PETER COALBANK, father of
SAMUEL COALBANK, father of
WILLIAM J COLEBANK, father of
MARSHAL COLEBANK
Marshal Colebank was born December 2, 1863 to Pastor William J and Amelia Hayes
Colebank at Wheeling, West Virginia. Little Marshal was a toddler of 2 when his parents,
William J, age 31, and Amelia, 26, a few friends, neighbors and kin (including Amelia's
parents) began a 600-mile westward trek to Knox County, Missouri. They moved in 7 wagons
loaded full of their belongings, creaking and groaning as they rumbled slowly along. Horses
strained with all their might as they pulled the heavily loaded wagons up each hill and slope. At
ten miles per day it was a long journey of two months or more.
Marshal grew up on his parent's farm in Knox County near Cherry Box, Missouri in Shelby
County. Marshal married Ida A. Lapp December 2, 1879 on Marshal's 26th birthday at the
home of the bride's parents. Ida was 19. The ceremony was performed by the groom's father,
Pastor William J. Colebank. Ida was a local girl born March 3, 1860 to Pastor Christian and
Anne Brubaker Lapp in Freeport, Illinois. (Paul Colebank wrote, "Both of my grandfathers
served as ministers of the Cherry Box church. William J is listed in the county and church
records as bishop and later Christian Lapp served as elder.")
Marshall and Ida farmed in Knox County for 4 years. They then moved west to rural Farnum,
Nebraska in Frontier County, followed by Marshall's brothers and sisters until the entire clan
was residing on homesteads in Frontier and Hayes counties. Four years later Marshal and Ida
moved to a farm near Moorefield, Nebraska (also in Frontier County). In the 90s a drought
came along with grasshoppers. The clan began talking of moving again. In 1896 Marshal and
family moved to a farm in Newbre Township, 10 miles west of Brocket in North Dakota.
Marshal's son Paul wrote, "Brocket with its five big elevators is where we took 3000 bushels of
wheat to market one fall."
Marshal died August 27th, 1934 at 81 years of age while visiting his brothers Andrew, Elisha
and Samuel in Hixon, BC, Canada. His wife Ida then moved to El Cajon to live with her oldest
daughter Esther (near San Diego, California). Ida was a widow for 12 years. She died May 15,
1947 in El Cajon at the age of 87. She was buried in the Oakdale Cemetery in Glendora,
California, where her son Paul lived.*
* Reprinted with permission from "From Whence Came the Colebanks" by Warren Colebank,
copyright 1989, p. 233
The children of Marshal and Ida Lapp Colebank were:
Eva Marie Colebank - born January 30, 1881 in Cherry Box, Knox County, Missouri. She
married Edward George Spielvogel, a man of German heritage born in Wisconsin March 4,
1872 to Herman Spielvogel and Emma Arnholtz. They farmed in Clay and Grano Townships,
Renville County, North Dakota. Their children were Gladys Spielvogel, born in 1909, Ida
Spielvogel, born in 1910, George Spielvogel, born in 1913, Hazel Spielvogel, born in 1915, and
Mildred Spielvogel, born in 1919. Eva Marie died April 7, 1922 and Edward died December 6,
1949 in Alameda, California.
Esther Lee Colebank - born February 5, 1882 in Cherry Box, Knox County, Missouri. She
married William G. Conn, born in Indiana in January 23, 1874, in 1903. They lived in the village
of St. John and in Holmes Township in Rolette County, North Dakota. William was an
over-the-road salesman. Their children were Vachel (1903 - 1988), Betty (1904 - 1985) Forrest,
(1906 - 1944), Howard Silas (1908-1991), Lela E. (1917 - 1951), Arabella F. (1912 - 1988),
Lovina E., born about 1915, Eleanor Lillian (1915-2005), Genevieve S., born about 1919, and
Joseph Norman (1921-2000). Esther died November 10, 1971 at age 89 and William died July
19, 1946 in San Diego, California.
