My Genealogy Hound

William Coleman was born in 1835 in Franklin County, Ohio. His parents were John A. and Maria Coleman, natives of near Hamburg, Germany, where the former was a brewer by occupation, and served three years as a soldier. In 1833 they immigrated to America with their family, landing in New York City and making their way through Pennsylvania to Columbus, Ohio, where they remained about one year, and thence to Union City, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying in 1878, at the age of eighty-six years, and the mother in 1884, aged eighty-three; both were members of the Lutheran Church. They had sixteen children, all but three of whom were born in Germany, where four died. Seven are now living, viz.: Barbara, Margaret, Susan, Little Barbara, William, Rosena and Leonard. William Coleman lived with his parents until thirteen years old, when he went to Bloomington, Ill., where he worked for his board and went to school three months. Leaving Bloomington, he went to Kansas the following spring and worked on a farm until fall, and during winter attended school in Kansas City. He then worked as a deck-hand on the Missouri River until August of the same year, when he was hired to drive the government team to Fort Union, New Mexico, remaining in the employ of the government seven years. In 1860 he returned to Kansas City, engaged in farming one year, and in 1861 enlisted in the Confederate army, serving four years and four months. He participated in the battles of Wilson’s Creek, Lexington, and Corinth, Miss., and several minor engagements, and was with Price on his raid through Missouri. He was thrice wounded, and was taken prisoner near Vicksburg, sent to Alton, Ill., where he was held three months, and then discharged, after which he returned to his company and remained until the close of the war. In 1864 he went to Mexico with Gen. Shelby, and from there returned to Fort Union, New Mexico, where he worked for the government one year. In the winter of 1866 he returned to Kansas City, Mo., where he remained until 1868, and the following year was employed on the railroad at Jefferson City. The next three years he worked on a farm near Sandy Hook, Moniteau County, and in 1871 went to Nevada City, Mo., and worked on the railroad until December of the same year. He then went to Ozark, Ark., and thence to Little Rock, working on the Cairo & Fulton Railroad three years, during which, time he lost over $4,000 by the failure of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad. From Arkansas Mr. Coleman returned to Missouri in 1875, locating near Sandy Hook, Moniteau County, where he now lives on a farm. March 8, 1877, he married Sarah E. Adams, who was born in Boone County, Mo., in March, 1858, and is a daughter of Francis M. and Sophia (Scott) Adams. Four children have blessed this union, viz.: John (deceased), Fordyce, Nero and Maude. They also have an adopted child, George S. Mr. and Mrs. Coleman are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Jamestown.