Asa Coleman

As printed in 1880

ASA COLEMAN (deceased), physician and surgeon; was born in Glastonbury, Conn., July 2, 1788, and died in Troy, Ohio, Feb. 25, 1870; he was a descendant of Thomas Coleman, an English emigrant to the pilgrim colony in 1630, and was one to whom land was set off by original survey in 1639 and 1640; for six

BB generations the name of Coleman has been identified with local and general positions in the various relations of church, state, masonry, medicine and surgery; the same patriotic spirit which led their ancestors to enroll themselves under the Continental flag moved the descendants in later wars to lead the charging column, or alleviate distress in the field or the crowded hospital; the line of descent of our subject from this American ancestor, is Noah Coleman first, second and third. Noah Coleman third was born in Hatfield, Mass., in 1704, married Mary Wright, of Colchester, and had a family of seven children, viz., Mary, Sibjd, Noah, Ozias, Daniel, Asaph and Zenas. Asaph, the fourth son, was born in Massachusetts in 1747; married Eunice Hollister, of Glastonbury, Conn., by whom he had six children— Julius, Eunice, Asa, Pamelia, Clarissa and Maria; he was a prominent physician and surgeon in the Continental army. Asa Coleman, after receiving an academic education in his native town, turned his attention to medicine and surgery, pursuing his studies mainly under the instruction of his father; May 23, 1810, he received a diploma from the Connecticut State Medical Society; having made a prospecting tour to the new State of Ohio, in the fall of 1807, he resolved to make that his future home, and, in May, 1811, left his native State and located in Troy; in November of same year, he received a diploma from the Ohio Board of Medical Examiners, and established himself in the town just named, in the practice of medicine and surgery, which he followed for more than half a century7, with constant success till the close of his career; an enterprising pioneer, he took an active and leading part in all the early improvements of this now beautiful county seat. On Sept. 24, 1808, he had been commissioned Surgeon of the 6th Connecticut Militia, and, on the same date of 1811, was made Surgeon of the Ohio Militia; was constantly on the round of duty, visiting the sick and wounded at the blockhouses and posts along the northern boundary of Miami Co., then the frontier settlement; other commissions followed — as Surgeon, as Major, May 20, 1816, and Lieutenant Colonel July 27, 1818, from Gov. Worthington; in October, 1816, was elected Representative to the State Legislature, and served in the first session ever held in Columbus, December, 1816; he was re-elected in the following year, and served a second term, declining a third, though strongly urged to become a candidate; elected Associate Judge, he was commissioned Feb. 4, 1827, by Gov. Trimble for a period of seven years; chosen as a Director of the Miami Co. Branch of the State Bank of Ohio, at its organization in 1846, he served as an officer till its close in 1866; he was instrumental in the organization of the First National Bank of Troy; was elected its first President, served nearly two years and resigned through failing health; he was made a Freemason in 1809; was a charter member of Franklin Lodge, Troy, in June, 1812, and was first Master of the same; at the time of his death, in his 82d year, he was the last surviving charter member; he was also a charter member of Franklin R. A. Chapter, Franklin Council R. & S. M., and Coleman Commandery, K. T.; the last mentioned bearing his name in honor of his Masonic worth; for six years he served as Director and Physician of the County Infirmary, and submitted the plan for the present building; he was prominent in establishing the Protestant Episcopal Church in Troy, was elected first Senior Warden of Trinity Church in 1830, and annually re-elected up to the time of his death — a continued period of forty years; fond of agricultural pursuits, he gave much of his time to operations on his farm, and retired thither during the last few years of his life; he was above medium height, straight and well proportioned, and as erect in his advanced years as in his youthful manhood; his bearing was dignified, his step firm, and his hair silver white as the snow; he lived a long, active, useful and blameless life, and died as one, who, wearied with his labors, “ wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams.” He was thrice married; his third wife was Mary Keifer, whom he married Oct. 24, 1822; she was born in Sharpsburg, Md., and came with her parents to Clark Co., Ohio, in 1812; she survived her husband but a few months, dying Dec. 5, 1870; by the last marriage they reared six children — Horace, Pamelia Hale, Augustus Henry,.

Asa, George Edwin and Julius Adams; all the above-named sons served in the Union ranks in the war of the rebellion.

As printed in The history of Miami county, Ohio : containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest t (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.