Albert Bonnoa Coleman (1859 - 1921)

Born 4 Aug 1859 in Perry Co., TN

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Emeline Hunt — married 23 Feb 1882 in Perry County, Tennessee - USA

Husband of Irene (Brady) Coleman — married 12 Aug 1888 in La Jara, Conejos, Colorado, United States

Descendants

Died 21 Mar 1921 at age 61 in Manassa Conejos County Colorado, USA

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Biography

'The Sparks Quarterly has his death on March 23, 1921. He and wife, Martha moved from Tennessee to Colorado with the Mormons. They never returned to Tennessee. They had two children, Albert Jr., and Mildred. After Martha died, he married Irena and had one daughter, Ethel. She and her husband, Herber Boice visited her Coleman relatives in 1948 and 1954. Ethel and Herber, Mormons, lived in California. By Ruth Ward - Perry County Families. '

• Albert was not a pioneer, but never-the-less he was a pioneer. Albert Bonnoa Coleman was born August 4, 1859 in Perry County, Tennessee to James Sparks and Margaret Angeline Stanley Coleman. He lived in Perry County until his marriage in March 1883 to Martha Emeline Hunt, daughter of Jole and Matilda Emeline Moore. Shortly after their marriage they came west with Martha’s family and their friends. They settled in the south central part of Colorado, in the beautiful, broad, San Luis valley. Their first home was in the sparsely settled farming settlement of Richfield and shortly thereafter they moved west to what was known as the Morgan District, named after for John Morgan who had led many LDS converts from the south.

In this new untamed land in the wilderness among the strangers who might be neighbors, Albert his wife, loved ones and friends were called to pass through to some sad and trying experiences. When Albert’s and Martha’s first and only child was born 2 March 1884, Martha gave her life the same day due to complications of childbirth. Martha’s sister Mary Kelly became the foster mother for little Ed [Edwin Oscar Coleman].

Lonely and unsettled with his companion gone, Albert gave way to the persuasion of some new acquaintances and fixed up a rambling try to hunt for a better country. In September 1885 they left the San Luis Valley, journeyed by team wagon and horseback into Gila River Country a new country then being colonized. He visited other sections of Arizona and New Mexico but finding nothing that suited him better than the San Luis Valley in Colorado, he returned there in September 1886 to the home of Mary Kelly and his little son and relatives and friends. (from unpublished manuscript by G. Wayne Rogers.)

In the summer of 1888 Albert married Arena Brady daughter of Christopher Columbus and Nancy [Brady] a southern convert family from Mississippi. From this there were four births: James Albert, Dora V., Joseph and Irene Ethel. The former three all died in infancy.

Again grief and sadness came to Albert, for Arena died 18 May 1894, when Irene Ethel was born. [note: This is not correct. Arena died following the birth of Joseph, the fourth of the children] Irene Ethel became the foster child of her grandmother Nancy R. Brady.

Albert decided to make the town of Manassa in the San Luis Valley his home. He became foreman for Albert R. Smith, laboring and managing the Smith’s immense farming operation for many years.

He was also duly elected to the Manassa town board of trustees which position he also held for many years.

His promptness to duty, his wise and careful council did much to do with making and stabilizing the early town government of Manassa.

On 12 July 1902 Albert married a third time. This time is was a widow named Minerva J McCarroll, who had an adopted son named Harry who Albert helped raise to manhood.

Albert spent his remaining days in Manassa where [he] was well liked and regarded highly as being faithful to his family, his friends, his church and his community.

Albert Bonnoa Coleman died March 23, 1921.

His two children Edwin Oscar and Irene Ethel have given him a large prosperity. Edwin Oscar married Ruth Ada Coombs daughter of Ephraim and Ruth Shawcroft Coombs. Irene Ethel married Heber Jedediah Boice, son of Shade and Viola Bell Hawkins Boice. Both Edwin Oscar and Irene Ethel had five children.

(from WAYNE ROGERS unpublished manuscript, sub by Isabelle Jackson Coleman)

Sources

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=39766204

2.4 1860 Perry County Census https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB7-X2H?mode=g&i=65&cc=1473181

2.4 1870 Perry County Tennessee, Census https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D1V7-Z23?mode=g&i=2&cc=1438024

2.4 1880 Perry County Tennessee https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBD-TB?mode=g&i=12&cc=1417683

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39766204/albert-bonnoa-coleman