Norman Jay Colman (May 16, 1827 – November 3, 1911) was a politician, attorney, educator,

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as p ...

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, and, for 18 days, the first

United States Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...

Louisville, Kentucky

Colman was born in

Richfield Springs, New York Richfield Springs is a village located in the Town of Richfield, on the north-central border of Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 1,264 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from local sulfur springs. Geography The vi ...

, to son of Nancy (Sprague) and Hamilton Coleman. He later moved to

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

to become an educator. While in Louisville, he took the time to attend law school and received a law degree from the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one o ...

Law School in 1849.

Greenville, Indiana

In 1850, Colman became the first principal in Greenville when the Floyd County Seminary opened in

Greenville, Indiana Greenville is an incorporated town in Floyd County, Indiana. The population was 595 at the 2010 census. Greenville is located in the greater Louisville metropolitan area. History Founding Greenville was platted in 1816 by Andrew Mundell and ...

. The school was funded by raising $2,000 with Greenville residents contributing an additional $800 to secure the school for their town. For this sum, it was possible to erect a large 2-story brick building on land donated by Isaac Redman. One of the trustees appointed to oversee the new school was

John Baptiste Ford Captain John Baptiste Ford (November 17, 1811 – May 1, 1903) was an American industrialist and founder of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, now known as PPG Industries, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Early life Born in a l ...

of Greenville who was a prominent resident and famous for his glass works. Colman served as Principal in Greenville for two years. In 1852, the Hoosier legislature approved the first laws establishing the public school system. This spelled the end of the older county seminaries for the new law provided that they be closed and their assets turned over to the new public school systems. Some 100 students had been attending the school paying tuition of $4 to $8 a semester and finding board and lodging in Greenville homes at $1 a week. The closing of the Seminary proved to be the end of Colman's teaching career. During Colman's time in Greenville, he met Clara Porter and married in 1851. Clara was the daughter of Daniel Porter who is best known for Porter's Public House in Greenville which was a notorious hotel, bar, and social spot. Together they had two children; Laura Kate Colman (1860) and Francis Porter Colman (1862).

Missouri

Colman then moved to

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, ostensibly to farm. He was elected as an Alderman for

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

city's 5th ward as a Whig in 1854 and 1855 In 1855 he founded the ''Valley Farmer'' newspaper. As a result of his publication, Colman became a prominent figure in Missouri farming circles, which set the path for a political career in the

Missouri House of Representatives The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 37,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections ...

. The publication of Colman's newspaper was interrupted by the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

, but three years after the war he founded the ''Colman's Rural World''. His political career continued, culminating with his election as the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Missouri from 1875 to 1877, as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

Commissioner of Agriculture

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

appointed Colman Commissioner of Agriculture in 1885. During his tenure he led a coalition of land-grant agricultural colleges in writing proposed legislation for the creation of agricultural experiment stations. Their lobbying efforts helped produce the Hatch Act in 1887.

1st Secretary of Agriculture

He also lobbied for the creation of the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

and served as its inaugural Secretary at the end of Cleveland's term, February 15, 1889 to March 6, 1889. However, his position was never confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

Retirement

He returned to

to run his newspaper. He also spent the next 20 years in state public service and in horse-breeding. He died on November 3, 1911 at age 84 from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

, and is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

Personal life

Colman married Clara Porter of

in 1851 and had two children, daughter Laura Kate Colman (1860), who was the second wife of John Fremont Hill, Governor of Maine and Francis Porter Colman (1862) After Clara's death he married his second wife, the former Catherine Wright in 1866 and had one child, daughter Clara Wright Colman (1876) whom he named after his deceased wife.1901 DAR Lineage book, Vol. 37, p. 114
Retrieved September 21, 2015. He was a member of the Freemasons.

References

*Grossman, Mark. ''Encyclopedia of the United States Cabinet. Vols. 1-3.'' (2000) . *Leonard, John W. (comp) ''The Books of St. Louisans'' St. Louis, MO: St. Louis Republic (1906) pp. 127–128. *Marquis, Albert N. (comp) ''Who's Who in America'' Chicago, IL: Marquis and co. vol. 6 (1910–1911) p. 399.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Colman, Norman Jay 1827 births 1911 deaths 19th-century American newspaper founders 19th-century American newspaper publishers (people) Cleveland administration cabinet members Editors of Missouri newspapers Members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen Lieutenant Governors of Missouri Missouri Democrats People from Richfield Springs, New York Politicians from St. Louis United States Secretaries of Agriculture University of Louisville alumni Burials at Bellefontaine Cemetery 19th-century American politicians