Colman HOLLINGSWORTH (sic, should be Coleman HOLLINGSWORTH), residing on section 28, Union Township, who has been identified with the interests of Ringgold County for many years, was born in Miami County, Ohio, November 23, 1837, a son of Abner and Nancy HOLLINGSWORTH who were born, reared and married in the State of Pennsylvania. The father still resides on the old homestead in Ohio. The mother is deceased. Of their seven children our subject was the fourth child. He was reared to a farm life, living in his native State till reaching maturity. At the age of twenty-one years he went to Missouri, and was a resident of Platte County, that State, at the time of LINCOLN's nomination for President, in 1860, returning to Ohio in the fall of that year.

In August [19], 1862, he enlisted in Company C, Ninety-sixth Ohio Infantry, and participated in the assault upon the defenses of Vicksburg under General SHERMAN. He was at Haines' Bluff in December, 1862, and was at the taking of Arkansas Post, and also in the campaign culminating in the surrender of Vicksburg. He was in the second campaign against Jackson, Mississippi, this ending his active service. At this time he received a furlough on account of sickness and returned to his home. He was discharged in March [7], 1865 [at Columbus, Ohio], and now receives a pension.

His two brothers, George M. and La Fayette, both served in Ohio regiments during the war, the former in the Forty-third Ohio Infantry [Company F from October 8, 1862 to August 18, 1863], and the latter a member of a cavalry company [Company M of the 3rd Ohio Cavalry from July 14, 1863 to August 4, 1865]. His brother Hezron was not physically qualified for service, and remained with his parents.

After the close of the war Mr. HOLLINGSWORTH came to Ringgold County, where he has since made his home, and is now the owner of a fine farm of 120 acres of choice land, where he makes his home.

He was married in Ringgold County in February, 1867, to Miss Louisa RICHARDS, a native of Crawford County, Ohio, a daughter of James RICHARDS. Her parents were early settlers of Ringgold County, Iowa, coming to Union Township in 1857. Her mother died in May, 1872, and her father's death occurred January 8, 1886, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. Mr. and Mrs. HOLLINGSWORTH are the parents of five children all living at home - Minnie, Manford, Guy, Bessie and Abner.

In former years Mr. HOLLINGSWORTH was a Democrat, and cast his vote for Stephen A. DOUGLAS, but in 1872 supported Horace GREELEY, and now affiliates with the Greenback party. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Banner Lodge, at Wirt.

NOTE: Coleman HOLLINGSWORTH died on June 1, 1906. Louisa (RICHARDS) HOLLINGSWORTH was born on July 30, 1836, and died on February 16, 1912. Coleman and Louisa were interred at Ellston Cemetery, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Manford HOLLINGSWORTH was born September 25, 1871, and died February 4, 1908. Guy HOLLINGSWORTH was born February 26, 1874, and died May 20, 1900. Guy and Manford share a gravestone and were interred at Ellston Cemetery, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Abner R. HOLLINGSWORTH was born in 1881, and died in 1918, with interment at Ellston Cemetery.

Coleman's brother George HOLLINGSWORTH settled in Poweshiek County, Iowa, after being mustered out of service from his duties during the Civil War.

Abner HOLLINGSWORTH, farmer; P. O., Marits; was born in Center County, Pennsylvania, June 9, 1809; is a son of Isaiah [(1777-1829)] and Jane (MORRISON) HOLLINGSWORTH. Abner was the sixth in a family of ten children; his father died in Pennsylvania, in the year 1829. There being no estate to divide among the heirs, each one of the children, through the force of circumstances, were left to do for themselves. At the age of 21 [1834, Chester County, Pennsylvania], Abner was married to Nancy COLEMAN, whose birth-place was Lycoming County, Pennsylvania; she was born in February 1806, and is a daughter of Hugh COLEMAN; after their marriage he worked four years as [a] farm laborer, and then came to Richland County, where he was engaged in tilling the soil; in 1838, he came into this settlement [Marion County which became Morrow County, Ohio], and purchased eighty acres, only five acres being cleared; but the timber soon disappeared before his ax, and it was not long ere he had a good farm, and well improved, consisting of 164 acres, which he has acquired himself, and has no one to thank for substanial favors, in the way of gifts or endowment.

In 1873, while Mrs. HOLLINGSWORTH was on a visit to Iowa, she passed into the spirit land, leaving as living records behind her the following children - Samantha, Jane E., Mary E., Coleman, George M., Hezron and Lafayette.

In 1874, he was married to Mrs. Amanda BENDING, whose maiden name was WRIGHT; they have no children.

Abner Mitchell HOLLINGSWORTH died in Ohio on May 26, 1890.

SOURCES:
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, Pp. 351-52, 1887.

American Civil War Soldiers Database, ancestry.com

WPA Graves Survey

PERRIN, Wm. Henry, BASKIN History of Morrow County and Ohio "Canaan Township"  p. 728. O. L. Baskin & Co. Chicago. 1880.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2009

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