William Allen Coalson (1823 - 1888)

Born 8 Sep 1823 in Sumter, Georgia, United States

Husband of Harriet Eady — married 26 Dec 1842 in Wilkinson, Georgia, United States

Descendants

Died 18 Jun 1888 at age 64 in Haralson, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Reverend William Allen Coalson was born on 8 Sep 1823 on Creek Indian lands that later became Sumter, Georgia. He passed away on 18 Jun 1888 in Haralson, Georgia. William was the founding Pastor of Holly Springs Baptist Church in Paulding Co., Georgia.

Obituary

COALSON -- Elder Wm. Coalson died June 18, 1888. Many hearts were made sad by the death of this father in Israel. He had been afflicted with heart disease for several years. Like Moses of old, he died without one eye beholding his falling asleep, but God's. In the evening of the 18th of June, he walked across his farm into the woods beyond, and there, as we believe, he fell asleep in Jesus. Night came on, and he did not return; a search was instituted, but not until midnight was his body found. While there was no earthly friend near in his last moments, that Friend that sticketh closer than a brother was with him, making the cold earth upon which he fell, "feel soft as downy pillows are."

Bro. Coalson was born in Sumter County, GA, Sept. 8th, 1823. He was married Dec. 26th, 1842, to Harriet Eady, who is left to mourn his loss. She has been a helpmeet to him indeed, in his ministerial work. Fourteen children were born unto them, five of which have preceded their father to the better land. Our brother lived to see all his children, except one, members of Baptist churches, and he was permitted, a few months ago, to assist in the ordination of one of his sons, Bro. A.J. Coalson. The heart of the father rejoiced to know that his mantle had fallen upon his youngest son. May God make him as strong in the defense of the gospel as his father was.

Bro. Coalson obtained a hope in Christ and joined Corinth Baptist Church, Sumter County, GA, in 1843. He was soon ordained as deacon, served in this capacity for several years. He then exercised his gifts under a license for some time. In the meantime, he removed to Carroll County, GA, where he was ordained to the gospel ministry, April 7th, 1860, Elders Burke, Shoss(?) and Harris presbytery. He rendered pastoral service to churches in Carroll, Paulding, Polk and Haralson counties. He was instrumental in constituting many of the churches in these counties. Holly Springs church in Paulding County, which numbers over two hundred at present, was constituted in his house some twenty years ago. His remains now rest near this spot.

He served as moderator of the Tallapoosa Association 12 years in succession. Five years ago he was appointed by the State Board to travel as a missionary in the bounds of the Tallapoosa Association, which work he was engaged in at the time of his death. Let us bow in submission to God's will; our loss is Bro. C. eternal gain. A.J.Morgan^[1]

Marriage

William married Harriet Eady in Wilkinson, Georgia on December 26, 1842 in the home of Henry and Nancy Davis.^[2][3]

Children

William and Harriet had at least 11 children, as recorded in the Coalson Family Bible:^[4]

1. Maryann E. Coalson was born November 4th 1843
2. William A. Coalson was born February 11th 1845
3. James J. Coalson was born January 5th 1847
4. Harriet M Coalson was born February 25th 1849
5. Thomas M. Coalson was born March 20th 1850
6. Andrew F. Coalson was born February 4th 1852
7. Adoniram J. Coalson was born January 16th 1854
8. Samuel N. Coalson was born February 5th 1856
9. Martha E. Coalson was born May 18th 1859
10. Abram J. Coalson was born Feb. 14th 1865
11. Hadassah J. Coalson was born December 2nd 1868

Census Records

William Coalson purchased land in Carroll county in 1848. Harriet's brother, Allen Eady, also owned land in Carroll county.

• 1850: Carroll, Georgia^[5]

• 1860: 1207th District, Paulding, Georgia^[6]

• 1870: District 1077, Haralson, Georgia^[7]

• 1880: Nineteenth, Paulding, Georgia, United States^[8]

Holly Springs Baptist Church

Sometime between 1850 and 1860, William purchased a large tract of land in Paulding County. Holly Springs Baptist Church was constituted in his home in 1858, and he was the first pastor.^[9]

Death Notices

• June 22, 1888, The Carroll free press. (Carrollton, Ga.) 1883-1948, Image 3:^[10]

The Rev. Wm. Colson, who lives in Paulding county, near Emory's cross roads, was found in the woods near his home Monday night dead. He left home Monday afternoon to go to Emory's Post office. A rain came up at 5 o'clock and he not returning his family instituted a search for him and finally found his body in a piece of woods not far from home. He was found lying on his face, his gun which he had with him, some eight or ten feet from his body. His death was caused, it is thought, by heart disease. Mr. C. was a Baptist minister and once a citizen of this county and is known to a great many of our citizens.

• June 26, 1888, The morning news. [volume], Page 6, Image 6:^[11]

Haralson County Banner: Rev. William Colson, living near Draketown, was found dead in the woods near his home Monday. He informed his family that he was going hunting, and was gone several hours before he was found. He had only gone a few hundred yards from the house. There were no marks of violence upon his body, and nothing to indicate foul play. His gun was lying by his side. The coroner's jury held an inquest and, after investigation, decided that death resulted from heart disease.

Burial

William was buried in the Ezzell and Garner Cemetery in Haralson, Georgia.^[12]

Research Notes

• Was his mother Margaret Davis or Anna Yearty? William Allen Coalson was born 8 September 1823. Support for Margaret Davis: 1) Margaret's father, Henry Davis, performed William and Harriet's marriage ceremony. Support for Anna Yearty: 1) William's father, Abraham Coalson, married Anna Yearty on February 13, 1823. Either she was pregnant with William, OR Abraham remarried when Margaret was pregnant. 2) William appears to be living in his father's household, according to Abraham's 1830 and 1840 census. Note: For 1830, he fits with a birth year of 1824. 1824 was used on William's 1870 census.

Sources

1. ↑ The Christian Index: Thursday, July 5, 1888
2. ↑ William Coalson and Harriet Eady, Family Reunion Article, https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/29552777/person/13247646730/media/83350dab-5c53-4d07-9308-2c55c52595f6?_phsrc=Xau300&usePUBJs=true
3. ↑ Georgia, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1754-1850, https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2085&h=83455&tid=&pid=&queryId=a4555de3ab0de9e700b70e9ea83f412f&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Xau211&_phstart=successSource
4. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/2ZVP-N64
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZYN-1YT : 20 December 2020), Wm Coalson, Carroll, Georgia, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZMP-3KY : 18 February 2021), Wm Colston, 1860.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC3W-B6C : 28 May 2021), William Colston, 1870.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8G2-54H : 19 February 2021), William Colston, Nineteenth, Paulding, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 158, sheet 427A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,160.
9. ↑ William Coalson and Harriet Eady, Family Reunion Article, https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/29552777/person/13247646730/media/83350dab-5c53-4d07-9308-2c55c52595f6?_phsrc=Xau300&usePUBJs=true
10. ↑ https://gahistoricnewspapers-files.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053126/1888-06-22/ed-1/seq-3.pdf
11. ↑ https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/data/batches/gu_bobbsey_ver02/data/sn86063034/00414181971/1888062601/0942.pdf
12. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2Q-P832 : 7 August 2020), William Coalson, ; Burial, , Haralson, Georgia, United States of America, Ezzell and Garner Cemetery; citing record ID 61258682, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• Rev. William Coalson, Re-elected Moderator of the Tallapoosa Association, September 29, 1881, (Atlanta, Ga.) 1881-1892, September 29, 1881, Page 2, Image 2, https://gahistoricnewspapers-files.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/2001233949/1881-09-29/ed-1/seq-2.pdf