The above image shows Rachel Coleman, who gave birth to three Coleman children, then wedded William Riley Brown (right); giving him several children. The children were raised on a farm in Madison County, Arkansas.
Previous | Contents |
Next | References | Site Map | Site Index | Site Map
(387) Rachel Coleman was born on 3 Sep 1822, Hamilton Co. TN. Rachel married to William Riley Brown between 1850 and 1856. William was born 27 Dec 1816.
The above image shows Rachel Coleman, who gave birth to three Coleman children, then wedded William
Riley Brown (right); giving him several children. The children were raised on a farm in
Madison County, Arkansas.
Rachel died 25 Jan 1893, Madison Co. AR. Rachel's and William's birth and death dates are recorded on the tombstones which the author viewed in July 2000 in Madison Co. Arkansas. and are shown below.
 Rachel Coleman Brown Tombstone Photo courtesy of Larry Smith |
 William Riley Brown Tombstone Photo courtesy of Larry Smith |
Per the tombstone, William Riley Brown died 2 Sep 1879. In personal
correspondence dated 21 Feb 1999, Larry Smith, of Kettle Falls, Washington
reported:
"The William Riley Brown family moved from Hamilton County Tennessee to Madison County Arkansas in 1870. A deed record shows he bought farm land there that year. William was killed by a bull on his farm 2 Sep 1879 and was buried in the churchyard cemetery of Lower Campground Church. Rachel died 25 Jan 1893 and was buried beside William in the church yard."
Larry visited the graves in 1992, provided directions, which permitted me to visit them in 2000. The inscriptions on their tombstones could still be read. In later correspondence dated 2 Jul 2000, Larry Smith reported that the parents of William Riley Brown were John Brown and Elizabeth Truett (Trewhitt). Elizabeth's family is recorded also.
Rachel Coleman had three children before she married. The names of their fathers are unknown and likely to remain so. Rachel and at least two of her sisters remained in their father's farm house in the Soddy-Daisy postal district of Hamilton County Tennessee, roughly 60 miles NNE of downtown Chattanooga to care for him nearly until his death in January of 1860. All three daughters of Charles Coleman had children prior to marriage during this period.
Rachel married William Riley Brown roughly around 1853 +/- 3 years. William and Rachel conceived seven children. These were recorded in the U.S. Census records of 1860, 1870, and 1880 for Madison County, Arkansas.
(387) Rachel Coleman had these children:(421) Manerva Coleman b. 1841, Hamilton Co. TN. (422) Robert Franklin Coleman b. 1846, Hamilton Co. TN, (423) William Coleman b. 1849, Hamilton Co. TN.After marriage to William Riley Brown:
(424) 4. John R. Brown, b. 1853-54
(425) 5. Eliza E. "Bettie" Brown, b. 1856-57
(1319) 6. William Brown, b. 1857-58
(426) 7. James Truitt Brown, b. 1859-60
(427) 8. Henry August "Gus" Brown, b. 1861
(428) 9. Lewis Madison "Mattie" Brown, b. 1862-63
(429) 10. Margaret "Ella" Brown, b. 1867-68
[1860 U.S. Census for Hamilton County, TN]
[1870 U.S. Census for Hamilton County, TN]
[1880 U.S. Census for Madison County, AR]
Notes:
Bettie (in 1880) is shown as Eliza in 1860, and as Eliza E. in 1870.
James (in 1880) shown as James T., but is known to be James Truitt.
William, shown in 1860, is missing in 1870, would be age 12 (b. 1857-58).
Henry, shown as 9 in 1870 (1860-61) appears in 1880 as Guss/Guy, but the script is most difficult to make out.
Lewison, shown as 8 in 1870 (b. 1861-62), appears as Mattie in 1880.
Margaret, shown as 2 in 1870 (b. 1867-68), appears in 1880 as Ella.
The 1860 U.S. Census of Hamilton County, TN shows two other children in Wm. R. Brown's family who were born before he married Rachel. These were shown as
Franklin Brown, 12 yrs old, b. 1847-48 Charles B. Brown, 10 yrs old, b. 1849-50Whether these were Rachel's children is not clear, but they could have been from a previous wife of William's.
The 1860 U.S. Census also lists William Brown, age 2, b. 1857-58 and James Brown, age 10/12 (10 months) as of the day of the census, August 4, 1860, thus born about Oct 1859.
Larry Smith provided more information for members of this family:
(424) John R. Brown, b. c1854, d. Parker County, TX.
(425) Elizabeth E. (Bettie) Brown b. c1857, TN.