Noah Webster Colebank - born April 10, 1884 in Farnum, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
married Lena Ramey, a West Virginian born about 1897, and they farmed in Williston, North
Dakota (Round Prairie Township, Williams County). Their children were James M., born in
1916, Mabel E., born in 1918, Pansy W., born in 1920, William W., born in 1922, Ethel M., born
in 1925, Robert E., born in 1927, and Gene R., born in 1929. Noah died December 26, 1956 in
Williston. (See Noah Webster Colebank page)
Owen Langford Colebank - born February 21, 1886 in Farnum, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
married Ester Marie Wittkopp, a New Yorker born in 1885, and they farmed in Newbre
Township, Lawton, North Dakota. Their children were Lorina I or Lovene, born in 1909, and
Nelda T., born in 1918. Ester died January, 1976 and Owen died February 18, 1979 in Brocket,
North Dakota. They are buried in Devil's Lake, North Dakota. (See Owen Langford Colebank
page)
Fanny Colebank - born December 11, 1887 in Moorefield, Frontier County, Nebraska. She died
in infancy in June, 1888.
Anna Bell Colebank - born May 6, 1889 in Moorefield, Frontier County, Nebraska. She mar-
ried Norman O. Culp, born December 11, 1883 in Elkhart, Indiana to Henry and Catherine
Weber Culp, and they resided in Otero, La Junta, Colorado where Norman was a salesman in
a furniture store. He later became a mortician, and Anna Bell a bookkeeper and an assistant
in a doctor's office. Norman died on December 21, 1930 in La Junta. Anna Bell died December
2, 1964.
Paul Reuben Colebank - born February 4, 1891, in Moorefield, Frontier County, Nebraska. Paul
was a herdsman for Mesa Land and Stock Company in Levi _, New Mexico before he married
Evelyn Ruth Miller, (August 21, 1898, Nebraska) in Los Angeles, California. No children are
recorded for Paul and Evelyn. Paul died February 20, 1981 and Evelyn died November 19, 1996
in Los Angeles. They are buried in Oakdale Memorial Park, Glendora, Los Angeles County,
California. (See Paul Ruben Colebank page)
Sidney George Colebank -- born October 28, 1893 in Farnam, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
registered for the WWI draft in Brocket, North Dakota at age 24, declaring himself a farmer in
Newbre Township, Ramsey County, North Dakota but claimed himself exempt as a member of
the Brethren Church. He was still single at age 33. He married Floyce Ogburn. He died April
12, 1958 in Glendora, Los Angeles County, California.
Isaac Newton Colebank - born April 1, 1895 in Farnan, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
registered for the WWI draft in Brocket, North Dakota at age 22 and declared himself exempt as
a member of the Brethren Church. He too was farming in Newbre Township at the time and
remained single until at least age 32. He married Lovetta Sanborn. He was nicknamed "Colby".
He died November 17, 1970 in Long Beach, California. He is buried in Oakdale Memorial Park,
Glendora, Los Angeles County, California. Isaac is featured in a memorial to Vesta Virginia
Ratliff Bowman on the "Find A Grave" website at
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=sh&GRid=10198900
SAMUEL COALBANK, father of
WILLIAM J COLEBANK, father of
MARSHAL COLEBANK
Marshal Colebank was born December 2, 1863 to Pastor William J and Amelia Hayes
Colebank at Wheeling, West Virginia. Little Marshal was a toddler of 2 when his parents,
William J, age 31, and Amelia, 26, a few friends, neighbors and kin (including Amelia's
parents) began a 600-mile westward trek to Knox County, Missouri. They moved in 7 wagons
loaded full of their belongings, creaking and groaning as they rumbled slowly along. Horses
strained with all their might as they pulled the heavily loaded wagons up each hill and slope. At
ten miles per day it was a long journey of two months or more.
