Norman Jay Coleman

Norman Jay Coleman
1st United States Secretary of Agriculture
In office February 15, 1889 – March 6, 1889
Preceded by	(none)
Succeeded by	Jeremiah M. Rusk
Personal details
Born	(1827-05-16)May 16, 1827 Richfield Springs, New York, U.S.
Died	November 3, 1911(1911-11-03) (aged 84) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Louisville
Profession	Politician, Publisher

Norman Jay Coleman (May 16, 1827 – November 3, 1911)^[1] was a newspaper publisher and the first United States Secretary of Agriculture.

Coleman was born in Richfield Springs, New York in 1827 to Hamilton and Nancy Coleman.^[1] He received a law degree from the University of Louisville Law School in 1849.^[2] Coleman then moved to Missouri and went into farming. In 1855 he started the Valley Farmer newspaper. As a result of the newspaper, Coleman became an important person in the Missouri farming community, which helped him become a member of the Missouri House of Representatives. Coleman’s newspaper stopped due to the American Civil War, but three years after the war he started the Coleman’s Rural World. His career in politics continued when he was made the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri from 1875 to 1877.^[1] During that time he worked to make United States Department of Agriculture a cabinet-level department. Under the administration of President Grover Cleveland, he served as its first Secretary.^[3] His position as Secretary of Agriculture was never confirmed by the United States Senate.^[4]

He was a member of the Freemasons.^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "The Political Graveyard". Retrieved 2010-01-04.
2. ↑ "Miller Center". Archived from the original on 2010-03-26. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
3. ↑ "Mentalfloss". Archived from the original on 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
4. ↑ Grossman, 2