Family History

In the spring of 1847, 26-year-old James Coleman, his wife Frances, and their infant daughter Anna left Iowa and set their sights west. Like so many families traveling the Oregon Trail, they carried little more than hope, grit, and a belief that hard work could build a better future.

They made it to the western edge of the Oregon Territory and became one of the first families to settle near the St. Paul Mission. It wasn’t long before the plow met the soil. What began as survival quickly became stewardship, a commitment to care for the land and provide for the generations to come.

In 1862, James purchased 900 acres just south of St. Paul. For the next 30 years, he farmed that ground and raised 11 children. By the fourth generation, Robert (R.T.) and Martha Coleman were the latest caretakers of the land. They were active hop growers while raising eight children of their own. The house they resided in still stands on Mahony Road, across from the Homeplace Farm. It is a quiet reminder that this story is not just told. It is lived.

Their sons, John and Bill, carried the work forward. In 1975, they began managing the Mount Angel Farm for the Benedictine monks of Mt. Angel Abbey, deepening a legacy rooted not just in farming but in partnership and trust.

Today, Coleman Agriculture is proudly stewarded by the sixth generation: Ben Coleman and his wife Jen, alongside cousin Tom Coleman and his wife Melissa. The seventh generation has now joined the ranks. Tom and Melissa’s son, Max, leads our Safety Committee and works closely with our brewery partners. His cousin Jacob, son of Ben and Jen, leads our vineyard project. Each generation brings new energy while honoring old values.

More than 175 years later, the sixth and seventh generations of Colemans still have their boots planted firmly in the same Willamette Valley soil. While the tools have changed, our purpose has not. Care for the land. Work together. Leave it better than we found it.