Robert M. Coleman (1793 â July 1, 1837) was a Texan and later American politician, soldier, and aide-de-camp to Sam Houston. Coleman was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, a Colonel, and a transitional founder of the Republic of Texas into the United States as a constituent state. His opposition to the strategies of Sam Houston regarding defense of the Alamo and troop placements on up through the Battle of San Jacinto caused a rift with Houston and a posturing treatise. This lent suspicion to Coleman's death by drowning.
Coleman was appointed one of the first Texas Rangers. His outpost, Coleman's Fort, was later named Fort Colorado. Early writers on Coleman include Noah Smithwick, a contemporary frontiersman who was stationed at Coleman's Fort. Coleman is referenced in Smithwick's book Recollections of Old Texas Days.
On February 1, 1858, he became the posthumous namesake of Coleman County, Texas. This led to Coleman City, Coleman Lake, and many other features, places, businesses, and identifiers in Coleman County also bearing his name.
Coleman died in 1837 at Brazos River. He supposedly drowned, though there are suspicions of foul play.
Bibliography