Looking for John Coleman, b. 1775, m. Judith Harris, b. 1785, both in Buckingham, VA. Any info appreciated. This appears to be a close DNA match of Colemans who migrated from through VA, TN, GA, AL and LA

I am a descendant of this line. How can I help you? Ron

According to my records John COLEMAN was s/o Samuel COLEMAN and Nancy Ann WRIGHT. Judith Fanny HARRIS was d/o John HARRIS and Mary DIUGUID. They had 14 children, Bolling, Buley Bolsie, John S., Theophlis, Arannah, Julia A., Martha Ann, Robert, William John, Mary, Virginia, James M., Elizabeth and Thomas J. I know very little about the children and who they married etc. Would love to share information.

Ruby Talley Smith rubygem@aol.com

Ruby,

I think John Coleman may have been a son of Samuel Coleman by his second marriage to Elizabeth _____. Attached below is what I have been able to collect on Nancy Ann (Wright) Coleman and her husband Samuel Coleman. This is taken from Sorting Some of the Wrights of Southern Virginia, Part VII: 1779 John Wright of Prince Edward County.

Robert N. Grant
15 Campo Bello Court
Menlo Park, CA 94025
RNGrant@grantandgordon.com


Excerpt from Sorting Some of the Wrights of Southern Virginia, Part VII: 1779 John Wright of Prince Edward County:

D. Nancy Or Ann (Wright) Coleman, Her Husband Samuel Coleman, And Her Descendants

Nancy or Ann (Wright) Coleman was a daughter of 1779 John Wright of Prince Edward County and Anne (Pryor) Wright. (1779 John1)

The Douglas Register listed the marriage of Samuel Coleman and Ann Wright, both of Goochland Parish, on March 30, 1756, as well as the following births:

"Samuel Coleman & Ann Wright a Daughter named Jeanie born Jul: 18, 1756. Baptized 1757 Mar. 6. p.50.
. . . .

Sam: Coleman & Ann Wright a Daughter named Jeanie born Jun: 22, 1759. Baptized 1762 May 10. p.63.
. . . .

Sam: Coleman & Ann Wright a Son named David born Jun: 6, 1762. Baptized 1762 May 10. p.63."

The baptizing of two children as Jeanie indicates that Jeanie #1 probably died before the birth of Jeanie #2 on June 22, 1759, and the parents simply transferred the name to the next child, a common practice at that time of high infant mortality.

The will of 1779 John Wright dated March 18, 1775, and probated on April 20, 1779, at Prince Edward County, Virginia, W.B. 1/218, referred to his grandchildren Ann and David Coleman, clearly indicating that he had a daughter _____ (Wright) Coleman:

". . . . Item I give and bequeath unto my grandDaughter Ann Coleman my negro girl named sue to the Heirs of her body lawfully begotton also one feather Bed and if she shold fail of such Heir than the said negro girl sue and her Increase I give unto my grand son David Coleman & his Heirs & if he should die without heir or under the age of twenty one years my will and desire is that the said negro girl sue with her Increase assend & return unto my son James Wright & his Heirs forever . . . ."

Jeanie #2 was probably also known as Ann, as in Jeanne Ann, and, therefore, is the same person as the grandchild Ann named in 1779 John Wright's will. This would also be consistent with Ann being named in the will first and David second as in the order of their births. Since Ann (Wright) Coleman was not named in the will of 1779 John Wright and her children were, she was probably dead before the will was written on March 18, 1775.

In his letter dated March 21, 1987, William C. Wooldridge stated that the will of Samuel Coleman was probated in 1803 in Buckingham County, Virginia. Although the records of Buckingham County were largely destroyed by fire in 1869, an extant copy of the will of Samuel Coleman was published in a genealogical magazine in 1978.

In her letter dated November 16, 1987, Hazel Lee Martin enclosed family group sheets which stated that the will of Samuel Coleman was probated on July 11, 1803, at Buckingham County, Virginia.

In his letter dated December 21, 1988, Ronald D. Coleman stated that a copy of the will of Samuel Coleman was found in 1971 or 1972 by a relative of Sue Booker Christian in the trunk of the Christian family in Virginia and the will provided as follows:

"In the name of God Amen - I Samuel Coleman of the county of Buckingham being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory do make this my last will and testament. This fourth day of April one thousand eight hundred and three.

Item 1 - I lend to my wife during her natural life or widowhood all the lands in my possession (except one hundred and fifty acres, being the land my son William Coleman sold to Robert Harris) and the following negroes, Tom, Charles, Bartley, Dick, Nan, Rose, Cloe, Pattey, Judea, Anica, Jane, Agg, and Dabney with all my stock of every kind, household and kitchen furniture, and after her death to be divided among my children as undermentioned.

2nd - I give unto my two sons Robert and John Coleman and their heirs forever my land below and joining Bent Creek to a branch which runs up to Richard Phelp's line according to valuation.

3rd - I give unto my son-in-law Robert Harris one hundred and fifty acres above mentioned and his heirs forever it being part of that land I purchased of Williamson Burnett, and the balance of the said tract of land with an entry adjoining, I give to my son Drury Coleman to him and his heirs forever.

