George Coulson 2 nd husband of Lydia Ackerman Knapp Fact Sheet Born: September 22, 1801 at Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States, possibly Maryland, United States or September 3, 1802 at Orangeville, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States 1,2 Son of: Thomas A. Coulson and Fannie Maxwell 2 Married: Father of: (1) Nancy Ann Shepard Cossitt, December 25, 1823 at Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States. Nancy was who was born December 17, 1802, in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. She died August 3, 1874, at La Harpe, Hancock County, Illinois, United States. 2 Sarah Frances Coulson, born December 25, 1823, in Orangeville, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. 2 Henry Crandel Coulson, born November 8, 1826, at Orangeville, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. 2 Mary Elizabeth Cossitt Coulson - also known as Mary Eliza, born February 23, 1828, at Orangeville, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. 2 Nancy Jane Coulson, born February 3, 1831, at Orangeville, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. 2 Epaphroditus C. Coulson, born May 5, 1834, at Orangeville, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. 2 Thomas Coulson, born November 19, 1836, in Pennsylvania, United States; died in 1854 at La Harpe, Hancock County, Illinois, United States at the age of 17. 2 Caroline Adelia Coulson, born November 9, 1839, in Pennsylvania, United States. 2 George Daniel Coulson, born February 17, 1843, at La Harpe, Hancock County, Illinois, United States. 2 James Cossitt Coulson, born June 24, 1847, at La Harpe, Hancock County, Illinois, United States. 2 Married: *(2) Lydia Ackerman Knapp Coulson June 6, 1846 at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. Lydia was born May 3, 1805 at Galway, Saratoga, New York, United States and died August 8, 1881 at Provo, Utah County, Utah, United States. 3 1
Father of: Eliza Sarinda Coulson, born April 6, 1848 at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States died 1903. 4 (?) Coulson, Jr., born 1850 at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa. Some believe he died in an accident when he fell from a wagon, October 8, 1851 at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States. 5 Died: Buried: October 8, 1851 at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States of congestive fever. 6 In a cemetery on the bluffs alongside the Missouri River. Cemetery gradually affected by various landslides until it was completely gone in 1852. 2 George Coulson moved to Salem, Iowa, in 1845, then a Quaker town, and from there to Council Bluffs, Iowa. He died Oct. 1851 and was buried in the cemetery, a beautiful spot on the bluffs of the Missouri River. There was a land slide in 1852. His wife (believed to be Nancy)and several others went to see it the next day. They stood on the bank, someone hollowed that the land was cracking, and they just got back in time, one of the party had to jump two feet. Mrs. Coulson and her sons, George and James moved to Ogden City, Utah, in 1853. There was another landslide after she had left Council Bluffs. The children desiring his remains removed to Utah, they requested Preacher Girly to see about the matter and after their persistent requests, he at last advised them that their father's remains had gone down with the last landslide. 2 Henry received the following story from Mrs. Eliza Coulson Barnes: George Coulson born Sept. 3, 1810 in West Virginia my father moved to Warren, Ohio, 1819. He learned the blacksmith trade; married in January 1822 to Nancy Ann Cossitt a sister of Doctors Epaphroditus and James Cossitt of Greensville, Pa. George and Henry C. Coulson studied medicine. George first studied Allopathic practice, but not liking to give strong medicine, after a few years, studied Botanical practice. He moved to La Harpe, Ill., in May 1835, he and a cousin, named La Harpe. Cousin Chaffen was the first Post Master of La Harpe. George Coulson(was) Justice of the Peace, Supervisor 12 years County Commissioner 3 terms; 8. Trustee for 12 years. He was a good lawyer and lecturer; he was an uncommonly intelligent self-made man. He attended school only nine months; the first term he had to go eight miles, and studied by fire light at night. He was a good reader, had a good memory, having read a book or heard a sermon he could repeat it afterwards. His kindness to his family was such that his children obeyed him for love not from fear; his wife was terribly afflicted with rheumatism, consequently very nervous and trying, which he bore with great forbearance. I believe God has blest him in heaven. The first meetings were held at his house for over two years every four weeks, people came a long 2
distance, had love feasts at 9:00, preaching at 11:00, meeting and class meeting at 1:30. Coulson would roast a 9 week old pig in a brick-oven and having other edibles accordingly they had dinner. Coulson often preached, was kind, charitable and benevolent. The first Temperance meeting and Sunday Schools were held at his house. He built a log cabin and hired the first school-master. 7 Henry received the following information from "W.W.C." George Coulson married to Nancy Cossitt of Mercer Co., Pa. Emigrated to Hancock County, Illinois, in 1866-7 joined the Mormons and preached for them, was a blacksmith, and studied medicine with Dr. Cossitt of Greenville, Pa., practiced his profession in Illinois for some years, left Ills., with the Mormons for Utah, stopped in or near Council Bluffs, Iowa, died and was buried in the Mormon grave-yard which has since been washed away. 8 Other notes and points of interest regarding George Colson: Dr. George Coulson, another leading citizen of La Harpe, also joined the church while living there. Dr. Coulson and his family had moved to the area in the mid-1830 s, building a log cabin on Main Street and erecting the building that later became the first schoolhouse in La Harpe. Missionaries, local church members, and visiting church leaders were all welcomed at the Coulson home in La Harpe. 