[2] Born in 1884 near Cincinnati, Ohio, little is known about Coleman's early life, although he claimed his father, Anthony, was a tattoo artist,[3] and his family was believed to have lived and traveled in the carnival scene.
[1] In 1912, Coleman took a break from the Greater Smith Shows to work in Barber's studio where he learnt the craft of tattooing.
[1] In 1918, Coleman relocated to Norfolk, Virginia and opened a tattoo parlor on East Main Street.
The outbreak of World War I and a new naval port in Virginia bought thousands of US servicemen and sailors to Norfolk who comprised the majority of Coleman's clientele.
Many of the Norfolk tattooists, including Coleman, moved across the Elizabeth River to Portsmouth, and went to work with Tex Peace.