My Genealogy Hound

W. H. Coleman, retired farmer of California, Mo., was born in Fairfax County, Va., near Mt. Vernon (the homestead of Gen. Washington), February 14, 1822, and is a son of Dr. Samuel and Sarah (Gunnell) Coleman, who were also born in Fairfax County, and were of English descent. His great-great-grandfather was born in England, and with two brothers immigrated to America about the year 1740, and located in Fairfax County, Va.; and his great-grandfather was a colonel in Washington’s army during the Revolutionary War, and on his farm (which is still is possession of the Coleman family) is a rock scooped out where Washington used to feed his horse, while in camp nearby. Eliza, widow of James Coleman, deceased, now owns and lives on this farm. John, who was the paternal grandfather of our subject, was born on this farm and died there fifteen miles from Washington City, in the year 1815. He had two sons in the War of 1812. The father of W. H. was a graduate of the Medical University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, and practiced his profession for many years in Virginia. While serving in the War of 1812 he was in the battle of Bladensburg, Md., and was present at the burning of the capitol at Washington, D. C., in August, 1814. In 1843 he, with his family, immigrated to Missouri, and located at Pilot Grove, where he purchased property and resided until his death in 1848, being engaged in practicing his profession and farming. He also owned many slaves. To him and wife, who died in 1868; ten children were born, only three of whom are living at the present time: William H., James S. and Mrs. Adeline French. William H. Coleman was reared on a farm in Fairfax County, Va., and in 1848 purchased a farm in Cooper County, Mo., and was an extensive owner of slaves until the late war, when they were emancipated. He then moved back to Virginia, but five years later returned to Missouri, and in 1875 came to Moniteau County and located in California, where he has since spent rather a retired life. He has been married twice, first in 1845 to Sarah G. Lewis, who died in 1863, and next to Gertrude Gunnell, in 1875. She was born also in Fairfax County, Va., and is a member of the Presbyterian Church at this time.