 262. October 27, 1818, Vashti Moberley to Daniel Turney. We here remember that Robert Coleman who died in 1795, Charles Coleman who died in 1788, and Francis Coleman, who died in Alabama in 1824, all had daughters named Vashti. Page 166. Edward Moberley to Sarah Simons, May 29, 1824. Page 134. Sicily Moberley to William Johnson, October 9, 1826. Page 163. James Moberley to Betsy Cox, December 3, 1800. Page 197. Nancy Moberley to Harvey O'Neal, June 15, 1804. Page 261. Polly Moberley to William Taylor, August 15, 1809. Page 35. Sallie Moberley to Elmon Covington, October 12, 1802. It is evident from the foregoing that there was an extensive colony of Colemans, Moberleys and Chapmans on the Gasper River in Warren County, Kentucky; that Thomas Coleman moved from Fairfield County, SC, with Isaiah Moberley, to Warren County, KY in 1807. The writer is unable to understand why many of them later left Warren County. It is as beautiful a country, particularly from an agricultural standpoint, as one could ever see. Possibly it became too thickly settled to suit them.
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