Arthur Coulson (1930)
COULSON
Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 10/23/2011 at 10:29:44
Earlham Library Obituary Collection
Earlham, IowaVeteran Soldier is Laid to Rest
Arthur Coulson Enlisted at 15 and Saw Four Years’ Service in Civil War
Under benign November skies, taps were sounded last Thursday for another veteran of the Civil War. His journey of earthly life completed, Arthur Coulson has joined the legion eternal where countless thousands of his comrades at arms preceded him long ago. Of that victorious, blue-clad host which marched on valiantly home from the war, there is today but a piteous handful.
Funeral services for Mr. Coulson who had won the esteem of all who knew him, were held at the Friends Church with the Rev. S. N. Hester officiating, assisted by the Rev. Peter Bock. A salute was fired at the grave by a squad of World War veterans and taps was sounded. The following brief life biography was read:
Arthur Coulson was born at Oswego, N. Y., August 25th, 1847. He died at Marshalltown, Iowa, November 11th, 1930, aged 83 years, 2 months and 18 days.
When but a lad of 15 years he heard his countrys call and enlisted in the 147th Regiment of New York. He served the full four years and was mustered out at Washington, D. C.
Some time later he came west, settling, and making for himself a home in northern Iowa. During the summer of 1893 he came to Earlham where he soon found a place in the hearts and homes of all who knew him.
He became a member of the Friends Church in 1902. Even its boundaries were all to small for the big heart of the man who found his greatest joy in helping others in times of need, for truly, Arthur was not a man of much speaking, but full to over-flowing of goodly deeds following the Scripture:
“When thou doest aims let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. To every man there openeth
A way, and ways, and a way,
And the high soul climbs the high way,
And the low soul gropes the low;
And in between, on the misty flats,
The rest drift to and fro.But to every man there openeth
A high way and a low,
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.”
________________________The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, November 20, 1930
Page 2, Columns 1 & 2News of Madison County – Earlham
Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at the Friends church for Arthur Colson who was an old Civil War veteran. The services were in charge of Rev. Hester of the Friends church assisted by Rev. Peter Bock of the Presbyterian church. The singing was furnished by a mixed double quartette composed of Mrs. Peter Bock, Mrs. Charles Maxwell, Miss Myrtle Garrett, Mrs. Wayne Thomas, Fred Fry, Schott Shifflett, Herschel Hester and Mervyn McLennan.
Mr. Colson had lived in Earlham a number of years and was a friend to everybody, especially those less fortunate than he. He always helped the needy. He had no relatives with the exception of a niece somewhere in the east, but Mr. Colson was always welcome in any Earlham home.
About four weeks ago he went to the Old Soldiers’ Home in Marshalltown where he died Tuesday morning. Clement Godby had the body brought back to Earlham and had charge of the arrangements. The Earlham American Legion boys had charge of the services at the cemetery.
________________________Transcriber’s note: Typed as printed in the Winterset News. Per his gravestone, the surname is Coulson.
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