John Coleman (1761-1845) was born in 1761 in New York City. In the spring of 1776, at the age of 15, he enlisted in a company of Rangers under Captain Fundy and Colonel Livingston. During his ranger service Coleman was stationed at Fort Edwards and Fort Anne. In March of 1777, Coleman re-enlisted for nine months in Captain William's Company of Colonel Graham's Regiment of the New York Line, then stationed at Fort Edwards. Coleman saw action as he scouted against the Tories in Burgoyne's Campaign. At the expiration of his enlistment with the New York Line, Coleman re-enlisted in the Rangers serving in Captain Hauper's Company of Rangers. He engaged in scouting work against the Tories and Indians in up-state New York. Coleman was stationed at Fort George (formerly Fort William Henry) when the post fell on October 11, 1780, to a mixed force of Tories and Indians. Coleman, by then a sergeant, managed to escape and later related, "I was followed by Indians for several miles but being a swift runner, I escaped." Coleman earned a pension for his service.

After the Revolutionary War, John Coleman lived in New York and Ohio, later moving to Wisconsin. Coleman died at the age of 84 in Kenosha on March 12, 1845. The exact location of his burial place is unknown. It is speculated that Coleman is buried in an unmarked grave in the Green Ridge Cemetery of Kenosha. It was the cemetery used by residents of the Town of Southport, where he died. However, Green Ridge cemetery officials have failed to locate any unmarked grave. An "In Memory Of" bronze government marker has been placed on the grounds of the Green Ridge in tribute to John Coleman. Coleman's marker is in the "Potter's Field" section of the cemetery, not far from Jonathan Elkins' grave.

GPS location -- N42.57320°; W087.82182°

(Portions reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)