William Coates 1833-1890

COATES, WALLER

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 4/7/2017 at 20:58:17

Dubuque Daily Herald, Feb 20, 1890

DEATH OF Wm. COATES

He Falls From a Chair and Expires Instantly
HEART DISEASE THE CAUSE

Alderman William Coates dropped dead yesterday morning at 10 o'clock at his residence on Dodge Street. Mr. Coates had been afflicted with heart disease for a year past. He has realized that his condition was precarious, and in conversations with intimate friends, often said that he thought his death would be sudden and unexpected. During this winter his health had been delicate, and on this account he was unable to attend the last meeting of the city council. He was feeling as well as usual yesterday morning, and about 10 o'clock walked over to the corner for the mail. Returning he sat down in the dining room to read THE TIMES. He sat there reading and chatting with various members of the family for about ten minutes, Suddenly, without warning, he gasped and fell sideways to the floor. His devoted wife and daughter were at his side in a moment, and a messenger hastened for a physician. Before his arrival, Mr. Coates was dead.

Mr. Coates was born in England, May 10, 1833. When nine years old, his parents came to this country and after a dangerous journey, the family settled in Dubuque. Mr. Coates went to California when the gold fever broke out. Returning in 1857 he entered mercantile life, and engaged in the dry goods business for several years. He was afterwards engaged in buying grain and in mining and smelting. He retired from active business in 1878. About a month ago an incident came under the personal observation of a reporter of THE TIMES which will illustrate the kind heart and tender generosity which Mr. Coates sometimes concealed beneath a bluff and forbidding manner. He had loaned several hundred dollars to a mechanic and taken a mortgage on his homestead for the amount. Shortly before the mortgage came due the debtor died, leaving a wife and small children, with scanty means for their support. When the money came due Mr. Coates met the widow. "When are you going to pay off this mortgage?" he asked rather gruffly. The woman told the story of sickness and death of the mainstay of the family. She explained how sickness and poverty had followed on the heels of this great misfortune. Mr. Coates took up the papers against her, tore them into small pieces, threw them into the waste basket and walked off about of his business.

Mr. Coates was married to Miss Frances A. Waller, daughter of the late Robert Waller. Six children were born to the couple, -- Robert W., Henrietta, Frank, John Edgar, Myra, and Alice May. Robert, the eldest, died a little over a year ago and John Edgar about six months after a brief illness. Thus for the third time within little more than a year has the family been sorely afflicted by the visitation of death.

Mr. Coates was a brother of Thomas Coates of Coates & Watters, and of Frank Coates of Ryder, Wallis & Co.