Taylor COUNTY GA Coulter, William M and Martha Davis File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Ruth Bentley http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/taylor/bios/coulterw.txt WILLIAM M. AND MARTHA DAVIS COULTER The Coulter Family followed a path similar to that of many other Russell County families moving over several generations from Virginia and the Carolinas through Georgia and finally into Alabama. Most of the Coulters in the Chattahoochee Valley descend from Sarah (abt. 1791-bet.1860-70) and Moses F. (bef. 1780-bet. 1830-40) Coulter who obtained land in Morgan County GA in the 1820 Land Lottery and later lived in Butts, Pike and Monroe Counties before the widow Sarah moved to Taylor County to be with her sons. They are known to have had six sons and three daughters of whom at least four sons and one daughter lived to adulthood. The daughter reportedly married a Nichols and moved to Florida. One son, John Edward Coulter (1822-1865), married Rachel William Mitchell, lived in Taylor Co. at the time of his death in the Civil War, and had children Julia Ann who married Stephen Rogers, William Newton whose wife was Rachel, John Wiley who married Nancy Lou Jones, and Martha. Some of his descendants now lived in Russell County. Three of the sons moved to the Columbus-Phenix City area in the 1850s and for many years they and their sons had grocery and butcher shops in Girard and Browneville. Wiley Harrison Coulter (1827-1901) married Martha Teresa Elizabeth Whittington and had children James Madison, William Edward Marion who married Pennie Jones, Sarah Jane Elizabeth, Martha Ann, Isabella who married Bolden Nelson, Lilly Ann who married a Buchanan and a Gilbert, Wiley Josiah who married Fannie Geneva Estes, Allen Finnasee Jackson who married Mae Lou Coulter, John Kimball whose wife was Beulah, Harrison Thomas who married Vera Armstrong, and Sylvester. Levi (~1820-~1875) and Elizabeth Coulter moved to Girard in 1853 and he opened a butcher shop. They had children Sarah C., William Henry Harrison who married Louisa Holton Ford, Narcissus who married H.A. Carmack, Susan who married Thomas Sanders, Nanafas, and Pierce whose wives were Louisa and Susan. Our forebear, William M. Coulter, the eldest son of Moses and Sarah, was born in 1812 and died in Columbus in 1858. On June 9, 1833 in Butts County GA, he married Martha W. Davis, born in 1816 the daughter of Crispin Davis Sr. They lived in Butts, Pike and Monroe Counties before moving to the bi-city area from near Griffin, Spaulding Co., GA. William farmed and worked as a butcher. According to family stories, they also went West to Arkansas and Texas for a short time but did not find it to their liking and soon returned. He and Martha had four sons and three daughters. Elizabeth (1848-1921) married Elijah Franklin Posey who died at Manasas while serving in Co. G, 59th Reg. Of Georgia Volunteeers. They had one son, John Rufus Posey (1862-1920) who married (1) Lilly Sears and (2) Sallie Fannie Johnson. For many years she lived on 15th Street just off Broad and brought up two of her grandchildren, Alma and Marshall Durwood Posey. John Rufus Posey also had seven more children by his second marriage. Of the other daughters of William and Martha, Almay (b. 1843) and Sarah J. (b. 1851), we have little information. Benjamin Marion Coulter (1835-bet. 1895-1900), the second son of William and Martha, married (1) Louisa Watkins and they had seven children: William M. (1866-1884), Benjamin M. Jr. (1868-1894) who married Georgia Virginia Redden and had 7 children, Rosa Elizabeth (1872-1948) who married Robert Russell Smith Coulter and had 4 children; Josephine (1875-?) who married Joseph Hughes McCann and had 3 daughters, Joseph Thomas (1877-1959) who married Era Williams and had 7 children, George Washington (1879-1938) who married (1) Anna Belle Lankford and (2) Melissa Hesterly and had 3 children, and Mettie Amberline (1882-1954) who married (1) General L. Reynolds and (2) Alton Hopkins and had 4 children. After returning from service in the Civil War, Ben lived in Butler GA and River View AL where he farmed and worked in the textile industry. Reuben Martin Van Buren Coulter (1844-1915) married Nancy A. Goodale and had 8 children: Augustus Eugene (1887-?) whose wife was May, twins Leler Estell and Lular Elizabeth who died in infancy, Oscar Franklin (1884-?) who married Mamie Barbee and had 3 children, Robert Russell Smith (1868-1940) who married Rosa Elizabeth Coulter and had 4 children, Reuben Martin Van Buren Jr. (1877-?) whose wife was Ola and had one son, Theodosia Gertrude (1874-1943) who married William Robert McCann and had 6 children, and Walter Calvin who died in infancy. Van and Nancy settled in Columbus and he worked in the textile industry for many years. Thomas L. Coulter (1836-1885) married Georgia Ann Ford and settled in what was then Browneville while operating a butcher shop in Girard. For their descendants, see the article on Georgia Ann Ford and Thomas L. Coulter elsewhere in this volume. The Civil War years were particularly hard on the aging Martha since she had been left a widow in 1858. All four of her sons served with Confederate forces in the Civil War and saw much action. She lost her eldest son and her daughter Lizzie was left a young