Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
SAMUEL M. COMAN is one of the
earliest pioneers of Lincoln county and his party were absolutely the first
settlers in the country about five miles north from Creston, there being
no white men within ten miles of that section when they located there in
1880. Mr. Coman is now retired and living in Creston, having gained
a goodly competence by his industry and wise management.
Mr. Samuel M. Coman
was born in Indiana, in 1830, and gained his education from the common
schools of Michigan and in 1856 went to California via the Isthmus.
He settled in Trinity county and gave his attention to mining for seven
years and then went to work on a ranch which was five miles from the nearest
settlers. He followed farming there for fourteen years and sold his
produce to miners. In 1869, Mr. Elijah Siegler bought a half interest
in the farm and together they operated it for seven years then they sold
it and moved across the mountains carrying their families on mule back
to Humboldt county. They gave their attention to farming there until
1880, when Mr. Coman came to Walla Walla in the spring. There he
crossed Lyons Ferry to Ritzville and walked to Medical Lake and then to
Spokane. It was in May, 1880, that Mr. Coman came out into the Big
Bend country and brought in his company, John Cole, William Every, Tom
Palmer and George Snyder. He selected land about five miles north
from where Creston now is and made settlement. Mr. Coman with the
gentleman last mentioned erected the first house in Sherman. Since
that time, he has been one of the progressive and industrious citizens
of the county and is now spending the golden years of his life in quiet
retirement from active labors, having gained a goodly competence in the
years past. Mr. Coman's sister, Mrs. Eliza Ziegler, taught the first
school in Lincoln county. There being no school house in the country
then, Mrs. Ziegler gave a room of her own house for that purpose.
She had taught school much in the east, Ohio and Michigan, and in California.
Many of the now bright and leading men and women of Lincoln county gained
the rudiments of their education from this lady.