Robert Coulter, who is a prosperous farmer on section 27, Riverside township, Gage county, Nebraska, with postoffice at Beatrice, has been a resident of this county since 1878, and during this quarter of a century has enjoyed excellent success in his business matters, and at the same time has gained the esteem of all his fellow citizens. He is an old soldier of the Civil war, and his record as a soldier is by no means the least honorable and interesting part of his career. In general, he has been successful in all his undertakings, and while he is now drawing toward the limit of his years on earth he is happy and contented with what he has accomplished for himself and his fellows and is able to enjoy the pleasant circumstances with which his past endeavors have surrounded him withal.
Mr. Coulter was born near Belfast, Ireland, September 13, 1835, a son of Martin and Margaret Coulter, who were born and died in Ireland. Of their nine children, three came to the United States, namely: John, who died in New England; William, who lives in Ohio; and Robert. Mr. Coulter was reared in Ireland, and did not come to the United States until he was twenty-one years old, in 1856. He was six weeks and three days on the voyage, and after landing he came to Ohio and was
engaged in different occupations until the war. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Portage county, Ohio, and was assigned to Company I, One Hundred and Fourth Ohio Infantry, under Captain Wells and Colonel Riley. The regiment was sent south and took part in some of the great battles of the armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee. He was under General Thomas at Chickamauga, and was then sent with the army under Thomas against Hood in Tennessee, taking part in the engagements culminating in the crucial battle of Nashville. He was then sent up the Ohio to Cincinnati, thence to Wheeling, West Virginia, and to Washington and from there by boat to Fort Fisher. After the capture of this stronghold he was sent into North Carolina, and at Greensboro was honorably discharged, June 17, 1865.
Following this creditable career as a soldier for his adopted land, Mr. Coulter returned to Portage county, Ohio, and remained there some time, then spent a year in Indiana, and in 1878 came to Gage county, Nebraska. He bought seven hundred acres of land, and since then his farm has received all the up-to-date improvements and accessories, in the manner of barns, windmills and machinery, so that it is conceded to be the best place in the township, and worth several times what Mr. Coulter originally gave for it.
In 1881 Mr. Coulter was married in Henderson county, Illinois, to Miss Martha Brooks, a lady of much intelligence and amiability, devoted to her family, and a valued member of society. She is a daughter of Sherrod and Mary Brooks, the former of whom was a native of New York and during the Civil war a soldier in Company C, Eighty-fourth Illinois Infantry, and the latter was born in Georgia. There were five children in the Brooks family: Frank, Eva, Manirva, Mrs. Martha Coulter and Garett. Mr. and Mrs. Coulter have two sons, William Russell, aged twenty-two, and Ralph D., aged nineteen, who are both energetic
young men of this county. William Russell is a member of Company C, Nebraska National Guard, has served three years and enlisted again for three more years. Mr. Coulter is a member of the local Grand Army post, and his wife is a member of the Women's Relief Corps No. 92.
© 1999, Lori L. Laird, NEGenWeb Project