Coffman, William (1807-1888)

COFFMAN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 12/9/2016 at 00:03:02

The Advocate-Tribune newspaper, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, December 30, 1886, p.6

A GATHERING OF THE PATRIARCHS
Mine host, A. P. Keeney, of the Madison House, the oldest landlord in Indianola, had a remarkable gathering at this popular hostelry on Christmas day. He invited all the prominent old widowers of this vicinity to eat a Christmas dinner with him. The patriarchal flock that answered the summons were a most interesting group of time-worn veterans.

WILLIAM COFFMAN comes next on the list. He was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, June 5, 1807, and is now in his 80th year. The other two feigned to look down on him as a “right smart chunk of a boy.” “Uncle Billy,” as he is familiarly called, is part and parcel of Indianola. He was one of her pioneers, coming here in 1854 – 32 years ago. Few men have been better down throughout the county than Uncle Billy Coffman. Though a practical farmer, that business was not congenial to his tastes, and he opened a hotel here at an early day. It was a popular house with travelers and traders. He has also been an extensive feeder and stock dealer, for which business he had remarkable tact and judgment. It is but a few years since he retired from active life. He now rooms alone, “keeping Bach,” though taking his meals with his daughter, Mrs. Wesley Cheshire. He can see to read print or ordinary manuscript without glasses, wrote his name in the hotel register in a clearly legible hand, walks up and down long stairs with apparent ease, and though he has seen much of the rough side of life he is remarkably hale or an octogenarian. Recently, however, his health has declined, and he begins to doubt scoring more than a century.