(426) James Truitt Brown b. 19 Aug 1859, Soddy, Hamilton Co., TN.
d. 05 Apr 1932 in Harper Co., OK.
(427) Henry August (Gus) Brown, b. c1861,
d. in Parker County, TX
(428) Lewis Madison (Mattie) Brown, b. 4 Sep 1862, Hamilton County, TN;
d. 03 Mar 1948 in Beaver County, OK.
(429) Margaret Ella (Ella) Brown b. 1868, Hamilton Co.? TN.
m. George Doak.
[Smith, 1999a]
[Smith, 1999b]
(422) Robert Franklin Coleman was born in 1846 in Hamilton Co. TN,
the son of Rachel Coleman, who was the daughter of Charles Coleman (1793-1860)
(422) Robert Franklin Coleman was 14 years old at the time of his grandfather's death. Seven years later, Robert Franklin married Elizabeth Varner on 10/17/1867, in Hamilton Co. Tennessee. Elizabeth Varner was a divorce' of (Frank Brown?). Elizabeth was born in 1846 probably in Hamilton Co. Tennessee since her father was a long time resident and raised a family there. Elizabeth was the daughter of Lewis M. Varner and Mary "Polly" Ann Hughes.
The Varner family, like the Coleman's, had been among the early settlers to the area and was now, like Robert, a third generation resident in the Soddy-Daisy area of North Hamilton County Tennessee. The area north of Chattanooga is and was quite beautiful. There are mountain ridges running through this area that rise 100s of feet above Tennessee River Valley floor. The river provided a means of transportation through the rugged terrain and flooded a valley with fertile soil. Life on the ridges must have been most difficult as the area is strewn with limestone rocks that form the bluffs of the prominent ridges in the area. The climate was wet and hot with a long southern growing season, but winters produced some snow and ice to mix with the rains that come year 'round. Any trees at that time were probably small, since so much of the area was clear cut between 1800 and 1810. The Smoky Mountains were denuded of trees during that period, though they don't show signs of it today.
After William Riley Brown died 2 Sep 1879, Rachel had no man in the house and the oldest son was James Brown, born in 1860. Robert Franklin Coleman left Hamilton County, TN by 1880. His wife Elizabeth, divorced prior to their marriage, divorced Robert (1873?) and moved in with her brother's family where she was recorded in the U.S. Census of 1880. She was listed as Elizabeth Coleman, divorced, sister of the head of the house, Hezekiah Varner. For whatever reasons, she chose to remain in the area which had been home for three generations, and let her husband take their two children to live with Rachel Brown, his mother, in Arkansas.
(422) Robert appears to have begun using his middle name, Frank, as he started a new life in Madison County, Arkansas and his children were going by nick names, Nervia and Wilie. Willie (and Nervia) were found in the 1880 U.S. Census Soundex and listed as children of Frank Coleman, grandchildren of the head of the house, Rachel Brown. (422) Frank is listed as a step son though this is incorrect and owes, I feel, to the difference in last name. In fact, I think it shows son crossed out with stepson incorrectly written above it. It would have been easier to allow that belief to persist than to explain he was born before his mother had married.
So, (422) Robert, now called Frank, lived in Rachel Brown's household where they were listed in the U.S. Census of 1880.
(422) Robert Franklin Coleman and wife Elizabeth Varner had two children prior to their divorce:
(430) 1. Minerva Coleman, b. 1868, Hamilton Co. TN, d. c1915, AR?. (431) 2. William Louis Coleman, b. 08/16/1872, Hamilton Co. TN, occupation farmer.
(422) Robert Franklin Coleman died after 1880, place unknown. Family legend says his children were shuffled around between an aunt and him, though I have no evidence to document this. If true, he may have been there and gone a number of times.
(431) William Louis Coleman was the youngest of two children born to Elizabeth Varner and Robert Franklin Coleman. By 1880, he is found under the name Willie, his sister under the name Nervia (given name Minerva), and they are listed as grandchildren of Rachel Brown on her farm in Madison County, Arkansas. [1880 U.S. Census Soundex]
(431) William Louis Coleman
married a girl from a nearby town named
Della 'Dellar' Clementine Taylor.
Della was born on 04/07/1877 in Baldwin, Mississippi, the daughter of a line
of traveling preachers, her father being Evans Randolph Taylor and her mother,
Rhoda Jane Ellis.
They were married on 12/06/1894, probably in Madison County, Arkansas.
Della died 05/26/1961 in Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kansas.
William died 01/11/1952, in Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kansas.