Marshal grew up on his parent's farm in Knox County near Cherry Box, Missouri in Shelby
County. Marshal married Ida A. Lapp December 2, 1879 on Marshal's 26th birthday at the
home of the bride's parents. Ida was 19. The ceremony was performed by the groom's father,
Pastor William J. Colebank. Ida was a local girl born March 3, 1860 to Pastor Christian and
Anne Brubaker Lapp in Freeport, Illinois. (Paul Colebank wrote, "Both of my grandfathers
served as ministers of the Cherry Box church. William J is listed in the county and church
records as bishop and later Christian Lapp served as elder.")
Marshall and Ida farmed in Knox County for 4 years. They then moved west to rural Farnum,
Nebraska in Frontier County, followed by Marshall's brothers and sisters until the entire clan
was residing on homesteads in Frontier and Hayes counties. Four years later Marshal and Ida
moved to a farm near Moorefield, Nebraska (also in Frontier County). In the 90s a drought
came along with grasshoppers. The clan began talking of moving again. In 1896 Marshal and
family moved to a farm in Newbre Township, 10 miles west of Brocket in North Dakota.
Marshal's son Paul wrote, "Brocket with its five big elevators is where we took 3000 bushels of
wheat to market one fall."
Marshal died August 27th, 1934 at 81 years of age while visiting his brothers Andrew, Elisha
and Samuel in Hixon, BC, Canada. His wife Ida then moved to El Cajon to live with her oldest
daughter Esther (near San Diego, California). Ida was a widow for 12 years. She died May 15,
1947 in El Cajon at the age of 87. She was buried in the Oakdale Cemetery in Glendora,
California, where her son Paul lived.*
* Reprinted with permission from "From Whence Came the Colebanks" by Warren Colebank,
copyright 1989, p. 233
The children of Marshal and Ida Lapp Colebank were:
Eva Marie Colebank - born January 30, 1881 in Cherry Box, Knox County, Missouri. She
married Edward George Spielvogel, a man of German heritage born in Wisconsin March 4,
1872 to Herman Spielvogel and Emma Arnholtz. They farmed in Clay and Grano Townships,
Renville County, North Dakota. Their children were Gladys Spielvogel, born in 1909, Ida
Spielvogel, born in 1910, George Spielvogel, born in 1913, Hazel Spielvogel, born in 1915, and
Mildred Spielvogel, born in 1919. Eva Marie died April 7, 1922 and Edward died December 6,
1949 in Alameda, California.
Esther Lee Colebank - born February 5, 1882 in Cherry Box, Knox County, Missouri. She
married William G. Conn, born in Indiana in January 23, 1874, in 1903. They lived in the village
of St. John and in Holmes Township in Rolette County, North Dakota. William was an
over-the-road salesman. Their children were Vachel (1903 - 1988), Betty (1904 - 1985) Forrest,
(1906 - 1944), Howard Silas (1908-1991), Lela E. (1917 - 1951), Arabella F. (1912 - 1988),
Lovina E., born about 1915, Eleanor Lillian (1915-2005), Genevieve S., born about 1919, and
Joseph Norman (1921-2000). Esther died November 10, 1971 at age 89 and William died July
19, 1946 in San Diego, California.
Noah Webster Colebank - born April 10, 1884 in Farnum, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
married Lena Ramey, a West Virginian born about 1897, and they farmed in Williston, North
Dakota (Round Prairie Township, Williams County). Their children were James M., born in
1916, Mabel E., born in 1918, Pansy W., born in 1920, William W., born in 1922, Ethel M., born
in 1925, Robert E., born in 1927, and Gene R., born in 1929. Noah died December 26, 1956 in
Williston. (See Noah Webster Colebank page)
Owen Langford Colebank - born February 21, 1886 in Farnum, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
married Ester Marie Wittkopp, a New Yorker born in 1885, and they farmed in Newbre
Township, Lawton, North Dakota. Their children were Lorina I or Lovene, born in 1909, and
Nelda T., born in 1918. Ester died January, 1976 and Owen died February 18, 1979 in Brocket,
North Dakota. They are buried in Devil's Lake, North Dakota. (See Owen Langford Colebank
page)
Fanny Colebank - born December 11, 1887 in Moorefield, Frontier County, Nebraska. She died
in infancy in June, 1888.
