Memories of the Coes 9: Gatherings at Uncle Emory's, Grandmother Elizabeth Sornberger Coe, Grandfather Ezra Coe

Another family gathering I remember was at uncle Emory Coe's on the farm. He afterward retired from farming and lived in a number of years in Le Roy on Leak St., where his daughter, cousin Nellie, and just now (1936) the second daughter Fannie, now live. i can remember hardly anything Grandmother Coe said, but that day uncle George Coe, a Methodist minister was there. In a quiet interval, grandmother, whom I think was an unusually silent person, said, "George, they tell me you are a Mason!" In a nervous, flurried way uncle George replied "Who said it?" Well. I'm not!" This, of course, was after the great anti-Mason movement occasioned by the Morgan episode. Brother E.F. says that at one time a relative or relative-in-law was visiting us who had trouble with his wife and was talking of divorce. He had been talking of his affairs when grandmother said "So and so, do you expect to get to Heaven?" "Why, yes, I expect to." "Well, if you do I think it will be by the skin of your teeth." As I remember her, she was quite and mild. She was quite small. I cannot remember seeing her without a close fitting black lace cap. I think she had every day ones and ones for best tho I could not tell the difference. Grandfather Coe spent his last days at our house. I remember he took me by one hand and had a cane in the other, and we walked out in the Spring sunshine to the coop to see the little chickens. All else I remember of him was when he was sick in bed. Evidently I was a quiet youngster, for grandmother like to have me in the room for company. I sat by a south window and cut yards and yards of paper dolls and fancy "doileys" and so on. Occasionally grandfather would have a bad spell, and then a "grown-up" was called and I was hustled out of the room. At the time of grandfather's last illness, the house at uncle Emory's was being remodeled to make an apartment for grandfather and grandmother. She went there and lived to be ninety two and a half years old. I visited there before I was married. One evening the cousins, Nellie, Fannie, Florence and I were going for a ride. Grandma said "Lizzie, I would like to see you before you go." Aunt Frank said, "You aren't going till morning are you?" I went the next morning before she was up. She cared for herself and room until a year before she died. She sewed a good deal and read her religious books. After reading them she would give them away. I have a "Life of Phoebe Palmer" - who was a saintly woman, - which she gave me, father had a volume of Wesley's sermons. I cannot now remember of ever seeing her wipe a dish or do any house work outside of her room. She had the hardships of a pioneer woman and raised nine children bedsides, and I fancy she thought she had done her share of the world's tasks, and retired early from its activities. She was occasionally tormented with terrific backaches. The pain of these could be relieved by using morphine, but she had scruples against using it, and would endure the excrutiating pain until it seemed unendurable before she would take the drug. She told Aunt Frank to give me her black silk dress as I was her name sake. Some of the people who have worn it are Frances Searles a grandmother in a play at Cornell, Mrs Hayes, Miss Pfister in a play at Le Roy, and a granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Call, at our golden wedding in 1935. 

Brother Ezra Coe says that at one time grandfather Ezra had much more property than he posessed when he died. I think he said the Ezra Walker place was part of his property. His sons - or grandsons, went to school when I first went, - Charles and Jay. Grandfather put considerable into a projected railroad Erie which never materialized, at least where it was first laid out. I believe he was a generous giver. I remember the folks looking at some Lima Seminary Scholarships, thinking E.F. might use them, but they were too old, - outlawed. 

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Patty's notes on this entry 

Emory M Coe (1836-1915) and Julia Frances Arms (1834-1919)
Photo courtesy of Marion Sperry Howe

Marion's blog with Coe photos is at https://mlsperry.blogspot.com/2020/07/coe-family-this-post-presents-pictures.html

Emory Coe - Emory M. Coe (1836-1915), youngest child of Ezra Coe and Elizabeth Ann Sornberger. He married Julia Frances Arms (1834-1919, daughter of Wait Arms and Julia),  in 1862. Emory and Julia had three daughters - Nellie, Fanny and Florence. Emory Coe lived in Pavillion and Le Roy, Genesee County, New York most of his life. 

