Robert M. Coleman (Texan politician)

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.

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 byMaj. William H. Smith
Alcalde (Mayor) of Mina
In office
elected 1834 – term tbd
Personal details
Born
(possibly) Robert Morris Coleman

1799
Kentucky, U.S.
DiedJuly 1, 1837(1837-07-01) (aged 37–38)
Brazos River at Velasco, Texas, U.S.
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Mexico as Landowner
Republic of Texas
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Army of the Republic of Texas
Years of serviceU.S. Army
Texian Army: 1835–36
RankU.S. Army: Corporal
Texian Army:Corporal
Battles/wars • Texas Revolutionary War
 • Battle of Concepción
 • Battle of San Jacinto

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

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Coleman died in 1837 at Brazos River. He supposedly drowned, though there are suspicions of foul play.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Coleman, Robert M." Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Smithwick, Noah (1900). Evolution of a state, or, Recollections of old Texas days. Houston Public Library. Austin, Tex. : Gammel Book Company, c1900.
  4. ^ "Colemantexas.org". www.colemantexas.org. Archived from the original on 6 August 2008. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  5. ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Coleman, TX". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  6. ^ 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

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