Scope and Content Note:

Personal and official correspondence and papers of John Joshua Coman, who was born at Iuka on August 22, 1854, who died in Jackson on April 14, 1940, and who was a brother-in-law of John M. Stone. He served as secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi State Penitentiary and was active in the Capitol Lodge No. 11 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The official correspondence and papers pertaining to the Penitentiary includes correspondence of P. E. Matthews, J. F. Thames, W. A. Montgomery, Mrs. W. A. Montgomery, and other members of the Board of Trustees. Coman was interested in the North Mississippi Traction Company in Tishomingo County, the Belhaven Heights Subdivision in Jackson, and other developments.

Among the letters from political leaders are the following, together with the number of letters and their dates:

  • Earl L. Brewer, 1, July 1, 1913
  • Theodore G Bilbo, 4, November 7, 1913, March 7 and June 10, 1916, May 6, 1918
  • Robert S. Hall, 1, October 30, 1916
  • Pat Harrison, 3, February 7, 13, 28, 1934
  • Dennis Murphree, 1, January 2, 1933
  • Edmond F. Noel, 4, October 24 and November 28, 1913
  • Percy E. Quin, 1, September 25, 1916
  • Hubert D. Stephens, 1, February 7, 1934
  • and Henry L. Whitfield, 1, June 26, 1922.


The papers are distributed by dates as follows:

  • n.d., 81 items
  • 1889, 1 item
  • 18901899, 11 items
  • 19001909, 19 items
  • 19101919, 2,746 items
  • 19201929, 728 items
  • 19301936, 473 items.

Filed chronologically in 197 folders in 11 manuscript boxes.