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Charles Reeves (1820-1900)
Charles Reeves was born about 1820 as a slave in Holmdel, NJ. He was owned by David Williamson until he was freed at the age of twenty-five. He married Hannah Van Clief of Middletown, NJ when he was about 30 years old and working for Garrett D. Hendrickson. About a year after his marriage, he went to work at the Brookdale farm, which is present day Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. Charles then moved to Lincroft and worked for George W. Crawford of Nut Swamp for thirty years. Charles died at the age of eighty at home in Lincroft with his wife, his sister and ten children surviving him. His funeral was at Lincroft Chapel. |
John Major Coleman (about 1832-1909)
John Major Coleman was a civil war veteran who was born a slave in Richmond, VA between 1831 and 1833. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was living in Lexington, KY, where he enlisted in the 119th Colored Regiment of Kentucky. John participated in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. He was a member of the D. B. Birney Post No. 95 of the Grand Army. John married Eliza Holmes in November of 1870 in Colts Neck, NJ. John and Eliza settled in Scobeyville, NJ (present day Colts Neck). They had four children. John died in Red Bank, NJ and his funeral was held at Calvary Baptist Church. His headstone reads 'Mager' Coleman, which is an obvious misspelling of Major. |