Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 523
JOSIAH COE

Among the honored pioneers of Harrison county, living and dead, perhaps no man’s name stands higher on the roll than that of Josiah COE, retired farmer, stockman and president of the First National Bank of Woodbine. His whole life has been in accord with correct principles of living and acting among his fellow men. His character may well be pointed to as fitting example, worthy of true emulation and a guide for the rising generation.

Mr. COE was born March 4, 1830, in Athens county, Ohio, the son of James COE, the latter of whom was born in Connecticut during the first years of the last century, and at the age of ten years he moved with the family to Ohio, the father building the first mill in Athens county. James COE’s wife, the mother of Josiah, of this memoir, was Katherine (HURLBURT) COE, married in 1823, and the mother of ten children.

In April, 1854, Mr. COE, in company with a young man named Cyrus WHITMORE, followed the old Mormon trail on foot from Keokuk to Council Bluffs, being twelve days en route. After working on a farm in Boyer township for a Mr. PHILLIPS, until the autumn of 1854, Mr. COE went to Crawford county, where he bought a claim, land not yet being on the market, but the next year, with twelve others, he went to the Council Bluffs land office to enter his land at the government price of a dollar and a quarter per acre. At the land office these gentlemen got together and protected their rights as land buyers, as against the sharks who would run the prices up on others, yet never intended to be permanent settlers. In 1856 Mr. COE exchanged this Crawford county claim for land in Boyer township, this county, a sixty-acre tract at Twelve Mile Grove. That he had faith in Harrison county is shown by the fact that he traded two hundred acres in Crawford county for this smaller tract. Not being married, Mr. COE made his home with pioneer Matthew HALL, who was his near neighbor. Early in the spring of 1855, he with John MOORHEAD, went to Nebraska with five yoke of cattle and broke a hundred acres of land between Omaha and Florence, at four dollars per acre, returning to Harrison county in time to engage in harvest. He only had five acres of wheat which Luke Jefferson cut with a cradle, while Mr. COE bound it up. The same year he added another “forty” of land to his holdings, and in 1856 pre-empted a quarter section, where later he made his home permanently. In 1857 he paid the government for the “claim” which he had pre-empted.

In the winter of 1844-55, Mr. COE was one of the men who aided in the selection of the county’s swamp lands, from Logan to the south line of the county. The party camped in the timber which skirted the Boyer river. In 1858 the first improvements were made on the COE place. These consisted of a log cabin sixteen by twenty feet, erected by L. D. Butler on Picayune creek. In this cabin Mr. COE lived until he built his two-story brick farm house still standing and in use. The cost of this brick house was four thousand dollars. In 1869 and in 1882 he built a large barn and cattle sheds, both of which were an innovation, as straw stables had been the rule prior to that date. Year after year and decade after decade, this worthy gentleman kept hustling, as a successful farmer and stock man, accumulating much property, which as early as 1892 amounted to a goodly fortune, including over thirteen hundred acres. At that date he was president of the Commercial Bank at Woodbine, which was later organized into the present First National Bank, of which he is still president, though on account of failing health he has not been active for a number of years.

In his religious belief Mr. COE is of the Christian church faith, ever a living example of the teachings of the Master as recorded in the Scriptures.

Politically, Mr. COE has always supported the Republican national party, believing, as he has, that his party best serves the general interests of the American people. He has never sought public office, being of a retiring, modest disposition, preferring others to hold office, while he has been busy in his own affairs, doing willingly his share toward supporting the county, state and nation.

Josiah COE married, on March 20, 1863, Miss Jessie KINNIS, at Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Miss KINNIS was born in Scotland, in the town of Perth, June 14, 1843, and in 1854 emigrated with her parents to America, remained in New York until 1859, when the family moved to Harrison County, Iowa. Mrs. COE’s father was Andrew KINNIS, Sr., native of Scotland, born January 1, 1785, and died in Harrison county, February 4, 1864. The mother was born June 8, 1798, in the Highlands of Scotland, and died on January 22, 1884. They were parents of seven children, Mrs. COE being the youngest. In May, 1884, this estimable lady, accompanied by her brother, D. M. KINNIS, visited in the land of their birth until September, the trip being one of the bright spots in their lives. Mr. and Mrs. COE are the parents of the following children: Jennie E., Katie M., Bertha, George W., Mary, Arthur J., Jessie S. and Amy, the latter of whom died March 31, 1891. This family was well educated at the schools and colleges of their native state, and have all been an honor to their family name.

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