Pictorial and Genealogical Record
of Greene County, Missouri • 1893

Together with Bibliographies of Prominent Men of Other Portions of the State, Both Living and Dead


DR. THOMAS W. COLTRANE. Integrity, intelligence and system are qualities which will advance the interests of any man in any profession and will tend to the prosperity to which all aspire. Dr. Coltrane's life in the professional arena has been characterized by constancy of purpose, conscientiousness, undoubted ability and energy, and as a natural result his time is fully taken up with the duties of a profession which is the most arduous of any in the field of science. He was born in Guilford County, N. C., a son of Kelly and Mary Coltrane, who were also born in the Old North State, where their entire lives were spent, he dying in 1859 and she in 1891, both being earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Kelly Coltrane was one of several brothers and sisters. Dr. Coltrane was the eldest of eight children born to his parents, the names of the other members of the family being: Daniel B., a banker of Concord, N. C., served throughout the war in the Confederate army; John E., a captain in North Carolina Line Infantry, D. H. Hill's Corps, a farmer of North Carolina; Kelly G., also following that occupation in North Carolina; Abbie L., wife of A. R. Johnson. of Jefferson City, Mo.; Sarah G., wife of Joel J. Thom, who served through the war in North Carolina Cavalry, Stuart's Corps, of Neosho, Mo.; Leonora Isabelle (Mrs.. Marsh) of North Carolina; and Rola, now Mrs. Murray, of North Carolina. Dr. Coltrane was reared on a farm and attended the common schools, then he attended the Quaker high school at New Garden and then Trinity College, of North Carolina. He left home when quite young, and in 1859 came to Greene County, Mo., where be taught school until the bursting of the war cloud that had so long hovered over the country. In May, 1861, he entered the military service and with two short intervals served till the close of the Civil War. He was mustered out of the service as first lieutenant and adjutant in April, 1865, and after the war resumed the study of medicine which be had commenced prior to its opening, and in the latter part of 1865 and in 1866 he attended the St. Louis Medical College. In 1866 he began practicing at Walnut Grove, the following year on Grand Prairie, and since 1868 has been a resident of Cave Springs, where he has a large and paying practice. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Penn., session of 1869 and 1870. He graduated from the Missouri Medical College, of St. Louis, and is now one of the oldest physicians of the county. The doctor has some farming interests near Cave Springs, on which be raises a good grade of horses and cattle. In November, 1867, be took for his companion through life Lulu, daughter of Alfred and Lucina Staley, who were born in Randolph County, N. C., where they were also married. In 1846 they became residents of Clinton County, Mo., but a year later came to Greene County, and Mr. Staley was engaged in merchandising at Cave Springs until his death in 1853. He was a public-spirited man, active in all public measures, was a Jacksonian Democrat. His widow died in 1891. Mrs. Coltrane was born at Cave Springs, and is the mother of one son, Victor O., who is a graduate of Drury College, and is now taking a law course at Ann Arbor, Mich. Dr. Coltrane is a Democrat, but not a politician. He was a member of the Pension Examining Board, at Springfield, Mo., during President Cleveland's first term, and is a prominent Mason, being for some years W. M. of O'Sullivan Lodge, No. 7, at Walnut Grove, and District Deputy G. M. and District Deputy Grand Lecturer and later for some years he was W. M. of St. Nicholas Lodge A. F. & A. M., No. 435, at Cave Springs, but now moved to Willard, Mo. He and his wife belong to the Old School Presbyterian Church.

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