Most of the Eleventh Census of the United States, taken in 1890, were badly damaged by a fire in the Commerce Department Building in January 1921.  The existing partial schedules of Texas were of Ellis County, Hood County, Rusk County, Trinity County and Kaufman County.  None were salvaged for Coleman.  This created a big gap in the use of census records for genealogical purposes between 1880 and 1900.  This gap was been partially filled in parts of the United States by the Special Census Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War shown here.  It has been of little help in Texas, as many of the citizens served with the Confederate States of America (CSA).

The census show here was a Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890), Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War.  This census was taken due to an act of March 1, 1889, providing that the Superintendent of Census in taking the Eleventh Census should "cause to be taken on a special schedule of inquiry, according to such form as he may prescribe, the names, organizations, and length of service of those who had served in the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States in the war of the rebellion, and who are survivors at the time of said inquiry, and the widows of soldiers, sailors, or marines." 

Each schedule calls for the following information: name of the veteran (or if he did not survive, the names of both the widow and her deceased husband); the veteran's rank, company, regiment or vessel, date of enlistment, date of discharge, and length of service in years, months, and days; post office and address of each person listed; disability incurred by the veteran; and remarks necessary to a complete statement of his term of service.