William Higgins Coleman
Encyclopedia
William Higgins Coleman (died 1863) was an English botanist.
, where he graduated B. A. in 1836, M.A. in 1838, and was ordained deacon and priest by Kaye, bishop of Lincoln
, in 1840. In 1834 he was author, in conjunction with John William Colenso
(afterwards bishop of Natal), of Examples in Arithmetic and Algebra (Cambridge); and becoming a master at Christ's Hospital
, Hertford
, he was engaged from 1840 to 1847 with the Rev. R. H. Webb in preparing the Flora Hertfordiensis (London, 8vo, 1849). In 1847 he became assistant-master in the grammar school, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
, Leicestershire
. The Flora Hertfordiensis contains an "Introduction on the Physical Geography and Botanical Divisions of the County", by Coleman, written in 1846, which is the first case in which a county flora was distributed into river-basin districts; and appendices (1) on this system, embodying the substance of a paper "On the Geographical Distribution of British Plants" in the Phytologist (1848, iii. 217); and (2) on Œnanthe fluviatilis
, which he was the first to diagnose (English Botany Supplement, 2944, and Ann. Nat. Hist. v. 13, 188, t. 3). He also added Carex
boenninghauseniana, Weihe, to our British list in 1842 (Eng. Bot. Sup. 2910) and Rubus
colemanni was dedicated to him by the Rev. A. Bloxam. In 1851, in conjunction with Mr. Webb, he published a supplement to the Flora Hertfordiensis, and a second in 1859; and he also contributed notes upon mosses and flowering plants to the flora of the district surrounding Tutbury
and Burton-on-Trent, by Edwin Brown, in Sir Oswald Mosley
's Natural History of Tutbury, London, 1863. Having "been long engaged in minute and extensive researches ... for the purpose of illustrating the more striking and difficult of the poetical passages of the Old Testament," he published in the Journal of Biblical Literature
for July 1863 an elaborate paper on "The Eighteenth Chapter of Isaiah
", which was reprinted with others, after his death, under the title of "Biblical Papers; being Remains of the Rev. W. H. Coleman", London, 1864, 8vo. He died at Burton-on-Trent, 12 September 1863, and among his papers were found fragments of treatises on the Sinaitic inscriptions, and on the geology of the midland district
.
Life
Coleman was educated at St John's College, CambridgeSt John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, where he graduated B. A. in 1836, M.A. in 1838, and was ordained deacon and priest by Kaye, bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
, in 1840. In 1834 he was author, in conjunction with John William Colenso
John William Colenso
John William Colenso , first Anglican bishop of Natal, mathematician, theologian, Biblical scholar and social activist.-Biography:Colenso was born at St Austell, Cornwall, on 24 January 1814...
(afterwards bishop of Natal), of Examples in Arithmetic and Algebra (Cambridge); and becoming a master at Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
, he was engaged from 1840 to 1847 with the Rev. R. H. Webb in preparing the Flora Hertfordiensis (London, 8vo, 1849). In 1847 he became assistant-master in the grammar school, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. The Flora Hertfordiensis contains an "Introduction on the Physical Geography and Botanical Divisions of the County", by Coleman, written in 1846, which is the first case in which a county flora was distributed into river-basin districts; and appendices (1) on this system, embodying the substance of a paper "On the Geographical Distribution of British Plants" in the Phytologist (1848, iii. 217); and (2) on Œnanthe fluviatilis
Water dropwort
The water dropworts, Oenanthe , are a genus of plants in the family Apiaceae. Most of the species grow in damp ground, in marshes or in water....
, which he was the first to diagnose (English Botany Supplement, 2944, and Ann. Nat. Hist. v. 13, 188, t. 3). He also added Carex
Carex
Carex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as...
boenninghauseniana, Weihe, to our British list in 1842 (Eng. Bot. Sup. 2910) and Rubus
Rubus
Rubus is a large genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of these plants have woody stems with prickles like roses; spines, bristles, and gland-tipped hairs are...
colemanni was dedicated to him by the Rev. A. Bloxam. In 1851, in conjunction with Mr. Webb, he published a supplement to the Flora Hertfordiensis, and a second in 1859; and he also contributed notes upon mosses and flowering plants to the flora of the district surrounding Tutbury
Tutbury
Tutbury is a large village and civil parish of about 3,000 residents in the English county of Staffordshire.It is surrounded by the agricultural countryside of both Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The site has been inhabited for over 3000 years, with Iron Age defensive ditches encircling the main...
and Burton-on-Trent, by Edwin Brown, in Sir Oswald Mosley
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
's Natural History of Tutbury, London, 1863. Having "been long engaged in minute and extensive researches ... for the purpose of illustrating the more striking and difficult of the poetical passages of the Old Testament," he published in the Journal of Biblical Literature
Journal of Biblical Literature
The Journal of Biblical Literature is one of three theological journals published by the Society of Biblical Literature .First published in 1881, JBL is the flagship journal of the field...
for July 1863 an elaborate paper on "The Eighteenth Chapter of Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
", which was reprinted with others, after his death, under the title of "Biblical Papers; being Remains of the Rev. W. H. Coleman", London, 1864, 8vo. He died at Burton-on-Trent, 12 September 1863, and among his papers were found fragments of treatises on the Sinaitic inscriptions, and on the geology of the midland district
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
.