James Amascus "Tobe" Coleman (1848-1928)
At the age of 15, James joined his brother Elisha and other Emanuel County boys who enlisted in the Civil War with 2nd Georgia State Troops, Stapleton's Regiment, also called Company H or 2nd Georgia Militia. After the Civil War, James engaged in farming and rafting timber for several years. He then joined his brother John C. in a mercantile business. In 1888, he formed a partnership with James H. Ellison to start a sawmill business

The eventually owned the Coleman & Ellison Railway which connected with the Midville-Ellison line at Midville. He also operated a gristmill, funeral home, and opera house. He formed the Citizens Bank of Swainsboro, GA in 1900 and was elected as the first president. James was also elected as County Commissioner for several years and represented his congressional district. The house was built between 1900 and 1904.

The Coleman House was only 2 weeks from being demolished when the restoration began. It took over 1000 gallons of paint stripper to strip the 12-foot ceilings and walls of tongue-and-groove heart pinewood. Fifteen bathrooms were installed and finished in the three floors with authentic period iron, claw footed bathtubs, basins and equipped with the modern day convenience of shower hoses and curtains. Victorian-patterned Bradbury wallpapers were hung throughout five of the downstairs rooms. Out of the eleven fireplaces, eight were tiled that were never originally finished.