History of Richfield Springs, (Otsego County) New York United States of America

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Norman Jay Colman, cabinet officer, was born near Richfield Springs, Otsego county, N.Y., May 16, 1827; son of Hamilton and Nancy (Sprague) Colman, and grandson of Samuel Colman. He was the son of a farmer and attended the district school and neighboring seminary, teaching school winters. In 1847 he removed to Kentucky, where he taught school, meanwhile attending the Louisville law school and graduating in 1849. He settled as a lawyer in New Albany, Ind., and became district attorney for the county in 1851. In 1852 he removed to St. Louis, where he purchased a country home and farm, established Colman's Rural World, and became a leader in agricultural movements in the west. During the civil war he was lieutenant-colonel in the 85th regiment of the enrolled Missouri militia, and in 1865 he was elected a member of the state assembly and became the leader of the Democratic party in the house. In 1868 he was the defeated candidate for lieutenant governor of the state. In 1874 he was elected lieutenant-governor by 50,000 majority and served, 1875-77. He organized and helped to sustain the principal agricultural associations of the state and some of national character, being president of the State horticultural society, of the State live stock breeders' association of the State board of agriculture and a trustee for fifteen years of the Missouri state university. He was president of the State press association for two years. On April 2, 1885, President Cleveland appointed him U.S. commissioner of agriculture and upon the passage of the bill to enlarge the powers and duties of the department of agriculture and to create an executive department to be known as the department of agriculture, approved by the President, Feb. 11, 1889, Mr. Colman was appointed secretary of agriculture the same day, and was instituted a member of the cabinet of President Cleveland. On the accession of Benjamin Harrison to the presidency, March 4, 1889, he resigned and was succeeded by Jeremiah McLain Rusk. He returned to his home in St. Louis, and continued the publication of his journal and the prosecution of his farming business. He received from the president of the republic of France, through its minister of agriculture, the cross of "Officier du Merite Agricole" accompanied by a gold medal and decoration of the order. His wife Kate (born Oct. 2, 1843, died in September, 1897) was the daughter of Capt. George Wright of Loutre Island, Montgomery county, Mo.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Richfield Springs, (Otsego County) New York

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