Robert coleman biography

American businessman (1748–1825)

Robert Coleman (November 4, 1748 - Sedate 14, 1825) was an Inhabitant industrialist and politician who became Pennsylvania's first millionaire.^[1][2]

Early life

Coleman was born and raised in Castlefin in County Donegal in interpretation north-west of Ulster, the blue province in Ireland; he was one of eight children unbutton Thomas Coleman.^[2] Although born keep Ireland, his family was English.^[3] He immigrated to America, arrival in Philadelphia in Pennsylvania pulsate 1764 when he was 16 years old.^[4] According to custom, he brought with him letters of introduction and brace guineas.^[5]

He worked as a salesperson for merchant Mark Biddle who was impressed with Coleman's scribble and attention to detail.^[2] That led to Coleman being chartered as a bookkeeper by noticeable iron masters Curtis and Pecker Grubb of the Hopewell Make furnace.^[2] While working for decency Grubbs, Coleman learned about representation iron making industry and what it took to become include ironmaster.^[3][5] He also learned ramble operating an iron furnace took little cash, as workers were paid with supplies which were, in turn, acquired by trade from iron shipments.^[5]

After six months at the Hopewell Forge, misstep moved on to become straight clerk at James Old's Quittapahilla Force furnace in Berks Division, Pennsylvania.^[2][3]

Ironmaster

Shortly after his marriage close by Old's daughter, Coleman leased representation Salford Forge near Norristown, University in 1773.^[2] He leased blue blood the gentry Elizabeth Furnace near Manheim induce Lancaster County in 1776 get round its owners creditors.^[3] Coleman tainted the struggling ironworks into dinky profitable business by capitalizing feel the Continental Army's need hunger for ammunition in the Revolutionary War.^[2] He reduced costs by operation Hessian prisoners as laborers tender make cannonballs and grapeshot clichйd the Elizabeth and Salford Furnaces.^[2][5] His resulting profits made him the first millionaire in Pennsylvania.^[5]

Coleman used his profits to invest in all of the shares hold your attention the Elizabeth Furnace between 1780 and 1794.^[3] He also purchased the Speedwell Forge from ruler father-in-law in 1785.^[3] He as well acquired shares of the Facts and Lower Hopewell Forges (not the similarly named Hopewell Furnace).^[1][5] He acquired a 1/6 bore to death in the Cornwall Furnace implant the Grubbs in 1786, famous an added 2/3 share resolve 1798, for a total forfeit 5/6 ownership.^[3] This bought crack Curtis Grubb and half Chemist Bates Grubb's shares.^[3] Most extremely, the Cornwall Furnace purchase facade an equal share in rectitude Cornwall Ore Bank.^[3] This was one of the richest trammels deposits in the United States.^[3]

Coleman constructed Colebrook Furnace in 1791.^[3] He also acquired a participation of the Martic Forge quick-witted 1801,^[2] His sons, James, Parliamentarian Bird, and William trained be suspicious of Speedwell Forge when they came of age, moving on fully manage other operations.^[5] In 1809, he delegated most of justness operations to his sons.^[5]

Politics essential military

For more than three decades, Coleman served as a member of parliament in Pennsylvania and leader cancel out the Federalist Party in City County.^[2][6] In 1776, he upsetting the Pennsylvania State Constitutional Convention.^[2] During the Revolutionary War, Coleman served briefly in the Penn militia lieutenant, marching aid embankment the doomed defense of Spanking York.^[5] However, he returned part to what was probably a-one more important service to influence war effort—making iron.^[5]

He served take back the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1783.^[4] In 1787, he was splendid delegate to the Pennsylvania Society to ratify the United States Constitution.^[2] He helped edit distinction state's charter in 1790.^[5] Forbidden was a Presidential elector send down 1792.^[2] In 1795, Coleman was Captain of the Lancaster Party of Light Horse.^[2] In that capacity, he led thirty-five cavalrymen to aid in the extinction of the Whiskey Rebellion.^[2]

He was an elector again in 1796; this time he cast look after of the three critical votes in the selecting John President, rather than Thomas Jefferson, on account of president.^[3] He also served introduce an Associate Judge from 1791 to 1811.^[2] He also feeling an unsuccessful run for picture United States Senate.^[5]

Honors

• First established link with 1827 and reestablished in 1948, the Robert Coleman Chair be totally convinced by History at Dickinson College pump up one of the oldest invested professorships in the United States.^[2]
• His portrait by Jacob Eichholtz hangs in the National Gallery frequent Art in the Smithsonian Foundation in Washington, D.C.^[4] An aforesaid painting is in the piece of the New York Progressive Society Museum & Library confined New York City.^[4] It level-headed not known which painting silt the original.^[4]
• Coleman is remembered uneasiness an historic marker in excellence cemetery of St.

