Coldiron Family

Jesse B. COLDIRON was born in 1824 at Terry's Fork of Wallins Creek in Harlan Co., Kentucky, to John C. and Sarah "Sally" (BROCK) COLDIRON. He married Levina LANSDOWN about 1845 most likely in Harlan Co. He served as a Private in the Civil War in Battalion Co. G from Harlan Co. Sometime between 1859 & 1862 the family moved to Rowan Co., Kentucky. Then in the Federal Census on 2 Jun 1870, they were living in Fox Springs, Fleming County, Kentucky. Next, they moved to Jeffersonville, Montgomery County, Kentucky and are found there in the Federal Census in 1880. He became the Jailer in Morehead, Rowan Co., Kentucky. He died there in 1896 and is buried in the Baldridge Cemetery, Morehead, Rowan Co., Kentucky.

Levina LANSDOWN was born about 1831 in Harlan County, Kentucky, the daughter of Abind Boyd and Lucy (NOE) LANSDOWN. She died 10 Aug 1875 in Lewis County, Kentucky. She was buried in Rowan County, Kentucky.

iii. John Gilbert "Jack" COLDIRON was born 7 Feb 1847 in Harlan Co., Kentucky to Jesse B. and Levina (LANSDOWN) COLDIRON. He served as a Flag Bearer during the Civil War, and I would presume in the same company as his father because he was only 14 years old. After the war, John moved to Pleasant View Township, Cherokee Co., Kansas, in 1866. He soon left and went to Buchanan Co., Missouri, where he met and married Nancy Alice BARNES on 13 Oct 1872. She was the daughter of Aaron and Levitha W. (COBB) BARNES.

The couple had nine children: Cidney (born 1878 in Mo.), Olie (born 1882 in Mo.), Vernie M. (1885-1885), Neva B. (1887-1889), Ralph (Dec 1889KS), Edna (Dec 1892KS, married Ray REEDER), Gracie (1893KS), Maude (Oct 1895KS, married HOPKINS then George SCHULKE), and Nellie (1901KS).

John Gilbert and Nancy Alice (BARNES) COLDIRON

1895 Census
Cherokee County, Kansas

1900 Census
Cherokee County, Kansas

Twin Mounds
photo taken June 2004 from the Twin Mound Cemetery

Elm Creek land
owned by John G. Coldiron
June 2004

Maude C. (COLDIRON) HOPKINS SCHULKE (1895-1972) is buried beside 2nd husband, George SCHULKE, in Naponee Cemetery,
Franklin County, Nebraska

Her first husband Ray HOPKINS is buried at the same cemetery. Their son, Reed Hopkins, still lives in Woodston, Kansas.

John and Nancy moved numerous times from Buchanan Co., Mo. to Cherokee Co., Ks. to Rooks Co., Ks, and back again, as many as six times. He and Nancy homesteaded in a dugout at the south mound of Twin Mound in Rooks Co. for several years.

They also bought land from his brother William Henry on Elm Creek and donated the land for the schoolhouse. They moved to Twin Mound and had two children die there and they donated land for the Twin Mound Cemetery where the two children are buried.

John was quite a feisty person, he seemed to always be fighting with someone. At the age of 62, as published in the Stockton Review 23 Sep 1909, "A dispute that arose last Saturday at the B. C. elevator over the matter of the division of wheat that J. G. COLDIRON raised on the John MADDY place, resulted in blows being struck, all of which we are sorry to hear. We know nothing of who was the aggressor, Mr. MADDY seemed to be injured the worst, and Mr. COLDIRON was brought into police court where he paid a fine." John MADDY sued in court and lost, the crop was John's. His four daughters dating seemed to bring him plenty of opportunity to get into it with someone.

He had been feeling poorly for some time but was having a good day, so he went to visit a neighbor and fell gravely ill and died a short time later of a cerebral hemorrhage on 2 June 1914. He is buried in the Stockton Cemetery.

After Jack's death, Nancy and their youngest son, Ralph Edwin went to homestead in 1915 at Lidy Hot Springs in Clark Co., Idaho. They traveled by immigrant train in one car with all their possessions and animals. Her daughter Edna along with her husband Ray Reeder and three young children, Kenneth, William, and Valeria also went with them, traveling in their own immigrant car with furniture, a wagon, mules and assorted animals. All of Ralph's fine horses were rustled in the middle of the night and he set out after them, he came back in a few days with all of them. He had tracked down the Hole in the Wall gang and got them back. He never had any trouble after that. They moved several times after homesteading to Menan in Jefferson Co., ID and then into Idaho Falls.

