Biographies:  Frank L. COLEMAN, Brill, Barron Co., WI 

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Frank L. Coleman,  a prominent resident of Brill village, prosperous farmer 
of Oak Grove Township, and widely known as an expert in intensive potato
growing, was born in Waushara County, this state, Aug. 12, 1866, son of Henry 
and Helen (Boyngton) Coleman, natives respectively of Michigan and Vermont, 
who settled in Waushara County in an early day, where the father engaged in
lumbering and farming until his death in 1891, the mother having died in 1883.
Frank L. secured what education he could as a boy, and has built on that
foundation by wide reading and close observation. He learned farming from his 
father and also worked ten winters at lumbering in the woods and on drives, 
including six years steady chopping summer and winter on railroad land. 
Before he was of age he started out for himself in agriculture in Juneau 
County, this state. He came to Barron County in 1891 and purchased a farm in 
Section 1, Oak Grove Township, nearly on the Washburn County line. The tract 
was then heavily timbered. He cleared a small space, erected a log cabin and 
straw sheds, and lived in the cabin while he cleared and grubbed the land. In 
time he developed a good place with an excellent set of buildings, good 
fences and equipment, and good stock. In building up this place he became 
one of the substantial and representative men of the township.  For some 
years he has specialized in raising high grade potatoes. Few people have 
equalled his record as an intensive grower, as in 1914 his crop averaged 425 
bushels to the acre, and other years the record has been nearly as good. His 
soil is good and he attributes his unusual success in potato growing to the 
excellence of the soil, the suitability of the weather, care in selecting 
seed potatoes, and attention to detail in every stage of the game
from planting to storing.  He still operates the farm, but in 1916 purchased 
a pleasant home in the village where he and his family now live. Frank L.
Coleman was married April 29, 1886, to Carrie E. St. Clair, who was born in
Juneau County, this state, Sept. 29, 1869, daughter of Charles and Caroline
(Dane) St. Clair,  natives respectively of Pennsylvania and New York, who, 
in the early days, settled in Juneau County where he died Oct. 12, 1907, and 
where she is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Coleman have had five children: 
Angie E., Lillian E., Harry  L., Bessie  H. and Eva M. Angie E. was born 
March 1, 1887, married Harry Coleman,  of  Brill, proprietor of the Brill 
garage, and has four children: Nina E., Grace B., Effie H. and Arnold W. 
Lillian E. was born Sept. 20, 1888, married Louis Olsen, of Campia, and has 
one child, Evelyn M. Harry L. was born June 13, 1890, and lives in Wallace, 
Mich. He married Anna Nygren, and they have four children:  Vivian M., 
Margaret T., Norman F. and Wilma L. Bessie H., born Sept. 12, 1895, died Dec. 
21, 1910. Eva M. was born Aug. 21, 1898, and is living at home with her 
parents.

--Taken from History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.,
Minneapolis, Minn., March 1, 1922, pg. 288