Ruth Barton Coleman

Ruth Barton Coleman Ommie Ruth Barton was born on March 22, 1913 on a small farm with a surrounding rural community called Poetry, outside of Terrell, Texas which is now part of the greater Dallas, Texas community. She attended the North Texas State Teachers College in Denton, Texas. While she was working in Louisiana for Western Union, she met and later married Marion Hull Coleman of Bremen, Ohio. Ruth and Marion Coleman were married for over 50 years and lived their life together in Austin, Texas. Marion Coleman died in 1987. Ruth moved to Marietta, Georgia in September of 2002 and lived there until her death on July 16, 2005. Ruth Coleman was a long time employee of the State of Texas, and after her retirement focused her efforts on genealogy doing countless hours of research on the Barton , Wilson, Graves, Abercrombie and Coleman family histories and was an active researcher for the Barton Historical Society. Ruth was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Ruth Barton Coleman was noted for her genealogy research and was the most important Barton researcher of the modern era" stated Terry Barton, President of the Barton Historical Society. "We lost a friend and colleague who simply cannot be replaced. For decades, Barton researchers across the southern and western US knew that Ms Coleman was the researcher to contact when they had a question. Many of the Barton Books published by the various Barton families in the southern and western USA pay tribute to Mrs. Coleman's research in their foreword and her name appears over and over as a citation. In 2001, at the 62nd meeting of the Barton family in Tigerville, SC, the Barton Historical Society named Ruth Barton Coleman their "Chief of Clan" as tribute for her many years of research and generous sharing of her materials and information." Mrs. Coleman started her research during her lunch breaks, as a young woman, when she would copy records related to her Barton family stored in the Texas archives. Soon, she became fascinated with learning her ancestry and spent countless hours doing research from Virginia to Texas. She was meticulous in her work and many researchers learned to be specific about what they really knew and what was still speculation. There was no quicker way to draw the ire of Mrs. Coleman than to take a shortcut or to make an assumption that wasn't accurately labeled or defined. Through the decades, she was in constant contact with other Barton researchers, building on their work, challenging it - when necessary, and adding to it when she could. She never did track down her own immigrant Barton ancestor - which was perhaps a part of the reason that she knew so much about every one else's Barton family. In her attempt to learn her own roots, she would puzzle out every Barton family who might have been her kin, always with careful documentation. This information was then willingly shared with those who asked for it. And, true to her focus, she very carefully made sure that her research materials were placed in the Barton Historical Society's archives for use by current and future researchers. "Countless Barton researchers will remember Ruth Coleman and will forever appreciate the work she has done" said Betty Barton Howard Pitman, President of the Tyger Bartons in South Carolina. Robert H Barton of Carmel Valley CA also paid tribute to his friend of many years, calling her "the most important Barton researcher in the south - as she knew every family". Ruth Coleman was preceded in death by her husband, Marion and her stepson, William Reed Coleman of Wimberley, Texas. She is survived by her daughter Sandra C. McCormick of Marietta, Georgia and by her grandchildren: Shanna M. Garcia of San Antonio, Texas, Noah K. McCormick of Marietta, Georgia, Lance D. Coleman of San Antonio, Texas, Phyllis A. Coleman of California and A. Reed Coleman of Wimberley, Texas, as well as 7 great grandchildren. Ruth is also survived by her nieces: Patricia Insko of Dallas, Texas, Martha Phillips of Lubbock, Texas, Jane Fowler of Lubbock, Texas, Ima Dee Daffern of Lamesa, Texas and Nephews John Barton of San Antonio, Texas, Larry Coleman of Alpharetta , Georgia and Keith Coleman of Phoenix, Arizona. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 20th at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The funeral service for Ruth Barton Coleman will be held at Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel in Austin, Texas on Thursday, July 21st at 2:00pm. Ruth will be buried beside her husband at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery. The family of Ruth Coleman wishes to acknowledge the assistance and gracious care by H.M. Patterson and Son Funeral Home of Marietta, Georgia. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com