Coosa County AlArchives Biographies.....Nolen, R. S. August 27 1837 - living in 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 17, 2004, 3:57 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
   R. S. NOLEN, planter of Nixburgh, Ala., is a son of Abner and Vesta (Sellers)
Nolen. The Nolen family is of Irish extraction and came to this country long
before the Revolutionary war, settling first in Virginia and moving thence to
the Carolinas. William Nolen, father of Abner Nolen, moved with his family to
Newton county, Ga., where Abner grew to manhood and married, He was born in 1812
in Barnwell district, S. C. He was married in 1832 and moved to Butts county and
thence to Coosa county in 1849. He settled near where R. S. Nolen now lives. He
died in 1863 and his widow died in 1886. He was a farmer by occupation and a
stock raiser, a whig in politics, and a Methodist in religion. He was an
energetic and thrifty man and a good liver. He reared a family of six children,
four of whom are living, viz.: Parson W. J., of Tallapoosa county; R. S.; Mary,
widow of D. A. Huff, living near R. S.; A. A., of Ty Ty, Worth county, Ga. R. S.
Nolen was born August 27, 1837, in Newton county, Ga. He removed to Alabama with
the family in 1849. He was married November 10, 1857, to Mary E. Spears, a
member of an old Alabama family. She was born and reared in the vicinity of her
present home, and reared a family of six sons and two daughters, viz.: A. J., a
physician of New Site, Ala.; W. B., a lawyer at Clanton, Ala.; E. T., wife of
Dr. S. W. Owens, of Bluff Springs, Clay county; Victoria, wife of Charlie Jones.
a farmer living near Nixburgh; R. S., Jr., a physician at Equality, Ala.; I. D.,
a physician at New Site; Wilson and Murphy at home. R. S. Nolen began life
without property. His father wanted him to become a physician, to which he
objected, and his father cut him off. He preferred farming and has been a farmer
all his life. When the war came on he enlisted in company B, Hilliard's legion,
and went into the field, but losing his health he furnished a substitute. It was
thought for a time that he would die of consumption but he at length recovered.
From a boy he has been an independent thinker and has taken great interest in
politics. He was a whig up to the war and since then has been a democrat. He was
justice of the peace of his beat for ten years. He was nominated by the
democratic party in 1880 for the legislature and elected, serving in 1880-81. He
was again elected in 1890, and served another term. In the year 1892 he was
nominated for the legislature by the Kolb faction, or Jeffersonian democracy,
and after a bitter campaign was elected over his opponent by over two to one. It
will be seen from this that Mr. Nolen is a Jeffersonian democrat. He is a royal
arch Mason, and Las served as king. He owns a plantation of one thousand acres
of land. He is a self made practical man and is very popular in the county. The
Alliance Herald, published at Montgomery, Ala., in its issue of November 24,
1892, commenting on the members of the general assembly has the following to say
of Mr. Nolen: "Hon. R. S. Nolen, of Coosa, is not to be termed aged, but he is a
gentleman of mature years and mature judgment. He is up to snuff, to use a slang
phrase, and also up for Coosa on demand of any of her interests. His
watchfulness and quick perception keep him closely engaged in seeing and hearing
every thing said or done, and it is about as difficult to detract his attention,
when the house is in session, as it is for a new member to-catch the eye of the
speaker. He is ready in debate and his practical way of dealing with any subject
under discussion, as well as the sound sense he displays, always command
attention."



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 736-737



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