widow with a baby. The two older sons, Russell and Benjamin enlisted in Company E, 12th Regiment of Ga. Volunteer Infantry. Russell Smith Coulter, the eldest of William and Martha's sons (b. 1834) was killed at Gettysburg July 7, 1863. Van was in Baker's Company of the Ga. Artillery. Thomas enlisted in Co. H of the 3rd Ga. Battalion of Infantry which lost so many men it was reorganized as Co. K, 37th Regiment of Ga. Volunteers, Infantry. Martha passed away December 1, 1873. -------------------------------------------- THE GEORGIA ANN FORD AND THOMAS L. COULTER FAMILY Thomas L. Coulter was born November 19, 1836 to Martha Davis and William M. Coulter (see article elsewhere in this volume) and grew up in Pike, Monroe and Taylor Counties GA. In the mid-1850s he moved to the Columbus-Girard area with his family. At the outbreak of the Civil War, young Tom enlisted in Co. H, 3rd Ga. Battalion of Infantry for three years or the war. "This company was reduced to a very few men several times as the result of the many severe battles in which it was engaged. It was reorganized as Co. K, 37th Regiment of Ga. Volunteers, Infantry. It was in all the principal battles and engagements in the Western army under Bragg, Kirby, Smith, Gen. Joe Johnson and Hood. The records of the company were destroyed but surviving members collected the names and information on as many of their comrades as possible" and published it in an 1873 Columbus City Directory, from which the above is quoted. Thomas was proud of his military service and carefully preserved his uniform. Not long after his return from the war, Thomas married Georgia Ann Ford on November 18, 1866 in Butler, Taylor County, GA. Georgia Ann was born June 11, 1848, the oldest daughter of Barbara Ann Gibson and Elie Ford. She, too, remembered well the war years and often told of how she hid from fear when Union soldiers came to their home. She soon found out that they, too, were just young men doing their duty as they saw it and became friends with one who gave her a parasol. Thomas, like his father and others in the family, became a butcher and grocer. He was in business primarily with his first cousin William Henry Harrison Coulter in Girard near the end of the 14th Street bridge. Henry happened to be married to Louisa Holton Ford, one of Georgia's younger sisters. Henry and Lou lived across the street from Tom and Georgia on 8th Street in Browneville, now 20th Street in Phenix City. As a butcher's wife Georgia learned to prepare well every cut of meat, often preferring to use those cuts which did not sell well, such as hearts, kidneys and blood sausage. On April 24, 1885, Thomas L. Coulter died rather suddenly, leaving Georgia with five children ranging in age from fourteen to less than one year. Life was not easy for Georgia even though she was a strong woman who managed through hard work and thrift. Her grandson Charles remembered her as a loving, easy-going woman who liked a good joke. If he misbehaved she would thump him on the head with her thimble which he said she always seemed to be wearing. She had a game table with a checkerboard inlaid on it and was always ready to play. Checkers and dominoes are still favorite games among her descendants. Charles said she was never idle and didn't like to see other people idle. She would often tell him to go get some stovewood for her while he was resting. Georgia Ann Coulter died May 29, 1926 and both she and Thomas are buried at Linwood Cemetery. Georgia Ann Ford and Thomas L. Coulter had three sons and one daughter. Thomas Henry Coulter (1871-1963) married Lucy Ray and had four children: Ethel (1896-1984) who married Paul Stanford and had one daughter; Margaret Leona "Maggie" (1898-1969) who married (1) Edgar Scott and (2) Irving Calvert Jones and had four children; Lester Edwin (1900-1985) who married Naomi Nelson and had no children; and Chester who died in infancy. In the early 1900s Tom was City Clerk, Treasurer and Jailer for the City of Pheonix when the city hall was behind Trinity Methodist Church. Later he worked for the Columbus Ledger and as a salesman. He was a member of the Administrative Board of Trinity United Methodist Church for more than 50 years. John L. Coulter (1874-1923) married Minnie Hargett and had one son and two daughters: Musette who married Jesse Greene and Myrtle who married H.G. Parrish. John worked in the textile industry and lived in Barnesville GA. Rufus Edward Coulter (1879-?) married Zada Aldridge, had no children, worked in the textile industry and lived in Girard. Louie Mozart (1882-1973) married Eddie Lou Roberts and had five children. See article on this family elsewhere in this volume. Barbara Anne Coulter (1884-1965) married Rev. Arthur Clayton and had eight children: Arthur Ulmont whose wife was Jimmie; Edgar Warren who married (1) Montez Walker and (2) Ann Rogers; Mattye who married James Adley Geiger; Myrtle who married (1) Ernest Bush Sr. and (2) Woodrow Davis; Lily Belle who married (1) Frederick Theophilus Garrett Sr. and (2) Col. Durie; Clara Lee who married Chester Claude Murray Sr.; Thomas Curtis who married Mattie Vaudell Brown; and Edna Eileen who died in infancy. Annie was a loving mother, grandmother and wife who knew how to cope with whatever happened. Life was never dull—or quiet—in