My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM NOLEN, an old settler of the Purchase, was born in McConnellstown, Penn., December 25, 1815. He is the fourth child, and the only one now living of four boys and one girl, born to George and Nancy (Harden) Nolen, natives of Virginia and Maryland, respectively. The grandparents of our subject were William Nolen, of Irish descent, a Revolutionary soldier, and William Harden, of English descent. The father of our subject was a soldier in the war of 1812, was wounded in the battle of Lundy’s Lane, and was a potter by trade. In 1822, William Nolen was brought, by his parents, to Louisville, Ky., where he learned the tinner’s trade, in January, 1834, he went to New Orleans, where he worked at his trade two years; thence to Paducah, Ky., where he opened a shop of his own, and carried on the business until 1868. In 1857 he opened a hardware store. After 1868 he worked in Cairo, Ill.; thence he came to Fulton, Ky., in the year 1873, where he worked for W. L. Ellison & Co. Later he and son formed a partnership, when he moved his family to Fulton. In the year 1880 he opened a shop of his own in Fulton, where he still carries on the business. Mr. Nolen has honorably filled the position of chairman of the board of trustees of Paducah, and frequently has been chosen councilman. He was appointed surveyor of the port of Paducah by Pres. Pierce. He is a member in good standing of the I. O. O. F. He was married to Huldah A. Becker, of Paducah, August 15, 1836. She is a native of Huntsville, Ala., and a daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Hagie) Becker, of German descent. Her grandfather Hagie came to the United States with Gen. La Fayette. During the Revolution he was one of La Fayette’s body guards. After the war Mr. Hagie remained in the United States, and on Gen. La Fayette’s visit to the States in 1824, visited his old commander at Nashville, Tenn. To Mr. and Mrs. Nolen were born nine children, viz.: Catherine, (now Glass), Isaac (deceased), Mary J. (now Phillips), W. P., Joseph (deceased), Nannie (deceased), Robert I., Lillie (now Adams), Anna A. (now Hughes). Mrs. Nolen is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.