Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1080 - 1083

CHARLES F. COLEMAN. The real-estate interests of Wichita find a worthy representative in this gentleman. He is of English ancestry, his grandfather having been a native of England, and who, crossing the Atlantic early in life, settled in New York State during the early part of this century. He served thereafter as a soldier in the Mexican War, and when the conflict was ended took up his abode in Allen County, Ind. Here he married and reared his family, among his sons being William, the father of our subject. The latter married Miss Lucinda Sturm, and they became the parents of six children, namely: Franklin, William, Matthew, Edwin, Alice and Charles F. The latter was born in Allen County, Ind., April 17, 1849, and was reared under the parental roof, receiving a common-school education; he was but a lad of twelve years at the outbreak of the late war, and recalls the fact that his father enlisted as a Union soldier shortly after the first call for troops, went with his regiment to the front as member of an Indiana regiment of infantry, and in February, 1862, died from the effects of exposure at Nashville, Tenn., when but forty-four years of age. The mother spent her last years in Allen County, Ind., though her death took place at Windsor, Mo.

            Our subject continued a resident of Indiana until 1876. In the meantime, July 4, 1872, he was married to Miss Alice Downs, who is a native of Champaign County, Ohio, and was born March 1, 1854. Mrs. Coleman is the daughter of Aaron and Mary C. (Bowers) Downs, who were natives of Ohio and Virginia respectively. The father is dead. Mrs. Coleman's mother is a resident of Wichita. Of her union with our subject there have been born three children - Charles H., Dora B. and John W. Upon his removal from his native State Mr. Coleman came to Southern Kansas and settled on a farm in Illinois Township, this county, where he carried on agriculture until January, 1886. He had been greatly prospered, accumulating a snug sum of money, and now purchased real estate in Wichita. Since that time he has been buying and selling, a business which has been very profitable to himself and satisfactory to those with whom he has dealt. He put up a fine residence at the corner of University and Seneca streets and has built three other houses in West Wichita. He owns thirteen lots on University avenue, and has by his energy and public-spirited liberality contributed greatly to the growth of the West Side. In company with R. E. Lawrence and D. M. Kirkbride, he has been largely instrumental in the building up of this beautiful avenue. Mr. Coleman has taken great pride in planting trees, placing these along the entire front of two blocks. He has in his mind's eye as a model of what a residence street should be, Euclid avenue, of Cleveland, Ohio, and it is his ambition to emulate that beautiful thoroughfare.

            Mr. Coleman, politically, is an uncompromising Democrat, and has held various township offices. Besides his city property he owns the farm of 160 acres of land in Delano Township, which comprises a beautiful and valuable tract of land, with splendid buildings, and which is supplied with the most modern and approved machinery, including a windmill, by which means water is carried wherever required upon the farm. The farm is operated by a tenant, under the supervision of the proprietor, and is the source of a handsome income. To such men as Mr. Coleman is Southern Kansas indebted for her prosperity and the prospects which she holds out to the future. Among the many delightful residences illustrated in this volume is that of Mr. Coleman.

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