the Clayton household since Rev. Clayton, a Methodist minister, specialized in organizing "singing schools" and establishing music programs in churches. Among their descendants are many professional and amateur musicians. -------------------------------------------- My relationship is that I am the great-granddaughter of Georgia Ann Ford and Thomas L. Coulter. As you see indeed Van, Russell, Ben and Thomas were all sons of William M. Coulter but not the one buried at Mt. Olive. I am not certain off-hand who that on is but I suspect it to be a grandson of John Ed the brother of our William M. If you'll note the dates would be about right for that generation. The name was variously spelled Colter, Coalter and Coulter. We do not know where Sarah, mother of William M., Levi, Wiley Harrison, etc. is buried but it appears that she may have died while living in Taylor County with John Ed and Rachel. One of Levi Coulter's sons, William Henry Harrison, served in Co. K of the 46th Ga. Inf., was captured June 1864 at Kennesaw Mtn., prisoner at Greensboro NC and paroled May 1 1865. He was erroneously listed as a deserter when it was not known that he had been captured. He also moved to Girard (Phenix City) and was married to Louisa Ford (sister of Thomas L.'s wife Georgia Ann Ford). Another sister of theirs (Laura) married Charley McCardle and they had the grist mill at Eelbeck (now part of Ft. Benning) which eventually moved to Columbus to be the Eelbeck Milling Company. The father of the three Ford girls mentioned was Elie Ford who had also lived in Taylor County I believe, but am not certain. Here's the write-up about him: THE ELIE FORD FAMILY Elie Ford was born January 1, 1817, died February 8, 1897, and is buried at Linwood Cemetery. As a youngster he was orphaned and sent to live with relatives in Georgia and to work on their plantation. He married Nancy Pollard in Upson County GA on September 18, 1838, but Nancy died very soon thereafter. He then married Barbara Ann Gibson on April 8, 1841 in Upson County and they had five daughters. After Barbara's death, he married Nancy Jane Copeland and they had six children. In the late 1850s Elie moved, along with Coulters and Copelands, from Taylor County GA to the Columbus-Girard-Browneville area. By all accounts Elie was an imposing figure, unusually large and strong in statue with thick, brown, curly hair, brown eyes and a thick beard. He was first a farmer and later became a machinist at the Eagle and Phenix Mills. While reportedly he was a fine family man, one granddaughter remembered him as stern and gruff. Having reared nine daughters, he probably was not one to put up with much nonsense from little girls in his old age! His grandson Louie Coulter remembered him as a man of patience sitting quietly for hours as he taught him to fish. Although old by standards of that day, Elie served in Co. A, 1st Georgia Regiment Light Duty Men. According to family lore, Union troops stayed in his house which was on the hill overlooking the 14th Street bridge at the time of the Battle of Girard. After the deaths of Nancy and Elie and the death of their brother Daniel, Elie's three younger daughters moved to Florida, all eventually settling in the Boynton Beach area. Children of Barbara Ann Gibson and Elie Ford were: (1) Mary Jane Ford (1843-1914), affectionately known as "Aunt Puss" because she was afraid of cats, who was a seamstress, never married, and lived near her sisters Georgia and Louisa. (2) Georgia Ann Ford (1848-1926) who married Thomas L. Coulter (see article elsewhere in this volume for details on this family). (3) Martha Ann Ford (1850-?) who married L.W. Edwards and lived in Phenix City. (4) Louisa Holton Ford (1853-1913) who married William Henry Harrison Coulter and had five children: Melvina who married Wesley Griggs, Esther who married W.H. Gibson, Mineola who married Martin Z. Gentry, Sadie Mexie who married William W. Hill, and Edna who married Arch Lee Tillery. (5) Laura (1856-1935) who married (1) a Mehaffey and had one son Cliff and married (2) Charlie McCardle and had one son, Elmer. Her family operated the Eelbeck Mills. Children of Nancy Jane Copeland and Elie Ford who survived to adulthood were: (1) Abby Sophronia Ford, who was always called Jessie, married Wilbur Leroy Forrey and had no children. (2) Daniel Ford (1863-1904) was confined to a wheelchair from childhood but was well educated at home by private tutors, later served as a tutor himself and Justice of the Peace in Browneville. He never married. (3) Barbara Ann Ford (1869-1939), called Annie, married David Daniel Lee, had no children, and operated a popular Victorian inn called Lee House in Boynton Beach FL. (4) Catherine Missouri Ford (1879-1934), called Kate, married Abel Augustus Rousseau, lived in Boynton Beach FL and had seven children: Callie Mae who married William Hugh Brown, Jesse Ford who married Virginia Keith Powell, Mabel Claire who married John Martin Tuite, Esther Barbara who married (1) Richard McSweany Jr. and (2) Merton Raymond McCorkle III, Laura Katharine who married Joseph Tyler Hogan, Wilbur who died in infancy, and John Robert who married Margaret Howarth. Wm M & Martha Coulter Author: Ruth Bentley Date: 15 Nov 2000 6:00 AM ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============