Samuel Colebank Jr was born in the month of May in 1830 to
Samuel and Elizabeth Everly Coalbank in Monongalia County,
West Virginia. Samuel Jr grew up in Monongalia County. When
he was sixteen years old he moved with his parents to the
Sandy Creek Valley in Barbour County, West Virginia. Sandy
Creek forms the boundary between Barbour and Preston
Counties.
When Samuel Jr was only 18 his father died and it fell upon
him to work the family farm. In the 1850 census of District 5,
Barbour County, we find his mom Elizabeth, 55, listed as head
of the family.  His sister Malinda and brothers William J and
Jesse are in the household and Samuel  Jr is listed as the
farmer.
Samuel married Hannah Stewart. Hannah was born in West
Virginia on April 3, 1832. Samuel was 20 and Hannah 18 when
they married. Their first two children died in infancy. Their third
child, Mary J (Molly) was born in their fourth year of marriage. In
the 1860 census of District 5 we find Samuel listed as head of
household. Also listed in the household are his wife Hannah,
daughter Mary J and his mother Elizabeth who is  now 65 years
of age. Samuel, Hannah and Elizabeth are listed as being of
the Dunkard faith. Samuel Jr's brother William J Colebank
became a Dunkard minister. Samuel was a farmer all his life.
The Sandy Creek community where he farmed came to be
known as "Colebank."
 Hannah died on December 20, 1902 at the age of 70. Samuel
then married Margaret (Martha) Kieser. Samuel Colebank Jr
died in 1917. He lived to be 86, a long life in those days.
Samuel and Hannah are buried side by side in the old
Dunkard Church yard (Now Church of the Brethren) called the
Shiloh Cemetery in Cove District, Barbour County, West
Virginia.

The children of Samuel Jr and Hannah Stewart Colebank were:

Elizabeth Colebank - born December 19, 1850 in Barbour
County, West Virginia. She only survived two months. She is
buried in Shiloh Cemetery, Cove District, Barbour County, West
Virginia.

Daughter Colebank - born July 8, 1852 in Barbour County,
West Virginia. She lived only one day. She too is buried in
Shiloh Cemetery.

Mary (Molly) Jane Colebank - born February 25, 1854 in
Barbour County, West Virginia. She married Zachariah
Nathaniel Lindsey (June 18, 1845 to Peter Isaac Heister
Lindsey and Rachel Stark).  Molly died February 3, 1953. (See
Mary Jane Colebank Lindsey page)
Samuel Colebank / Margaret Kieser Marriage
Record (click to enlarge)
Samuel Colebank Death Certificate
PETER COLEBANK, father of
SAMUEL COLEBANK, father of

SAMUEL COLEBANK JR.
SAMUEL
COLEBANK JR.
Mary Jane Colebank Lindsay Death Record
Hannah's grave in Shiloh Cemetery
Samuel Colebank Jr. Death Certificate
Samuel Colebank Jr. (in
front with beard) with his
Sunday School class at
Berea Methodist Church.
"Pappy Sam" Colebank
                     "PAPPY SAM"  

Samuel Colebank, Jr., "Pappy Sam", was a
kind and gentle man who was very fond of
children and his animals, as evidenced in the
photos of him with his horse and him holding
his pet dog. However, according to his
grandson and my father, Dallas Wolfe, Sam
had an explosive temper which caused him to
nearly kill a neighbor who stole and cooked
Sam's pet goose. His descendants are ever
watchful for that same trait and some actually
do display that trait. It is said, "that's the Pappy
Sam in him/her".

Another story was that Pappy Sam had a
dispute with another member of the church at
Shiloh (where he is buried). Pappy and the
other individual would pray loud and
elaborate prayers for each other during
church services. I think the other person
finally prevailed in the contest, because of his
ability to say a good prayer. Pappy Sam
eventually was dismissed from membership
in the Shiloh Church, but he was buried in the
front corner of the cemetery next to the church.
I never knew him but he is one of my favorite
ancestors.
-- Great-granddaughter Diane Wolfe Johnson
on http://www.ancestry.com
The Wolfe mill at Colebank, West Virginia
All photos on this page are courtesy of Diane Wolfe Johnson