Thomas Atlee Coleman

Thomas Atlee (Little Tom) Coleman, rancher, son of Margaretta Susan (Atlee) and Thomas Matthew (Big Tom) Coleman, was born on June 5, 1860, in Goliad, Texas, and educated at the universities of Tennessee and Virginia. His father and paternal grandfather, Youngs Levi Coleman, helped found the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company. His wife's father, John N. Keeran, moved to Texas in 1867 and became a prominent rancher in Victoria County. Coleman ranched in Dimmit, La Salle, Webb, and other counties. From his office in San Antonio he supervised a spread that included the towns of Carrizo Springs, Catarina, Encinal, Cotulla, Artesia Wells, and Asherton. In addition he purchased the 1.5 million-acre Milmo Ranch in Mexico, for which he paid $3.5 million.

Not only did Coleman bring improved conditions and breeds to the range, but he improved Bermuda onions and citrus fruit and contributed greatly to the conversion of the lower reaches of Texas into an agricultural area. He sold a substantial amount of land to farmers interested in truck farming. At one time he entered into a partnership with John M. Green and Joseph F. Green (no kin to each other) to lease the 224,000-acre Catarina Ranch from David Sinton. After Sinton's death in 1900 Joseph Green took over the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company as manager, and Coleman took Sinton's place on the board of directors, where he served until 1907. The company operated a ranch-supply store in Encinal named Green, Coleman, and Company. Coleman was also a large stockholder in Southwestern Casualty Insurance Company and general livestock agent for the International-Great Northern Railroad, as well as a member of Governor James E. Ferguson's personal staff.

Coleman married Birdie Keeran on June 16, 1886, and the couple had five children. Coleman was a member of Masonic organizations, the Elks, the Shriners, the San Antonio Country Club, the University Club, and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. He died on March 30, 1923, and was buried in San Antonio.

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University of Texas Press
Trail Drivers of Texas
1923

Thomas Atlee Coleman was born in Goliad County, Texas, in 1861. He spent his young manhood in trailing cattle to Montana and the Northwestern ranges. Owing to quarantine restrictions preventing the driving of cattle from South Texas to those ranges, Mr. Coleman secured ranch holdings on the line near the present location of Childress, where he wintered his cattle and then moved them north the following year. It is estimated that fully ten thousand cattle were trailed north annually on these drives.

At the present time Mr. Coleman is one of the most prominent stockmen in the state, controlling ranches in Dimmit and LaSalle Counties and other parts of the country. Some years ago he purchased the famous Milmo Ranch in the Republic of Mexico, containing more than a million acres, for which he paid $3,500,000. He is also prominent in the business and commercial circles of San Antonio, being identified with a number of enterprises in this city.

Thomas Coleman, #15768751, enlisted in the Texas Rangers as a SPECIAL RANGER on June 20, 1916 thru December 1917, attached to Co. C, stationed in Austin. He re-enlisted as a SPECIAL RANGER on February 7, 1918 thru January 14, 1919. In 1915 he was appointed lieutenant colonel in the Texas nationl Guard on Governor Ferguson's staff. In September 1917 was appointed Collector of Customs of the new San Antonio district. He was one of the biggest cattlemen in Texas.
By Nancy E. Brown

1. 46822811

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Married
At the Thompson House, in this city Wednesday morning, June 16 by Rev. A.W. Burroughs, Mr. Thomas A. Coleman of Aransas county, and Miss Birdie Keeran, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Keeran, of this county.The wedding was a quiet affair, witnessed by a few friends. Besides the groom's parents, a gay party came overland from Corpus Christi to add their many wishes for the happiness of the young couple. A few of Miss Keeran's most intimate friends here were also present to witness the ceremony and tender their congratulations. After the wedding, the party partook of an elegant breakfast prepared for the occasion by the genial host and hostess, the bride's parents. The newly married couple than bid their friends farewell and left by the early train for Fort Worth, were Mr. Coleman will be detained for a week or two on business. That arranged, they will proceed to Colorado, where they are to remain for the summer probably returning to Victoria some time in the early fall.

THE VICTORIA ADVOCATE (Victoria, Texas)June 26, 1886, page 1/2* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Oct 22 2021, 11:56:15 UTC

• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Apr 5 2022, 10:20:12 UTC