James William Coley and Corinda Belle (Ramey) Coley-Lives Well Lived

This post is about James William Coley and his wife Corinda Belle (Ramey) Coley. James is the Great Grandfather of one of our contributors, Joanie (Coley) Faria. James is also a half brother of Fred Carlisle. It is not readily known how close  James  and Fred were. In this post, you will find a touching story/biography from Joanie about James, a newspaper article about James, and several photos. I wish I had known this man.


Family Group Sheet for James William Coley
James William Coley Husband: Birth: 09 Oct 1872 in Scott, Virginia, USA Death: 31 Oct 1969 in Modesto, Stanislaus, California, USA Marriage: , 1895
Burial: Escalon, San Joaquin County, California, USA

Mother: Mary Ann "Polly" Agner Father: George William Coley

Corinda Belle RameyWife: Birth: 07 Jan 1882 in Virginia, USA Death: 25 Oct 1969 in Stanislaus, California, USA Burial: Escalon, San Joaquin County, California, USA
Mother: Margaret Ellen Blevins  Father: Daniel Marion Ramey

Children:
Name: William Roy Coley Birth: 13 Jun 1897 in Virginia Death: 23 Apr 1972 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
1 M

Name: Louverna Coley Birth: 03 Nov 1898 in Scott County, Virginia, USA Death: 1917 in Modesto, Stanislaus, California, USA
2 F

Name: Leona C Coley Birth: 03 Nov 1898 in Virginia, USA Death: 10 Aug 1989 in Modesto, Stanislaus, California, USA; Frank E Hudson Spouse
3 F

Name: Sylvonly Coley Birth: 27 May 1901 in San Joaquin, California, USA Marriage: 1950 in California, USA Death: 19 Oct 1984 in Stockton, San Joaquin, California, United States of America;  Florence HortonSpouse
4 M

Name: Clarence Montaque Coley Birth: May 20, 1904 in Scott, Virginia, USA Death: 08 May 1984 in Modesto, Stanislaus, California, USA; Stella Mildred BerglindSpouse
5 M

Name: James "Joy" Ambrose Coley Birth: 24 Oct 1910 in Escalon, California, USA Death: 06 Feb 1968 in Oakdale, California, USA; Souse Eva Silvia Bonzi
6 M

Name: Robert Grady Coley Birth: 07 Dec 1921 in San Joaquin, California, USA Marriage: 22 Jun 1942 in Verdi, Washoe, Nevada, USA Death: 05 Jun 1995 in Stockton, San Joaquin, California, USA; Wilma Ada HehnerSpouse
7 M

The following is a touching biography by Joanie (Coley) Faria about her Great Grandfather. This is contained in her family book which has previously been referenced in this blog and is a marvelous book.

Several photos follow of James & Cora Belle Coley.

James and Cora Belle on their 72nd wedding anniversary. Can you imagine?

James and Cora Belle

A younger James Coley.

Finally, what follows is a newspaper article about James Coley printed in a local newspaper.

An exceptional man who lived an exceptional life with the exceptional love of his life, Corinda Belle (Ramey) Coley.

Sam Youmans serving in WW 2

This picture frame has hung in my hall way for many, many years.
Top Left my Grandfather Fred Carlisle, Top Right My Husband's (Rick Gednetz) Grandma Mildred Gednetz, Grandpa Elmer Gednetz, Rick and his sister Toni.
Middle left, my grandmother Hazel Youmans, Middle Great Grandma Anna (Churchill) Youmans,
Middle Right, Grandpa Fred Carlisle, Cousin Linda, and Grandma Margarett Carlisle,
Bottom left, Grandma Hazel Youmans, and Grandpa Sam Youmans,
Bottom right I do believe has been printed before but pictured is my Great Grandpa Jacob Smith, Great Grandma Ida Smith, and far left Grandma Margarett Carlisle

Summers On The Farm-Follow Up

I didn't get to spend as much time on the farm as my brother and sister did.  I was much younger but still I have many fond memories, like the only Christmas we spent on the farm.  Grandpa and dad went out and cut down the Christmas tree and my sister and I got little red spinning wheels. 
I'm really glad that Santa found us there, because I really didn't think he would.
It was a wonderful Christmas.
Sally (Youmans) Gednetz

Smith Family Reunion

The Smith family reunion not sure of the date, Grandad smith and family, Grandma on the left. and Great Grandad Smith.