Anna Bell Colebank - born May 6, 1889 in Moorefield, Frontier County, Nebraska. She mar-
ried Norman O. Culp, born December 11, 1883 in Elkhart, Indiana to Henry and Catherine
Weber Culp, and they resided in Otero, La Junta, Colorado where Norman was a salesman in
a furniture store. He later became a mortician, and Anna Bell a bookkeeper and an assistant
in a doctor's office. Norman died on December 21, 1930 in La Junta. Anna Bell died December
2, 1964.
Paul Reuben Colebank - born February 4, 1891, in Moorefield, Frontier County, Nebraska. Paul
was a herdsman for Mesa Land and Stock Company in Levi _, New Mexico before he married
Evelyn Ruth Miller, (August 21, 1898, Nebraska) in Los Angeles, California. No children are
recorded for Paul and Evelyn. Paul died February 20, 1981 and Evelyn died November 19, 1996
in Los Angeles. They are buried in Oakdale Memorial Park, Glendora, Los Angeles County,
California. (See Paul Ruben Colebank page)
Sidney George Colebank -- born October 28, 1893 in Farnam, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
registered for the WWI draft in Brocket, North Dakota at age 24, declaring himself a farmer in
Newbre Township, Ramsey County, North Dakota but claimed himself exempt as a member of
the Brethren Church. He was still single at age 33. He married Floyce Ogburn. He died April
12, 1958 in Glendora, Los Angeles County, California.
Isaac Newton Colebank - born April 1, 1895 in Farnan, Frontier County, Nebraska. He
registered for the WWI draft in Brocket, North Dakota at age 22 and declared himself exempt as
a member of the Brethren Church. He too was farming in Newbre Township at the time and
remained single until at least age 32. He married Lovetta Sanborn. He was nicknamed "Colby".
He died November 17, 1970 in Long Beach, California. He is buried in Oakdale Memorial Park,
Glendora, Los Angeles County, California. Isaac is featured in a memorial to Vesta Virginia
Ratliff Bowman on the "Find A Grave" website at
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=sh&GRid=10198900
MARSHAL
COLEBANK
COLEBANK
| OBITUARY OF IDA LAPP COLEBANK Colebank, Ida A., daughter of Christian and Anna Brubaker Lapp, was born at Freeport, Ill., March 3, 1860, and died at the home of her daughter in El Cahon, Calif., May 15, 1947. She was married to Marshall Colebank, and to this union were born nine children, one of whom died in infancy. She united with the Church of the Brethren when a young girl. Her husband preceded her in death in 1937. Funeral services were held in the Glendora church by Bro. Norman Baugher and the undersigned, and burial was in the Oakdale cemetery near Glendora, Calif.—Galen K. Walker, Glendora, Calif. The Gospel Messenger, Vol. 96, No. 25, June 21, 1947, p. 29. Note: Cahon in original should be Cajon; “1937” as printed. Obituary courtesy of A. Wayne Webb, historian for the German Baptist Brethren church |
| OBITUARY OF MARSHAL COLEBANK Colebank, Marshall, born at Wheeling, W. Va., Dec 2, 1853, died at Woodpecker, B. C., Canada, Aug. 27, 1934. In early manhood he united with the Church of the Brethren which faith he retained to the end. Dec. 2, 1879, he married Ida A. Lapp of Shelby County, Mo. To this union nine children were born. Surviving are two sisters, two brothers, his wife, two daughters and five sons. He was laid to rest by the side of a brother in the little cemetery at Woodpecker, and a memorial service was conducted at Brocket, N. Dak., by Eld. John Deal and the writer.—Ralph R. Petry, Rock Lake, N. Dak. The Gospel Messenger, Vol. 83, No. 38, September 22, 1934, p. 31. Obituary courtesy of A. Wayne Webb, historian for the German Baptist Brethren church |
Esther Lee Colebank Conn
| Will and Esther Colebank Conn's wedding photo from 1901. |