Family of William Louis Coleman and wife Della Clementine Taylor Coleman
Back row: Frank, Mac, Ica, Clebourne, Charles, Avery
Front row: Faye, William, Della, Clifford
(431) William Louis Coleman and his wife Della raised a large family with the two oldest sons, Mac and Avery, marrying two sisters. William McKinley (Mac) Coleman married Nola Watt and Floyd Avery Coleman married Elva Watt.
Family of Agnes and Ira Miller Watt
Back row: Maude, Medah, Nina, Clyde, Dedah, Marie
Front row: Nola, Agnes & Ira (parents), Elva Watt
William Louis Coleman was a farmer and a breeder and trader of horses, particularly draft horses. When he saw a tractor for sale in town, he recognized the draft horse would not be popular much longer and he moved his family to Wichita, KS. There many went into the meat packing industry.
(431) William Louis Coleman and wife Della Clementine Taylor had these children:
(432) 1. William McKinley (Mac) Coleman, b. 05/03/1896, AR (433) 2. Floyd Avery Coleman, b. 02/09/1898, AR (434) 3. Ica Joy Coleman, b. 01/21/1900, AR (435) 4. Charles Horace Coleman, b. 02/07/1902, AR (436) 5. Roy Frank Coleman, b. 01/05/1908, Alpeen, AR (437) 6. Clebourne Glenford Coleman, b. 07/10/1910, AR (438) 7. Walsie Maye Coleman, b. 03/09/1915, AR, d. 06/12/1917 an infant (439) 8. Gracie Faye Coleman, b. 01/14/1918, AR (440) 9. Clifford Edward Coleman, b. 03/31/1921, AR, d. 02/07/1943, in WWIICity of Roy's birth reported by Georgeanna Coleman, 2005. In the 1940 U.S. Census of Ward 2, Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, the family was recorded as:
William Coleman 1873 Tennessee Della Coleman 1878 Mississippi Clifford Coleman 1921 Arkansas
(432) William McKinley (Mac) Coleman and (433) Floyd Avery Coleman married two sisters.
(432) William McKinley (Mac) Coleman was born 3 May 1896, AR. Mac married Nola Ann Watt, born 1895, the daughter of Ira Miller Watt and Agnes Sarah Jane Graham. Nola died in 1970. William died 21 Jun 1979.
(432) William McKinley (Mac) Coleman and wife Nola Ann Watt had these children:
(441) 1. Dewey Coleman. b. 1918 Arkansas, (442) 2. Elvira Coleman, b. 1924-5, m. Gene Smith. (443) 3. Emily Coleman, b. 1923-4, m. Cheshur Gilbert Jackson. (444) 4. La Verna Coleman, b. private m. Leon Brown.[1940 U.S. Census, Ward 2, Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas] These children and the children of Floyd Avery Coleman below were double cousins since their fathers were brothers and their mothers were sisters.
(441) Dewey Coleman was born in 1918 and was recorded with wife and child in the 1940 U.S. Census of Ward 2, Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas. His wife's name was Ethel, born 1820 in Kansas, and they had at least one child:
(441) 1. Billie G. Coleman. b. 1940 Kansas,
(433) Floyd Avery Coleman was born 02/09/1898. Avery married Elva Mae Watt in Arkansas in 1918. Elva was born 05/01/1900 in AR, the daughter of Ira Miller Watt and Agnes Sarah Jane Graham. Elva died in May 1980, in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas. Avery died some years later in Wichita, KS.
Elva Mae Watt and Floyd Avery Coleman Wedding Photo, 1918
(433) Floyd Avery Coleman and wife Elva Mae Watt had these children:
(445) 1. Troy Ellsworth Coleman, b. 07/08/1919. (446) 2. Opal May Coleman (Kintzel), b. 09/05/1923. (447) 3. Floyd Wayne Coleman, b. 03/10/1931.In the 1920 U.S. Census, (433) Floyd Avery Coleman and family are found in Sedgwick County, Kansas with son Troy 6 months old. They are found adjacent to the family of his wife's father, Ira Miller Watt. Ira Miller Watt is listed with wife Agnes who, from other sources, is known to be Agnes Sarah Jane Graham. I. M. Watt and Agnes are listed with:
1. Nola, dau. 24 years (Nola Ann Watt, b. 1895) 2. Clyde, son, 22 years (Willie Clyde Watt, b. 1897) 3. Maude, dau. 17 years (Clara Maude Watt, b. 1903) 4. Marie, dau. 14 years (Anna Marie Watt, b. 1905) 5. Medah, dau. 11 years (Medah Alice Watt, b. 1908) 6. Dedah, dau. 9 years (Dedah Ollie Watt, b. 1910) 7. Nina, dau. 6 years (Nina Blanche Watt, b. 1913) In the 1940 U.S. Census of Ward 2, Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, the family was recorded as: Avery Coleman b. 1898 Arkansas Elva Coleman b. 1901 Arkansas Opal Coleman b. 1923 Kansas Floyd Coleman b. 1931 Kansas
Elva Coleman in the store she and Avery owned & operated. Photo taken was before store was remodeled.
