Ursich Family: A country situated at the crossroads of Central Europe and the Mediterranean, geographically located in the northwestern part of the Balkan peninsula. Immigrants at a crossroads in a new county. The story of how Croatians came to be in America dates back as far as the 15th century, a time when Dubrovnik – known as Ragusa at the time – was renowned as one of the most powerful ports in the Adriatic.

Throughout the 19th century, Dalmatian settlers made their mark on the southern and western states. The first emigrations were caused by Turkish invasions, and those from the later periods came as a result of economical, social and political circumstances in which population of Croatia lived at the time.

Census records show that there was a large population of Croatian settlers living in Mobile, Alabama throughout the 1850s and 1860s. Given their geographical location, many of these settlers fought alongside the Confederates during the Civil War, forming entire units within the military outfit. There are a few Ursich relatives who use Kole as a last name or nickname. In Croatia, Kole is a relatively rare name and means “victory of the people” or charcoal.

We’re not sure who the Croatian ancestor and father of William Coles was. But, we are sure an immigrant with the last name of Ursich ‘Kole’ with roots in Croatia, is the father of William Coles.