Georgia: Coweta County: Biography of M. N. COLLEY ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Nel Rocklein TAROCKLEIN@aol.com ==================================================================== M. N. COLLEY, a well-known farmer of Coweta county is one of the old pioneer stock of Georgia, to whose courage and hardihood the present generation is so largely indebted. His grandfather, James Colley, a Virginian, having served during the war of the revolution, came to Georgia and settled in Oglethorpe county some years prior to 1798, when his son James was born. The latter, though but a youth, served with Gen. Jackson in the war of 1812. He married Miss Martha King, whose parents, Bennett and Mary (McCaun) King, were also among the early settlers of the state, and suffered all the hardships attendant upon a pioneer life. After their marriage they moved to Columbia county, where they began to clear up a farm, but Mr. Colley died very shortly afterward, leaving this work uncompleted. His little son, M. N. Colley, born in Wilkes county, Ga., Feb. 13, 1825, was little more than four years old at the death of his father. He necessarily was deprived of many educational opportunities, spending his boyhood upon this farm. He married in 1860 Miss Jane Garrett, daughter of James Garrett. To them one son was born, James W. Mrs. Colley was born in Newton county, Ga., in 1838, and died in 1885. She was a faithful and honored member of the Baptist church. In 1863 Mr. Colley enlisted under Capt. Burris, of Columbus, in Company I, Fifth Georgia regiment, and served to the close of the war. He was in several severe battles, Tannis ferry, Lookout mountain, Missionary ridge. In 1864 he was captured at Pocotalago, near Charleston. After the war was ended he returned to Georgia and began farming in Coweta county. He bought a part of the old farm, and by his diligence and prudence was able gradually to add to it, and now owns a fine farm of over a thousand acres of good land, and is thoroughly liked and esteemed by all who know him, being one of Coweta's best and oldest citizens. Transcribed from MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA published by the Southern Historical Association, 1895.