Summers on the farm

I think some of my favorite childhood memories were spent on the farm with my my Grandparents, Fred & Margaret Carlisle, and of course my very first friend my brother Sammy.  We would spend long warm days with berry buckets in hand scouting the land.  Among our adventures we found and named lakes, the first and most popular was the Youmans Lake. It always amazed me to see the hundreds of tadpols swimming in the shallow part! The next lake we discovered was the Carlisle Lake. Funny thing we never did swim in either!! We would challenge each other to see who could climb the highest mountains, which actually weren't mountains at all but stripper pits, but they were mountains to us, and of course me not to be outdone by anyone especially a boy, would push my limit!! WE would explore for what seemed like miles picking berries along the way!!  Oftentimes we probably ate more than what ended up in the bucket, when we finally made it back to the house while we got cleaned up Grandma would make us a cobbler with those berries!!  there was no electric, running water or modern facilities on the farm but that was OK we didn't need any TV, or computers everyday was a new adventure for us.  We would build go carts, then haul them up the hill from the house and ride them down the lane leading to the farm!!  it always felt like forever pulling that thing back up the hill for just a minute of fun!  On top of that hill we found a bit of a plateu before going down into the woods, Sammy learned all sorts of outdoor skills being in the boy scouts, and he taught me how to make a lean to,that site was to be our Indian village, we even had a counsel rock.
 Our Grandparents found themselves on the farm after a fire burnt down their home in Kittaning. Grandad built a small little house that they stayed in while building the larger house, on rainy days me and Sam would spend hours playing board games like Monopoly, Life, and countless others. Life was so simple then.
One day Sam and I found a pile of wood not far from the house, which of course we made it our own, we called it the Showboat, and we would sing and dance and do little skits, we would take the boards and make walk ways to other parts of the showboat! lol
Whenever we went into town it was an all day ordeal which we always looked forward to, Grandma would always take a can of sardines in mustard she would eat along the way!! Not the best smell in the heat of the summer. Often times we would stop at peoples houses and visit.
there are so many more stories I could write about the farm but this is just the beginning.
Written by Sandra Youmans Meyers

YOUMANS FAMILY HISTORY & OUR CIRCLE OF FAMILIES: HOOPIE FEST 2015

YOUMANS FAMILY HISTORY & OUR CIRCLE OF FAMILIES: HOOPIE FEST 2015: Below are some photos from Hoopie Fest 2015. Hoopie Fest is the Youmans family reunion held nearly annually at my sister's home. It not ...

The Life And Times of James Youmans and Martha Cooper

Family Group Sheet 1 November 2016
1
Husband  James Youmans1–3 Birth 1767 Chatham Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania1 Residence 1820 Hector, Tompkins, New York, United States2 Residence 1830 Elmira Village, Tioga, New York, USA3 Death 1840 Chatham Township, Pennsylvania, USA1 Marriage , 1799 New Jersey

Father Walker Yeamans (1735-    )

 Mother

Wife  Martha Cooper1 Birth 27 Nov 1777 Chemung, New York1 Death , 1859 Youmans Homestead, Chemung, New York1 Father John Cooper (1754-1841) Mother Mary 'Polly' Maiden (    -    )

Father John Cooper (1754-1841)

Mother Polly Maiden (    -    )

Children F: Mary Youmans Birth 5 Jun 1800 New Jersey, United States Death 30 Dec 1875

F: Sarah Youmans Birth 1 Apr 1804 Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA Death 9 Mar 1868 Chatham, Tioga, Pennsylvania, United States,  Spouse Samuel S. Strawn (1800-1865)

F: Mary Polly Youmans Birth 26 Sep 1804 Dutchess, New York Death 6 Oct 1888 Haverstraw, Rockland, New York, USA Spouse Robert Baisley (1798-1882)
 Marriage 1824 Rockland, New York, United States

F: Mercy Youmans4–6 Birth 1806 Dutchess, New York4–6 Residence 1860 Veteran, Chemung, New York, USA5 Death Aug 1880 Baldwin, Chemung, New York4,6 Spouse John Lake Lattin (1807-1867),  Marriage 5 Sep 1839 Union Grove, DeKalb Co, Illinois, USA

M: William H Youmans7–14 Birth 10 Oct 1809 Dutchess, New York7,10,12,14 Residence 1860 Buffalo 4 Ward, Erie County, NY13 Military 1861 11 Residence 1865 Relation to Head of House: Head; Catlin, Chemung, New York, USA14 Military 1865 11 Residence 1870 Post Office: Millport; Catlin, Chemung, New York, USA12 Residence 17 Jun 1880 Marital status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Self; Catlin, Chemung, New York, USA8,10 Residence Jun 1890 Stony Point, Rockland, New York, United States11 Death 14 Dec 1891 Pine Valley, New York, USA7 Burial Pine Valley, Chemung County, New York, USA7
 Spouse Eliza Lattin (1811-1908)

