Source: History of Boone County, Indiana, by Hon. L.M. Crist, 1914.

GEORGE COULSON Since he came to Boone county, over a half century ago, the
gentleman of whom this sketch is penned, has been a witness of very important changes
in this vicinity, and his reminiscences of the early days here are most interesting and
entertaining to a listener. But change is constant and general, generations constantly
rising and passing unnoted away. Clearly it is the duty of posterity as well as a present
gratification to place upon the printed page a true record of the lives of those who have
preceded us on the stage of action and left to their descendants the memory of their
struggles and achievements. The years of our honored subject are a part of the
indissoluble chain which links the annals of the past to those of the latter-day progress
and prosperity, and the history of Boone county would not be complete without due
reference to the long, useful and successful life Mr. Coulson has lived, having been
adequately rewarded as an earnest, courageous man of affairs. Generous and big hearted,
kindly in disposition, he has never lacked for friends and many of them will peruse his
life record written here with deep interest.

George Coulson, veteran of the Civil war, for nearly a half century a druggist and for
thirty-eight years agent of the American Express Company at Thorntown, was born in
Fairfield county, Ohio, September 30, 1838. He is a son of Jonathan E. and Elizabeth
(Spangler) Coulson, both natives of Pennsylvania, from which state they came to Ohio
when young and were married there. The father was a carpenter by trade and became a
well known builder and contractor of buildings, aqueducts, locks, coffins, etc. In 1857, he
sold his property in Ohio and he and his nine children, six girls and three boys, all
separated, and George of this review went on horseback to Macon, Illinois, and worked
on a farm a few months, then joined his father at Thorntown and here attended the
academy two years and when the Civil war came on he was one of the first to prove his
patriotism, enlisting in April, 1861, at LaFayette, Indiana, in Company A, Tenth Indiana
Volunteer Infantry, and was sent to West Virginia and took part in the battle of Rich
Mountain. Having entered the one hundred day service he was discharged in that state in
August, 1861, after which he returned home. In April, 1865, he re-enlisted in Company
B, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry and was appointed sergeant-
major and sent to the army in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia. He was discharged the
following August. He was a faithful and courageous soldier for the Union. Returning to
Thorntown he clerked in a drug store two years, then served as deputy postmaster under
Israel Curry for two years, later started in the drug business in partnership with Dr. O. P.
Mahan, which continued three years. Later he sold out to his partner and with his brother,
William Coulson, started a drug store here which they conducted four years when our
subject bought his brother's interest and has since conducted the business alone, having
built up a large and ever-growing trade with the surrounding country and carrying a
complete and well-selected stock of standard drugs and drug sundries and having ever
dealt fairly and courteously with his many patrons, many of them have remained with
him from the first. In 1876 he was appointed local agent of the American Express
Company, which agency he has held to the present time, maintaining the office of the
same in a part of his store building. His long retention would indicate that he has given
the utmost satisfaction to the company.

Mr. Coulson was married December 19, 1872, to Alice E. Millikan, a native of
Thorntown, where she was reared and educated. She is a daughter of Allen and Elizabeth
(Gapen) Millikan, which well known and highly respected old family is mentioned on
another page of this work.

To Mr. and Mrs. Coulson the following children have been born: Ernest and Harry, twins,
both died in infancy; Edith is the wife of W. A. Flannigan, of Champaign, Illinois; Earl
G. lives in Polson, Montana.

Politically Mr. Coulson is a Republican but he has never been very active in political
matters. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order at Thorntown and the Chapter and
Commandery at Lebanon. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.

COULSON CURRY FLANNIGAN GAPEN MAHAN MILLIKAN SPANGLER

Submitted by Amy K Davis