The store was known as F. A. Coleman Grocery and was located at 2501 N. Arkansas in Wichita, Kansas.
The store was operated from about 1930 to mid 1950s, having sold a couple of times
to others who would default later on the loan with him. From 1930s to 1949 they
lived in the house adjoining the store. MacKinley and Nola Coleman leased the
store briefly around 1937.
(445) Troy Ellsworth Coleman was born 07/08/1919. Troy married in 1940 to Margie Wilson.
(446) Opal May Coleman was born 09/05/1923. She married in 1941 to Jerome Junior Kintzel, born 12/08/1924.
(447) Floyd Wayne Coleman was born 03/10/1931. He married 09/06/1957, in Wichita, KS, to Nelda Pickett. Floyd died 10/17/2002.
(435) Charles Horace Coleman was born 02/07/1902, in AR. Horace married Carmen P. Bennet. Charles died 10/24/1981.
(435) Charles Horace Coleman and wife Carmen Bennet had these children:
(448) 1. Virgil D. Coleman. b. 1922-3 (449) 2. Velma Dean Coleman. b. 1926-7[Source of birth years: 1940 U.S. Census of Ward 2, Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas]
(435) Charles Horace Coleman was born 02/07/1902 in Arkansas. His family is recorded in the 1940 U.S. Census of Ward 2, Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas. His wife's name was Carmen P, born 1904 in Kansas, and they had at least one child:
(441) 1. Billie G. Coleman. b. 1940 Kansas,
(436) Roy Frank Coleman was born 01/05/1908, in Alpeen, AR. Frank married first Alma Anne Rose on 02/26/1927 in Wichita, Sedgwick County, KS. Alma was born 07/25/1904 in Udall, KS and died 01/08/1934 of tuberculosis at the age of 29 in Wichita. [Georgeanna Coleman, 2005] (436) Roy Frank Coleman married second Stella McIntyre.
(436) Roy Frank Coleman and wife Alma Brewer had one child:
(450) 1. Melvin Coleman. b. 1927, OK; d. 09/08/2009
In the 1940 U.S. Census of Ward 2, Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, the family was recorded as:
Roy Frank Coleman 1908 Arkansas Stella Coleman 1912 Arkansas Melvin Coleman 1928 Kansas
(437) Clebourne Glenford Coleman was born 07/10/1910, in AR. Clebourne was married a total of five times:
Clebourne died of lung cancer in 1989.
(437) Clebourne Glenford Coleman and first wife Irene Brown had one child:
(451) 1. Roy Coleman.
(451) Roy Coleman was raised as Roy Brown by his grandfather, Mr. Brown, after his parents were divorced while he was quite young. Mr. Brown became his legal guardian.
(439) Gracie Faye Coleman was born 01/14/1918. She married Kenneth Cupit.
(426) James Truitt Brown was born 08/19/1859, in Soddy, Hamilton Co., TN. James died 04/05/1932 in Harper Co., OK. James married Sarah Elizabeth Simmons about 1883 in Madison Co. AR.
(426) James and Sarah (Simmons) Brown had five children:
(452) 1. James Walter Brown, born 10/?/1883;
died in Montana.
(453) 2. John A. Brown, born 11/25/1885 in Marble, Madison, AR;
died 14 Apr 1936, in Beaver County, Oklahoma.
(454) 3. William E. Brown, born 12/21/1888 in Marble, Madison, AR;
died 20 Nov 1977 in Stead, Union Co., NM.
(455) 4. Sibyl I. Brown, born 08/04/1890 in Marble, Madison, AR;
died March 1974 in Harper County, Oklahoma.
(456) 5. Margaret Ella Brown, born 02/06/1894.
died 23 May 1926 in Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kansas.
[Smith, Larry, 1999a]
(428) Lewis Madison (Gus) Brown was born 09/04/1862 in Hamilton County, TN. He married Cordelia Caroline Cline on 8 Jan 1885 in Madison County, AR. Cordelia was the daughter of Samuel Cline and Mary McClellan.