Nancy was a crack shot, she could shoot a chicken's head off with her trusty pistol she carried all the time. She told that Cole Younger taught her to shoot when they lived in Buchanan Co., Mo. She traveled on the passenger train back to KS many times to visit with her pistol in her purse. Nancy died 26 Mar 1935 in Idaho Falls and is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery there.

v. Sarah Susan COLDIRON (born about 1852 - died 1924) married in 1869 to Samuel David HALL (born about 1835 - died 1903). They had 8 children, 6 sons and 2 daughters: Lula (born about 1871KY), William "Will" (born about 1872KY), Leander "Lee" (born about 1874KY), John (born about 1877KY), Charles (born about 1879KY), Mary (born about 1882, Rooks County, KS), Jesse (born about 1884, Rooks County, KS), Roy (born about 1890, Rooks County, KS).

1880 Census
Fleming County, Kentucky

1895 Census
Stockton, Rooks County, Kansas

1910 Census
Medicine Township, Rooks County

Elm Creek land
owned by Sarah Susan HALL
Photo taken Jun 2004

Elm Creek land
owned by Sarah Susan HALL
original windmill
Photo taken Jun 2004

vi. Lucy Ann "Annie" COLDIRON was born in 1853 in Kentucky. She died before 1910.

vii. Mary COLDIRON was born in 1855 in Kentucky.

viii. William Henry "Willie" COLDIRON was born on 4 Mar 1857 in Harlan County, Kentucky. He married Beatrice Potter Nov 15 1877. They homesteaded at Elm Creek, Kansas. They were counted in the 1880 & 1900 census in Greenfield, Rooks County, and in the 1910 census in Iowa Township, Rooks County. He died of apoplexy on 26 Dec 1912 in Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas. He was buried on 29 Dec 1912 in Stockton Cemetery, Stockton, Rooks County, Kansas.

Elm Creek land
owned by W. H. Coldiron
Photo taken June 2004

ix. Abaiah N. "Abide/Bide" COLDIRON was born on 13 Dec 1859 in Harlan County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1910 in Pine Grove, Rowan County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1920 in Pine Grove, Rowan County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1930 in Johnson County, Kentucky. He died on 31 Dec 1936 in COLDIRON Hollow, Rowan County, Kentucky. He was buried in Jan 1937 in Bowen Chapel Cemetery, Carter County, Kentucky.

x. Adron H. COLDIRON was born in 1862 in COLDIRON Branch, Rowan County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1920 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1930 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. He died on 16 Oct 1945 in Buger's Farm, Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. He was buried after 16 Oct 1945 in Baldridge Cemetery, Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky.

xii. Joseph Marion COLDIRON Sr. was born on 17 Nov 1867 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1910 in Lincoln, Adair County, Iowa. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1920 in Lincoln, Adair County, Iowa. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1930 in Stuart, Adair County, Iowa. He died on 15 Aug 1936 in Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa. He was buried after 15 Aug 1936 in South Oak Grove Cemetery, Guthrie, Guthrie County, Iowa.

xiii. Matilda Alafair "Allie" COLDIRON was born on 11 Feb 1870 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. She died on 22 Mar 1933 in Stockton, Rooks County, Kansas. She was buried on 25 Mar 1933 in Stockton Cemetery, Stockton, Rooks County, Kansas.

xiv. Jesse B. COLDIRON was born on 8 Aug 1872 in Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1910 in Green, Adams County, Ohio. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1920 in Nile, Scioto County, Ohio. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1930 in Clay, Scioto County, Ohio. He died on 8 Sep 1945 in Ohio. He was buried on 10 Sep 1945 in Sandy Springs Cemetery, Sandy Springs, Adams County, Ohio.
xv. Rev. Charles Lee COLDIRON was born on 30 Jan 1875 in Rowan County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1910 in Harvey, Cook County, Illinois. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1920 in Green, Adams County, Ohio. He appeared in the Federal Census in 1930 in Green, Adams County, Ohio. He died on 6 Aug 1945 in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. He was buried after 6 Aug 1945 in Point Cemetery, Green, Adams County, Ohio.

Submitted by Brenda Kay Stewart Reeder, 2321 Earles Court Road, Taylorsville, Utah 84119-6010, 801-967-0109
Census images added 2024, courtesy of FamilySearch