Edward Coles Sr. (1786 - 1868)

Born 15 Dec 1786 in Enniscorthy Plantation, Esmont, Albemarle County, Virginia, United States of America

Ancestors

Husband of Sally Logan (Roberts) Coles — married 28 Nov 1833 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 7 Jul 1868 at age 81 in 1303 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States of America

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Olin Coles [send private message]

Preceded by 1st Governor Shadrach Bond

Edward Coles 2nd Governor of Illinois 1822-1826

Succeeded by 3rd Governor Ninian Edwards

Biography

Edward Coles was born into a slaveholding family on 15 Dec 1786 in Enniscorthy Plantation, Esmont, Albemarle County, Virginia, to parents Colonel John Coles II and Rebecca Elizabeth (Tucker) Coles. He was the younger sibling of thirteen children, ten of whom survived to adulthood. Edward was educated in Virginia at the Hampden–Sydney College, and the College of William & Mary.

His siblings were:

1. John Coles (1769 - 1773)
2. Walter Coles (1772 - 1854)
3. John Coles III (1774 - 1848)
4. Mary Elizabeth (Coles) Carter (1776 - 1856)
5. Isaac Albemarle Coles (1780 - 1841)
6. Tucker Coles (~1782 - 1861)
7. Rebecca Travis (Coles) Singleton (~1782 - 1849)
8. William Coles (1783 - 1784)
9. Sarah (Coles) Stevenson (1789 - 1848)
10. Elizabeth Coles (1791 - 1865)
11. Emily Ann (Coles) Rutherfoord (1795 - 1871)

Not long after his father passed away in 1808, Edward Coles would inherit the family plantation. He disagreed with the practice of owning slaves, and manumitted all of his slaves by 1819. Edward relocated from Virginia to Illinois, taking with him any formerly owned slave, or making arrangements for their pension in Virginia.

In the 1810 census Edward was in Albemarle, Nelson, Virginia, United States.^[1] The household appears to consist of 17 slaves.

Edward was later elected the second Governor of the State of Illinois from 1822-1826. He worked with abolitionist clergyman James Lemen to keep Illinois a free state. After completing his term, he retired to Pennsylvania.

According to the Encyclopedia of Virginia ^[2], after Edward inherited the plantation and slaves, he immediately wanted to emancipate the slaves. Due to the challenges of family resistance and the Virginia Law which required freed slaves to leave the state within 1 year, he was unable to free his slaves in a manner that he felt would be beneficial to them, he put the plantation up for sale in 1809. Since he didn't receive any reasonable offers, he kept the plantation under the management of an overseer and refused to sell or exchange the slaves in his keeping.

Also according to the Encyclopedia of Virginia ^[2], Edward moved to Illinois in 1819, which probably means the plantation may have sold. There is an Edward Coles listed in Northumberland VA in the census, which many researchers attach to Governor Coles. Because of the lack of details on those censuses, it is hard to determine for sure if it is he. 1820^[3] 1830^[4] 1840^[5]

Edward (46) then married Sally Logan Roberts (24) (1809 - 1883) on 28 Nov 1833 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia.

Their children were:

1. Miss Mary Coles (1835 - 1920)
2. Edward Coles Jr. (1837 - 1906)
3. Capt. Roberts Coles (1838 - 1862).

In the 1850 census Geo (age 60) was in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.^[6]

In the 1860 census Edwd (age 73) was at 8th Ward Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.^[7]

Edward died on 7 Jul 1868 in 1303 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania aged 81. He is buried in Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia.^[8]

Political Career

When the United States fell into Civil War on 12 April 1861, Edward's abolitionist policies became a bitter point of contention within political circles, leading to social and legal prosecution. A true Union Statesmen, he would only learn of his son Roberts' secret life as a Captain for the Confederate Army after he was killed in the Battle of Roanoke Island. Weary from years of prosecution, and sick in health, Edward passed away at age 81 on Jul 7 1868 at his home on 1303 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Memorandum

Illinois, and Illinois men, filled an important, if not the leading role in the struggle over slavery and in the war which resulted in its overthrow. Governor Edward Coles opened the battle for freedom in Illinois. It is almost certain that if it had not been for his persistence and courage, slavery would have been written into the Illinois Constitution. The story of his struggle against the forces of slavery is one of the most inspiring in the annals of Illinois. If he had failed and Illinois had become a slave state, one wonders what the subsequent history of Illinois would have been. It is not likely that the great debate between Lincoln and Douglas would have occurred. It was this debate which made Lincoln president of the United States. Indeed, with Illinois a slave state, it is altogether possible that the Confederacy might have won. And thus, the battle which Edward Coles, in the new and sparsely settled state, waged against the forces of slavery, becomes an event of historical importance of the first class. It is therefore fitting that, as a part of our celebration of our hundredth anniversary as a state, we should gratefully call attention anew to the life and services of Edward Coles. -Frank O. Lowden

Legacy

• Coles County, Illinois, USA is named in Gov. Edward Coles' honor.

