Mr. Anderson Nolan, friend and comrade of old and young, veteran of the Civil war and Bible student par excellent, died Saturday night at 9:30 o’clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A.P. Weathers on S. LaFayette street where he had been confined to bed since December. Mr. Nolan was 91 years old last November and one of the most respected old men in the county, a man of strong physical, mental and moral attainments who marched in the sixties at the head of Company E 50th regiment, Ranson’s brigade, carrying the colors of the Confederacy which he held aloft and never allowed to fall until a Yankee bullet wounded him in the thigh at the skirmish at Plymouth, this state.
Buried at Bethel
Mr. Nolan was buried Monday morning at 10 o’clock at Bethel Baptist church near Lawndale, where he held his church membership since 1858, when he was baptized by Rev Joe Suttle, a pioneer preacher of that day. His body was placed beside that of his wife Sara Nolan, who passed away in May 1917, a noble companion and spirit of the sixties. Mr. Nolan was born November 3rd, 1834, in the neighborhood of Cleveland Mills, where stood the first Schenck cotton factory. He was married to Sara Crowder May 20th, 1869. Shortly after their marriage, there was a call to colors and Mr. Nolan went away with the last volunteer company raised in Cleveland. A few years ago the four tall, stalwart specimens of manhood who marched at the head of their company were living: James C. Elliott, Spencer Crowder, Mike Crowder and A. Nolan, and this quartet attended a Confederate reunion in Shelby. With the passing of Mr. Nolan, the only survivor is James C. Elliott of the Polkville section from which territory these four men came. Another comrade, Squire Rufus Gardner of Beams Mill, smaller in stature but a devoted friend and companion, lies at the point of death at his home at the age of 89.
The funeral was conducted by Rev. John W. Suttle, assisted by Rev. Zene Wall and G.P. Abernethy, while the following grandsons, Flay Weathers, Ernest Gardner, Anderson Nolan Jr., Claude McCraw, Herman A. Beam, and Lee B. Weathers, served as pall bearers. The floral offering was a rich testimony of the high esteem in which Mr. Nolan was held by young and old alike.
Constant Bible Reader
After the war, Mr. Nolan lived near Lawndale where he farmed. He and his good wife reared three fine children, Octavia Weathers, wife of Mayor A.P. Weathers, J.B. Nolan, prominent real estate dealer of Shelby, and Florence, wife of Virgil Gardner, long experienced teacher of Beams Mill. One sister, Mrs. Joe Kistler of upper Cleveland is the last of his family surviving. When they broke up housekeeping at an advanced age, Mr. and Mrs. Nolan lived intermittently with their daughters. Eight years ago Mrs. Nolan died at Mrs. Gardner’s home and was buried at New Bethel where Mr. Nolan’s body was interred yesterday. They received most patient and tender care from all hands. Besides the three children, 17 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren survive.
Mr. Nolan was a man of powerful physique, strong religious convictions and alert mind. He loved to make and hold friends, and it was his joy to associate with them and partake of their fellowship. His recollection of the past was most vivid and while he talked much of the trying days of the sixties he enjoyed young people. His Bible was a daily companion and inspiration. Since the death of his wife, he has read the New Testament through eight times and never a day passed over his head without a daily Bible reading. No evil or unkind words were ever uttered; his sickness was without pain or complaint. In a vision before he died, he says he saw his venerable friend and companion, Preacher Irvin, who recently passed over the river to rest on the other shore and expressed a readiness to join him in spirit.
From the front page of The Cleveland Star, Shelby, N.C., Monday, March 8, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn97064509/1926-03-08/ed-1/seq-1/
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