Albert Coats addendum

Given the wealth of information turned up by super-sleuth Patty Millich since my original post on Albert Coats, I’m posting an addendum. Many thanks, Patty, for all of your hard work gathering all of this additional information! We now have a better-rounded view of the man.

Albert Coats was born to a farming family in February of 1837, the fifth of nine children. He grew up in Perry Township, Allen County, Ohio, just southeast of Lima. His parents had moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania, according to census records.

During the war, Lieutenant Coats was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 6th U.S. Colored Cavalry Regiment on September 19, 1864, but didn’t muster into the regiment until January 8, 1865.

After he resigned his commission, Coats settled in Arkansas. In 1870, he and his wife, Amanda, lived in McConnell township, Chicot County, Arkansas. Amanda was a fellow Ohioan, born in November of 1829. Oddly, his occupation is still listed as soldier during this census.

By 1880, the Coats family had moved to Little Rock. Albert and Amanda had no children. He worked as a carpenter and she worked as a grocer. In 1893 and 1894, they lived in the Eickhoff block of North Litter Road in Little Rock, where he worked a s a druggist and furniture maker.

In 1900, Albert and Amanda lived in Hill township, in North Little Rock. After the 1900 census, they again vanish into the mists of time.