During the twenty-two years after his purchase of Coleman Crest, James Coleman and his wife Lucy, raised four sons, Sam, George, William, and John, and two daughter, Susie and Sallie.
James Coleman was a leader in Uttingertown and a respected member and officer in the community church, Uttingertown Baptist Church, and the Union Benevolent Society Lodge #28. He was a very proud man who had the vision and the wisdom to acquire and finance land through the production of profitable crops and livestock, even in the face of harsh racism and the lack of formal education.
In 1910, after experiencing life as a slave and as a successful land owner and entrepreneur, James Coleman died, leaving Coleman Crest Farm to his his children. All of James Coleman’s heirs later transferred their ownership rights to Coleman Crest to, John Coleman. While John and Mollie continued to face the severe oppression of segregation, racism, and a very turbulent economy during the great depression, they seized the moment, and they built a life for their family on Coleman Crest Farm.
John and Mollie raised seven children, James, Ada, Stanford, Clifton, Ben, Anna, and Samuel. They worked hard to satisfy the needs of their family. They financed their children’s college educations by raising and selling crops and livestock and by securing loans by using the farm as collateral.
Upon the death of John Coleman, in 1949, his son Samuel and his wife, Cleo, became the custodians of Coleman Crest Farm. Replicating the success of John and Mollie, Sam and Cleo built a new house on the farm in 1950. Sam and Cleo raised their five children Ruth, Samuel, Edward, James and Rhetta. Just like John and Mollie, they paid for their children's college education through the sale of crops and live stock and through loans secured by the farm..
In 2001, Sam and Cleo’s son, James and his wife Cathy purchased the farm. Jim and Cathy fell in love while attending Howard University and they were married for 36 years until Cathy’s passing on April 3, 2020. James has dedicated the current restoration of Coleman Crest Farm in honor of Cathy because of her tremendous love for the farm and her shared vision with James, to retain ownership of the farm for future generations and to help prepare Kentucky’s next generation of farmers.