Slaves

The 1810 census shows 17 enslaved Persons in the household^[1] in Albemarle, Nelson, VA.

As Virginia law at the time required emancipated slaves to leave Virginia within 12 months, Edward Coles took his slaves with him to Illinois when he relocated in 1819 and emancipated them there. In April 1819, Coles and a slave named Ralph Crawford organized and directed the exodus from Virginia. While aboard keelboats on the Ohio River, Coles told his slaves they were now free. They could leave or go with him to Illinois, where he promised each family 160 acres of land as a gift for their service.^[9]

On July 4, 1819, ten enslaved persons who were formerly owned by Edward Coles and inherited from his father's estate in Albermarle County, Virginia were emancipated in Madison County, Illinois and registered with the court.^[10]

• Thomas Cobb
• Betsey Crawford
• Kate Crawford
• Mary Crawford
• Polly Crawford
• Ralph Crawford
• Robert Crawford
• Thomas Crawford
• William Crawford
• Nancy Gains

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 1810 Census: "United States Census, 1810"
   citing Page: 686; Affiliate Publication Number: M252;
   FamilySearch Record: XH28-SK6 (accessed 25 February 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYY6-SN3S
   Edward Coles in Albemarle, Nelson, Virginia, United States.

   Edward Coles

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Encyclopedia of Virginia
3. ↑ 1820 Census: "United States Census, 1820"
   citing Page: 24; Affiliate Publication Number: M33;
   FamilySearch Record: XHLJ-J97 (accessed 25 February 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYBM-9QZS
   Edward Coles in Northumberland, Virginia, United States.

   Edward Coles

4. ↑ United States Census, 1830, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5J-69C : 19 August 2017), Ewd Coles, Northumberland, Virginia, United States; citing 197, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 201; FHL microfilm 29,680.
5. ↑ United States Census, 1840, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHBW-4H9 : 20 August 2017), Edwd Coles, Northumberland, Virginia, United States; citing p. 238, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 570; FHL microfilm 29,690.
6. ↑ 1850 Census: "United States Census, 1850"
   citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Record: M4CV-WJN (accessed 25 February 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-68XS-WNB Image number 00332
   Geo Edward Coles (60) in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Virginia.

   Geo Edward Coles M 60 Virginia

   Sally Coles F 43

   Mary Coles F 15

   Edward Coles M 12

   Robert Coles M 12

   Wm Johnson M 26

   Sophia Francis F 40

   Anna Pennington F 35 New Jersey

   Margaret O'Donnell F 22 Pennsylvania

7. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860"
   citing Page: 5; Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Affiliate Film Number: 1158; FHL microfilm: 805158; Record number: 162;
   FamilySearch Record: MXTQ-1RX (accessed 25 February 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBSF-9M9M Image number 00009
   Edwd Coles (73) at 8th Ward Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Virginia.

   Edwd Coles M 73 Virginia

   Sally L Coles F 50 Pennsylvania

   Mary Coles F 25 Pennsylvania

   Edward Coles M 23 Pennsylvania

   Roberts Coles M 21 Pennsylvania

   Andrew Brown M 50 Maryland

   Alexander Davis M 36 Ireland

   Martha Craig F 30 Ireland

   Sarah Wilson F 34 Ireland

   Mary A Hill F 24 Delaware

   Mary Martin F 54 Pennsylvania

8. ↑ Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JN4V-XQ7 : 8 March 2018), Edward Coles, 07 Jul 1868; citing , Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; FHL microfilm 1,994,082.
9. ↑ Governor Edward Coles; Alvord, Clarence W; 1920; Illinois accessed on archive.org 12-03-2023 [Link to Book]
10. ↑ Servitude and Emancipation Records Illinois State Archives; accessed on ilsos.gov website 12-08-2023 Link to Database

See Also:

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 August 2019), memorial page for Edward Coles (15 Dec 1786–7 Jul 1868), Find A Grave Memorial no. 6623976, citing Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave. [Find A Grave: Memorial #6623976Find A Grave Memorial 6623976]
• Sketch of Edward Coles, Second Governor of Illinois, and of the Slavery Struggle of 1823-4. Washburne, Elihu Benjamin, 1816-1887, and Chicago Historical Society. Chicago: Jansen, McClurg, 1882. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000277091
• Governor Edward Coles. Alvord, Clarence Walworth, 1868-1928. University of Illinois: 1920. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/idurl/1/560001
• Edward Coles on Wikipedia
• Encyclopedia of Virginia