M: John Youmans1–2,7,15 Birth 20 Jun 1811 Tompkins, New York, Covington, Tioga County, Pennsylvania1,7,15 Residence 1820 Hector, Tompkins, New York, United States2 Residence 1850 Covington, Tioga, Pennsylvania, USA15 Death 26 Jan 1869 Covington, Tioga, Pennsylvania, United States1,7 Burial Riverside Cemetary, Covington, Tioga County, Pennsylvania7 Spouse Sarah A. Johnson (1814-1863),  Marriage , 1833 Covington, Tioga County, Pennsylvania

F: Susan Youmans Birth 1812 Tompkins, New York Spouse Ira Zimmer

M:  Aaron Cooper Youmans16–21 Birth 6 Mar 1816 Enfield Falls, Tompkins, NY19,21 Birth 6 Mar 1816 Enfield Falls, Tompkins, New York, USA17 Residence 21 Sep 1857 Township 111, Goodhue, Minnesota Territory, USA21 Residence 1860 Vasa, Goodhue County, MN16,19 Residence 1870 Hartland, Pierce, Wisconsin, United States17 Death 6 Mar 1885 Bay City, Pierce, Wisconsin, USA Residence Bay City, Pierce, Wisconsin17 Residence 1877-78 Hartland, Pierce, Wisconsin18 Spouse Catherine Talmadge (1821-1897),  Marriage 1838 Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States

F: Hulda Bryan Youmans14,22–28 Birth 16 Feb 1820 Enfield Falls, Tompkins, NY, USA14,22–24,26–28 Residence 1850 Chemung, Chemung, New York, USA27 Residence 1860 Chemung, Chemung, New York, USA24 Residence 1865 Relation to Head of House: Wife; Chemung, Chemung, New York, USA14 Residence 1870 Post Office: Chemung; Chemung, Chemung, New York, USA22 Residence 1880 Marital status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Wife; Chemung, Chemung, New York, USA26 Residence 1891 Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Wife; Ward 5, Hamilton City, Ontario, Canada28 Death 1907  Spouse Edward Secord (1813-    ) Marriage 25 Mar 1841 Talbot District, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada25;  Spouse John Johnson (1812-    )

F: Hannah Youmans7,29–30 Birth 15 Oct 1820 Tompkins, New York7,29–30 Residence 1870 Post Office: Forrest Hill; Sandcreek, Decatur, Indiana, USA30 Residence 1880 Marital status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Wife; Clay, Decatur, Indiana, USA29 Death 6 Aug 1882 7 Burial Letts, Decatur County, Indiana, USA7,  Spouse George Taylor (1811-1887)

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JAMES YOUMANS AND MARTHA COOPER

James Youmans is a pivotal person in our Youmans family line. He is my fourth Great Grandfather. Most of us are likely directly descended from James and Martha Youmans.  He is also important because, as you can see from the Family Group sheet, some of their children settled in Canada, Illinois and Indiana, with some remaining in New York. The family line proceeded to spread to various parts of our new country and Canada.

Walker Yeamans is considered by many to be James Youmans’ father.  We know Walker Yeamans lived and a photo of his tombstone is available. Walker Yeamans was born on June 1, 1735 as the son of John Yeamans and Mary Walker. He was born in the Barbados. It is unknown who his wife was and if he had any other children. It is also unknown when he moved to Tioga County Pennsylvania where James was born. Tioga County is on the New York border with Chemung, NY. There is a Youmans Family cemetery in Dutchess County, Chemung, NY. While it is generally considered that Walker was James father, there is no hard evidence or documentation proving this that I have seen. Further, it is unknown why or even when the spelling of the name changed from Yeamans to Youmans. At that time, many people could not read or write and the census takers would essentially spell the name phonetically which may or may not have been correct. Further, New York had a strong Dutch influence and the name Yeamans was pronounced Youmans in Dutch which may have impacted the spelling.

James and Martha married in 1799 in New Jersey. They lived most of their lives in the Tioga County/Chemung, NY area. James it is believed was a blacksmith. He died in 1840 and Martha lived until 1859. Tioga County resembled upstate New York more than it did Pennsylvania. Many of the settlers to this area came from New England. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln received 79% of the vote for President. Much of the growth of this area took place after the Revolutionary War. While times were generally hard during this time, Tioga County had already established roads, postal routes, and public buildings. Prior to the War, this was mostly Indian land with very few White settlers. James and Martha were early settlers to this region.

A study of the Family Group sheet shows that James and Martha had 10 children. While we may all be descended from a different child, in my case John Youmans, likely all of us are descended from one of them. 

Walker Yeamans' Birth Record