9 Even though a baptism date has not been found and verified for Dr. George Coulson, he was baptized and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before 1845. George served with in the Church and performed his civic duty as well. George Coulson was a high priest, a presiding elder, a bishop assigned to look after the wives and children of the Mormon Battalion, one of the first commissioners of Pottawattamie County, and a Frontier Guardian (newspaper) representative. 10 George Coulson, though a doctor, was also a talented blacksmith and was a vital resource for many Church members who were acquiring wagons and supplies in preparation for their trek west. Dr. George Coulson, of Council Point, has erected a good blacksmith shop, and is prepared to execute any work in his line with dispatch. He is an old hand at the business; and in fact, we have none other in the county that we know of. 11 George Coulson s life was that of a dedicated husband, father, Church leader and active member of the communities he lived in. His energies were spent in hard work, service to others, supporting his family members and commitment to his faith. His untimely death in the fall of 1851 of congestive fever undoubtedly left a void for all who knew him. 3
Sources and Notes: 1. George Coulson, personal record found at http://familysearch.org shows birthdate of September 22, 1801 at Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States. Findagrave.com, Nancy Ann Shepard Cossitt Coulson, Memorial #92363211 digital image of the headstone for George Coulson and Nancy Ann Shepard Cossitt Coulson shows birth and death dates etched into the stone. George Coulson s birthdate is etched as Sept. 3, 1802. Some family records show George Coulson of Orangeville, Trumbull, Ohio, United States. 2. Eighth Generation Descendants of Samuel Coulson and Tamar Allen, Line of Thomas A. Coulson and Fanny Maxwell, George Coulson, p 5 Henry J. Coulson published the record which he advised he received from M.E.B. 3. Lydia Ackerman, personal record found at http://familysearch.org 4. Eliza Sarinda Coulson, personal record found at http://familysearch.org 5. George Coulson (Jr.), personal record found at http://familysearch.org Note: In Lydia's hand written letter of 1880 she names her children from her husband Silas Knapp and George Coulson. She names 5 children by Silas and 1 child by George. This son, George born in 1850, is never named. There is a family story that he fell off a wagon and died before he was 1 year old but it is not proven. -Maryanne Ashton Note: It is doubtful this child existed. George already had a son named George by his first wife, Nancy. Lydia didn t include this child in her handwritten letter which listed her other children. There s no birth date for him. He supposedly died the same day as his father, which seems like an odd co-incident that was not recorded. At this date there is no proof to establish his existence. Karla K. Oswald 6. Findagrave.com, Council Point describes cemetery, and accounts it being washed away. Also lists some death information taken from the Frontier Guardian Newspaper of the Kanesville area from 1849-1852, to include George Coulson. 7. Eighth Generation Descendants of Samuel Coulson and Tamar Allen, Line of Thomas A. Coulson and Fanny Maxwell, George Coulson, p 6 Henry J. Coulson published this story he received from Eliza Coulson Barnes. 8. Eighth Generation Descendants of Samuel Coulson and Tamar Allen, Line of Thomas A. Coulson and Fanny Maxwell, George Coulson, p 6 Henry J. Coulson published this information from W.W.C. 9. Spokes on the Wheel: Early Latter-day Saint Settlements in Hancock County, Illinois, (La Harpe), Donald Q. Cannon, Ensign Magazine-1986 10. Early Latter Day Saint Database at http://earlylds.com/getperson.php?personid=i7660&tree=earlylds: Names transcribed from the Iowa Branches Members Index 1839-1859, Volumes I & II by Ronald G. Watt. Historical Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1991. Copyright by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 4
Sources: [S4] Book - Annotated Record of Baptisms for the Dead, Nauvoo, 7 vols., Black, Susan Easton, (Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602), by Black and Black, Vol 2, p 903-905. [S61] LDS - High Priests, Nauvoo and Salt Lake, p 31. [S6] LDS - Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:1830-1848, 50 vols., Black, Susan Easton, Compiler, (LDS Church, Salt Lake City, 1990), 1830-1848, by Susan Easton Black, Vol 11, p 783. [S7] LDS - Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (1845-1846), p 59. [S492] Internet Link - "A Room of Round Logs with a Dirt Roof: Ute Perkins' Stewardship to Look after Mormon Battalion Families, Eugene H. Perkins and Waldo C. Perkins, (Mormon Historical Studies, Vol 1, No. 1, Spring 2000), Mormon Historical Studies, Spring 2000, p. 61-72. Resources copied from Settlements/Council Point Link at The Winter Quarters Project at http://winterquarters.byu.edu/pages/kanesville%20area.aspx#councilpoint Note: A citizen of Council Point, Dr. George Coulson... closed by prayer a meeting of elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Grove on Sunday, 20 April 1851. Note: Council Point did have a Frontier Guardian representative. In April 1851, it was James Allred. In June of the same year, it was George Coulson. Something odd occurred between 17 October and 28 November 1851, because on the latter date, the Guardian lists no representative for Council Point. (20) On 23 January of 1852, the Guardian has Mr. Tidwell listed as being its representative in Council Point. In June 1852, when the paper had changed hands and had become The Frontier Guardian and Iowa Sentinel, it was still Mr. Tidwell who served as the agent. 11. Prepare for the Valley, Frontier Guardian, 9 Jan. 1850, 2. This Fact Sheet for George Coulson was compiled from documents and other records collected and kept in the Family History Library of Karla Knapp Oswald. February 2016 5