4th - I give to my son Samuel Coleman all the land above Bent Creek, and another tract below said Creek and above the branch that runs to Richard Phelp's line, to him and his heirs forever. I also give unto my sons Samuel and Drury Coleman thirty pounds each as soon as they come of age, to be levyed out of my estate.

5th - I give unto my son, James Coleman one negro man named Frederick. I give unto my daughter Ann Wooldridge five shillings cash. I give unto my daughter Liza Coleman fifty pounds cash, and after the death of my wife Elizabeth Coleman, my wish is that the negroes I lend to my wife namely, Tom, Charles, Bartley, Dick, Nan, Rose, Cloe, Patty, Judea, Anaca, Jane, Agg, and Dabney and their increase to be equally divided amongst my children, namely George Coleman, Sally Pendleton, wife of Mace Pendleton, Mary Pendleton, Frances Harris, wife of Robert Harris, Betsy Coleman, Ann Mourning Coleman and my grandchildren, Benjamin Pendleton had by my daughter Jane to come in as one legatee, and all my stock of every kind with all my household furniture, after the death of my wife, I give to my children that is to possess my negroes. I appoint John Harris, Senr. and Edward Doss Ex'rts to this my last will and testament. In testimony where of I have put my hand and affixed my seal the day and year mentioned.

Samuel Coleman

signed and sealed and delivered in the presence of us
James Doss
Wm. S. Diuguid
Isaac Neighbours

George Diuguid signed the day after the others"

This record identifies the children of Samuel Coleman as follows:

Wife: Elizabeth (_____) Coleman
Children: 1) William Coleman,
2) Robert Coleman,
3) John Coleman,
4) Frances (Coleman) Harris,
5) Drury Coleman, born after April 4, 1782,
6) Samuel Coleman, born after April 4, 1782,
7) James Coleman,
8) Ann (Coleman) Wooldridge,
9) Liza Coleman,
10) George Coleman,
11) Sally (Coleman) Pendleton, wife of Mace Pendleton,
12) Mary Pendleton,
13) Betsy Coleman,
14) Ann Mourning Coleman, and
15) Jane (Coleman) Pendleton.

Elizabeth (_____) Coleman was Samuel Coleman’s second wife and it is not clear from the will alone which children belonged to the first or second marriage. However, the listing in the complaint in File 578 of Robert and Elizabeth as children of Nancy and of Mayes (or Mace) Pendleton and James Wooldridge as grandchildren of Nancy indicates that the children from the first marriage were Robert Coleman, Ann (Coleman) Wooldridge, Liza Coleman or Betsy Coleman, either of which are contractions for Elizabeth and may be the same person, and Sally (Coleman) Pendleton. The absence of David Coleman from the will indicates that he may have died before April 4, 1803.

In Wright v. Fleming, Lynchburg Superior Court of Law and Chancery File 578, the cross-complaint of Prior Wright, James Wright, John Wright, Robert Coleman, Elizabeth Coleman, Mayes Pendleton, James Wooldridge, and Mary Williamson listed Nancy Coleman as a daughter of 1779 John Wright:

". . . . Your Orators and Oratrices beg leave to state that the said Thomas Wright was never married; That his heirs and next of kin him surviving were his two brothers to wit your Orators Prior Wright and James Wright your Orator John Wright the only child of his brother John Wright who died before him your Orator Robert Coleman and your Oratrix Elizabeth Coleman the children of his sister Nancy Coleman who also died before him, your Oratrix Mary Williamson his sister who was a widow at his death, Mayes Pendleton the grandchild of Nancy Coleman his sister as aforesaid, and James Woolridge also a grandchild of the said Nancy . . . ."

Similarly, in the deposition of John Harris, Sr., dated February 1, 1821, in File 578, Nancy (Wright) Coleman was identified as a sister of Pryor, James, John, and Thomas Wright, the children of 1779 John Wright:

"He was acquainted with Thomas Wright Decd of Campbell County and knows that Pryor Wright, James Wright, was brothers of Thomas Wright Decd and John Wright a Brother's son of John Wright, who was Brother of Thomas Wright Decd, & Robert Coleman & Elizabeth Coleman children and heirs of Nancy Coleman Decd, who was sister of Thomas Wright Decd, James Wooldridge, and Mace Pendleton grandsons of Nancy Coleman Decd who was sister of Thomas Wright Decd of Campbell County."

In her letter dated November 16, 1987, Hazel Lee Martin enclosed family group sheets which listed Samuel Coleman's date of birth as approximately 1728 at Goochland County, Virginia.

From the evidence set forth above and additional evidence set forth below, the children of Nancy Ann (Wright) Coleman and Samuel Coleman were the following:

1) Jeanie Coleman #1, born on July 18, 1756, at Goochland County, Virginia, and probably died as an infant before June 22, 1759,
2) Jeanie or Ann (Coleman #2) Wooldridge, born on June 22, 1759, at Goochland County, Virginia,
3) David Coleman, born on January 6, 1762, at Goochland County, Virginia,
4) Sally (Coleman) Pendleton, born about 1754 or 1755 at Buckingham or possibly Albemarle County, Virginia,
5) Robert Coleman, born about 1766 at Buckingham County, Virginia, and
6) Elizabeth Coleman, born in 1768 at Buckingham County, Virginia.

HI Ruby,
I am a descendant of this line and have info abt children & descendants- will share- Ron