(428) Lewis Madison (Gus) Brown and Cordelia Caroline Cline had five children:
(457) 1. Ella E. Brown, b. 01/22/1886 (458) 2. William Riley Brown, b. 09/05/1889, in Rule, Carroll Co., AR (459) 3. Elmer Matt Brown, b. 12/?/1894, in Rule, Carroll Co., AR (460) 4. Samuel Otis Brown, b. 05/20/1899, in Rule, Carroll Co., AR (461) 5. Lillie May Brown, b. ?/?/1891, in Rule, Carroll Co., AR
(457) Ella E. Brown was born 22 Jan 1886. She married John William Walker on 22 Jan 1904. Ella died 13 Aug 1970.
(458) William Riley Brown was born 5 Sep 1889 in Rule, Carroll, AR. He died 16 Apr 1972 in Shattuck, OK.
(458) William Riley Brown married Cora Alice Griffith 7/05/1908 in Carroll County, AR, daughter of Henry Griffith and Mary Ramsey.
(458) William Brown and Cora Griffith had six children:
(462) 1. Orval Dexter Brown, born June 15, 1909 in Rule, Carroll, AR;
died May 04, 1981.
married Jacquelyn McCollom December 31, 1935.
(463) 2. Mary Ilene Brown, born March 03, 1911 in Ivanhoe, Beaver, OK.
married Elby Glen Crites August 09, 1930.
(464) 3. Maybell Cordelia Brown, born October 19, 1912 in Ivanhoe, Beaver, OK.
(465) 4. Noble Lewis Brown, born October 26, 1914 in Ivanhoe, Beaver, OK.
married Madelene Woods.
(466) 5. Wilma Fayrene Brown, born March 07, 1917 in Ivanhoe, Beaver, OK.
married Stephen L. (Pete) Nosler December 27, 1939.
(467) 6. Elvar Jack Brown, born November 04, 1918 in Beaver County, OK;
died December 27, 1944 in Belgium.
married Lillian Chambers January 29, 1942.
(459) Elmer Matt Brown was born December 1894 in Rule, Carroll, AR. He married Elva Ann Shearer.
(460) Samuel Otis Brown was born 20 May 1899 in Rule, Carroll, AR. He married Zelma G. Frazier on 20 May 1922. He died 12 Jul 1987.
(461)Lillie May Brown was born 1891 in Rule, AR. He died in 1891 in Rule, Carrol Co., AR.
(455) Sibyl I. Brown, daughter of James Truitt Brown, was born 04 Aug 1890 in the town of Marble, in Madison County, AR. She married Victor T. Bergman. She died in March 1974 in Harper County, OK.
(455) Sibyl Brown and Victor Bergman had one child:
(468) 1. Dillard Bergman, b. c1914 in Harper County, OK
(456) Margaret Ella Brown, daughter of James Truitt Brown, was born 06 Feb 1894 in Marble, Madison County, AR. She married Frank Ellsworth Moyer May 12, 1912 in Madison, Beaver Co., OK. Frank was the son of John Myer and Ettie Keplinger. She died May 23, 1926 in Wichita,Sedgewick, KS.
(456) Margaret Brown and Frank Moyer had three children:
(469) 1. Mildred Viola Moyer, born March 30, 1913 in Gate, Beaver, OK.
(470) 2. Etta May Moyer, born January 13, 1915 in Beaver County, Oklahoma;
died December 31, 1993 in Amarillo, Texas.
(471) 3. Edna Pearl Moyer, born May 13, 1917 in Beaver County, Oklahoma;
died November 04, 1922 in Liberal, Seward, Kansas.
(469) Mildred Viola Moyer was born March 30, 1913 in Gate, Beaver, OK. She married Wilbert Holley Smith on November 28, 1930 in Guymon, Texas, OK, son of William Smith and Beulah Holley.
(469) Mildred Moyer and Wilbert Smith had two children:
(472) 1. Larry Lee6 Smith, born December 28, 1932 in Liberal, Seward, KS. (473) 2. Norma Carolyn Smith, born October 29, 1938 in Kingsville, Kleburg, TX.
(470) Etta May Moyer was born January 13, 1915 in Beaver County, Oklahoma, and died December 31, 1993 in Amarillo, Texas. She married Unknown Cummings.
(470) Etta Moyer and Mr. Cummings had one child:
(474) 1. Barbara Ann6 Moyer, born June 13, 1937 in Liberal, Seward Co., KS;
died February 1990 in Amarillo, TX.
(464) Maybell Cordelia Brown (William Riley4, Lewis Madison3, Rachel M.2 Coleman, Charles1) was born October 19, 1912 in Ivanhoe, Beaver, OK. She married Ellsworth Hall (Jack) Nosler July 05, 1938.
August 05, 2009
Previous | Contents |
Next | References | Site Map | Site Index | Site Map