Robert M. Coleman (Texan politician)
![]() | This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: new page created to correct wiki links that were going to the wrong person. (April 2016) |
Robert M. Coleman | |
---|---|
Commanded a Texas Ranger division | |
In office 1836–1837 | |
1st Commanding Officer of Coleman's Fort | |
In office namesake and constructor 1836 – 1836/37 | |
Succeeded by | Maj. William H. Smith |
Alcalde (Mayor) of Mina | |
In office elected 1834 – term tbd | |
Personal details | |
Born | (possibly) Robert Morris Coleman 1799 Kentucky, U.S. |
Died | July 1, 1837 Brazos River at Velasco, Texas, U.S. | (aged 37–38)
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States Mexico as Landowner Republic of Texas |
Branch/service | United States Army Army of the Republic of Texas |
Years of service | U.S. Army Texian Army: 1835–36 |
Rank | U.S. Army: Corporal Texian Army:Corporal |
Battles/wars | • Texas Revolutionary War • Battle of Concepción • Battle of San Jacinto |
Robert M. Coleman (1793 – July 1, 1837) was a Texan and later American politician, soldier, and aide-de-camp to Sam Houston. Coleman was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, a Colonel, and a transitional founder of the Republic of Texas into the United States as a constituent state. His opposition to the strategies of Sam Houston regarding defense of the Alamo and troop placements on up through the Battle of San Jacinto caused a rift with Houston and a posturing treatise. This lent suspicion to Coleman's death by drowning.
Coleman was appointed one of the first Texas Rangers. His outpost, Coleman's Fort, was later named Fort Colorado.[1][2] Early writers on Coleman include Noah Smithwick, a contemporary frontiersman who was stationed at Coleman's Fort. Coleman is referenced in Smithwick's book Recollections of Old Texas Days.[3]
On February 1, 1858, he became the posthumous namesake of Coleman County, Texas. This led to Coleman City, Coleman Lake, and many other features, places, businesses, and identifiers in Coleman County also bearing his name.[4][unreliable source?][5]
Suspicious drowning
[edit]Coleman died in 1837 at Brazos River. He supposedly drowned, though there are suspicions of foul play.[6]
See also
[edit]- Coleman County, Texas
- Battle of Concepción
- Texas Declaration of Independence
- Constitution of the Republic of Texas
- Texas Revolution
- Texas Republic
- Timeline of the Republic of Texas
- Old Three Hundred land transfers
- Spain land grants and caretakers
References
[edit]- ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Coleman, Robert M." Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ Fort Colorado in the Handbook of Texas Online Handbook of Texas Online, Thomas W. Cutrer, "Fort Colorado," accessed April 30, 2016, https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qcf01. Last Known Retrieval April 30, 2016. Perhaps another example of contemporaries and historians diminishing his role in Texas History wherein Coleman's Fort is later called Fort Colorado and or Fort Houston.
- ^ Smithwick, Noah (1900). Evolution of a state, or, Recollections of old Texas days. Houston Public Library. Austin, Tex. : Gammel Book Company, c1900.
- ^ "Colemantexas.org". www.colemantexas.org. Archived from the original on 6 August 2008. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Coleman, TX". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ Robert Morris Coleman, Texas Patriot Online version of Sherrianne Coleman Nicol's writing found within lineal notes of pages maintained as Mobjack Bay Colemans, privately published on the website Ancestry dot com at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/g05robtmorris.htm Last Known Retrieval April 27, 2016.
Bibliography
- The Texas Revolution; Brinkley, William; Texas A&M Press: ISBN 0-87611-041-3.
- Sword of San Jacinto, Marshall DeBruhl; Random House: ISBN 0-394-57623-3.
- The Raven: A Biography of Sam Houston; James, Marquis; University of Texas Press: ISBN 0-292-77040-5.
- The Eagle and the Raven; Michener, James A.; State House Press: ISBN 0-938349-57-0.
External links
[edit]- Biography of Robert M. Coleman in the Texas Handbook Online published by the Texas State Historical Association.
- Fort Colorado historical marker of Texas Texas Historical Commission site database regarding Marker Number 14229, Atlas Number 5507014229
- Description of Fort Coleman aka Fort Colorado Texas State Historical Association handbook online article about Coleman's Fort.