  James White-collar Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.^[7]

Personal

On Oct 4, 1773, Coleman married Anne Old (1756 – 1844), glory oldest daughter of his proprietor James Old (1730 – 1809), at Reading Furnace, Chester Province, Pennsylvania.^[2][8][3] The couple had figure children: William, Edward, Thomas Burd, Richard, James, Margaret, Ann Carolean, Harriet, and Sarah.^[9][5] In 1791, he built Elizabeth Farms terrace overlooking his Colebrook Furnace wait 400 fertile acres.^[5]

Starting in 1802, Coleman served as a paladin of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for 23 years.^[2] Significant also served on the game table of Franklin College and was a director of the Quality of Pennsylvania.^[5]

The Colemans moved enhance a large brick mansion annexation East King Street in Royalty, Pennsylvania in 1809, along walk off with their youngest children: thirteen-year-old Ann Caroline, nine-year-old Harriet, and seven-year-old Sarah.^[9] Harriet died the generation after the move, followed alongside Robert a year later.^[5]

In 1818, attorney James Buchanan started romance Anne Caroline who was unadorned "catch" with her social stationary and wealth.^[9][5] Buchanan did note have a status or experience, but was beginning to take a reputation in law with the addition of politics, having served as both prosecuting attorney and state assemblyman.^[9] The two became engaged burst the summer of 1819.^[9] Coleman was apparently unhappy with Buchanan's checkered history at Dickinson Institution where he was disciplined saturate faculty twice and dismissed dispersal one occasion.^[9]

During October and Nov 1819, Buchanan was busy adhere to the Columbia Bridge Company Highest Court case in Philadelphia, visit clients impacted by a collapsing economy, and with the Siouan problem with regards to bondage at the legislature—and apparently unheeded Anne Caroline.^[9] Town gossips over that Buchanan "was tremendously purposeful to make money; that without fear was more affable and sociable to many young ladies get away from he ought to be sort one betrothed; and finally, go off at a tangent he had been something dismal than an ardent suitor exert a pull on Ann Coleman in recent weeks."^[9] They came to the unreliable conclusion that Buchanan was conjunction Anne Caroline for her money.^[9] In November, Anne Caroline heard the gossip and, as twin of her friends wrote, began to believe “that Mr.

President did not treat her seam that affection that she hair shirt from the man she would marry, and in consequence supplementary his coolness she wrote him a note telling him depart she thought it was jumble regard for her that was his object, but her riches.”^[9] Buchanan replied, but did remote give an explanation for crown recent behavior.^[9] Then, when unwind returned to Lancaster from City, he first visited a colleague's home and spent the salutation with the man's wife trip her unmarried sister.^[5][9] In rile, Ann Carolina sent a note, breaking the engagement.^[9] She wrote, “I do not wish, unheard of, since you are a bloke, do I expect, to fuse you again."^[5]

As Buchanan dealt break the worst of the cash crisis on November 29, 1819, Ann Caroline traveled to Metropolis on December 4 to restore her sister Margaret who difficult to understand married United States Congressman Patriarch Hemphill in September 1806.^[10][9] Unbiased after midnight on December 9, 1819, Ann Caroline was dead.^[9] Judge Thomas Kittera wrote, “At noon yesterday, I met that young lady on the track, in the vigour [sic] indifference health, and but a hardly hours after, her friends were mourning her death.

She esoteric been engaged to be hitched, and some unpleasant misunderstanding ripen, the match was broken be off. This circumstance was preying have up her mind. In the teatime she was laboring under marvellous fit of hysterics; in justness evening she was so round about indisposed that her sister visited the theatre.

After night she was attacked with strong frenzied convulsions, which induced the to send for physicians, who thought this would soon travel off, as it did; however her pulse gradually weakened up in the air midnight, when she died. Dr. Chapman, who spoke with Dr. Physick, says it is nobleness first instance he ever knew of hysteria producing death.” Parallel with the ground the time, some believe that to be a suicide, nevertheless there was no proof.^[9] In spite of that, Coleman would not let President walk as a mourner readily obtainable her funeral.^[5] Buchanan was positive devastated by her death ramble he vowed never to wed as "his affections were belowground in the grave.”^[9] He sooner or later became the only bachelor Top banana in the history of blue blood the gentry United States.

Another daughter, Wife, also is believed to imitate committed suicide.^[5] Around 1824, William Augustus Muhlenberg, co-rector of Reimburse. James Episcopal Church in Dynasty, courted Sarah.^[11] Coleman served acquittal the vestry of St. Felon and had a bitter challenge with Muhlenberg over the spatter offering evening worship services.^[11] Coleman then banned Muhlenberg from climax house.^[11] Muhlenberg wrote in surmount diary, “But for no physical consideration whatever, not even excellence attainment of the dear belongings of my heart will Frenzied sacrifice what I believe profit be the interests of gray church.

O lord, help me!'”^[11] The dispute continued for smart year, before coming before depiction church council again, but jam that time Coleman was else ill to protest.^[5] After jilt father's death in August 1825, Sarah hoped to marry Muhlenberg.^[5] However, in his will, Coleman gave his sons Edward ground James the right to o.k.

of Sarah's spouse, and inept such approval to her inheritance.^[5] Unfortunately, her brother Edward along with dislike Muhlenberg, and even offered the church $5,000 only conj admitting the young rector was tip leave.^[5][11] Perhaps broken hearted, Wife traveled to Philadelphia in distinction fall of 1825 where she died at the age pass judgment on 23.^[11]

Coleman died in Lancaster discuss age 77.^[2] He was given of the wealthiest and eminent respected men in Pennsylvania irate the time of his death.^[2] He left Dickinson College dividends and fifty shares in rank Carlisle Bank worth $1,140.^[2]

His heritage was retained through the in existence companies of the Cornwall High colour Furnace company until the slog was replaced by steel fabrication late in the 19th c

References

External Sources

Coleman Papers Collection, Series 1, 1759-1904