Nellie Coe - Nellie A Coe (1863 - 1944), oldest daughter of Emory M. Coe and Julia Frances Arms. She never married. 

Fannie  Coe - Fanny L Coe (1864-1956), second daughter of Emory M. Coe and Julia France Arms. She married Charles S. Lawson in 1888. Fanny left no descendants. 

Grandmother Coe - Elizabeth Ann Sornberger (1795-1888), probably the daughter of John Sonrberger and Deborah Rau, probably born in Amenia, Dutchess County, New York. She married Ezra Coe (1796-1869) in 1818 in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Ezra and Elizabeth had nine children  Ransom (1819-1892), Huldah Melissa (1821-1902), Olive (1823-1901), Jesse W (1825-1890), Albert (1827-1907), John (1829-1844), George W (1931-1906), Hiram (1833-1919), and Emory (1836-1915)

George W Coe (1831-1906)
Photo courtesy of Marion Sperry Howe

Marion's blog with Coe photos is at https://mlsperry.blogspot.com/2020/07/coe-family-this-post-presents-pictures.html

George Coe - George W Coe (1831-1906), son of Ezra Coe and Elizabeth Ann Sornberger. He married Harriet Van Voorhies (1831-1908, daughter of John Van Voorhis and Elivra). George and Harriet had two children  Harriet Rosabelle (1859-1937) and George Albert (1862-1951).

Morgan episode and Masons - In 1826, William Morgan of Batavia, Genesee County threatened to publish a book containing the secrets of the Freemasons. He disappeared and was presumed murdered (by the Masons). Opponents of President Andrew Jackson (a Mason) formed an Anti-Masonic Party than ran candidates for office in 1828 and 1832. Millard Fillmore (13th President) and William H Seward (Lincoln's Secretary of State) were active in the Anti-Masonic Party. John Quincy Adams (6th President) denounced the Masons during the 1828 Presidential Campaign. You can read more about the Morgan episode and the Masons at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morgan_(anti-Mason) 

Brother E.F. - Ezra Frank Coe (1853-1942) son of Albert Coe and Deborah Prentice. 

black lace cap - Elizabeth Ann Sornberger Coe's black lace cap may have looked something like this one seen in Harper's Bazaar

Grandfather Coe - Ezra Coe  (1796-1869), born in Connecticut, son of Jesse Coe and Olive Roberts. He married Elizabeth Ann Sornberger (1795-1888) in 1818 in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Ezra and Elizabeth had nine children  Ransom (1819-1892), Huldah Melissa (1821-1902), Olive (1823-1901), Jesse W (1825-1890), Albert (1827-1907), John (1829-1844), George W (1931-1906), Hiram (1833-1919), and Emory (1836-1915)

Florence Josephine Coe (1867-1956)
Photo courtesy of Marion Sperry Howe

Marion's blog with Coe photos is at https://mlsperry.blogspot.com/2020/07/coe-family-this-post-presents-pictures.html

Florence - Florence Josephine Coe (1867-1956), youngest daughter of Emory M Coe and Julia Frances Arms. She married Ernest Ludden Wait (1869-1960, son of George W Wait and Wealthy H) in 1893. Florence and Ernest had two daughter, Frances E (1898-1922 ) and Doris E (1901-1957).

Aunt Frank - Julia Frances Arms (1834-1919). Daughter of Wait Arms and Julia. She married Emory M Coe in 1862. 

Life of Phoebe Palmer - Phoebe Worrall Palmer (1807-1874) was a nineteenth-century Methodist writer who promoted the doctrine of Christian perfection. She is considered a founder of the Holiness movement within the Methodist church. She was the author of six books between 1843 and 1859. She owned and edited the monthly magazine, The Guide to Holiness from 1864 through her death. I haven't been able to identify a specific book called "Life of Phoebe Palmer" that was published in the 1870s or 1880s. Elizabeth Coe may have received one of Phoebe Palmer's books (or a compilation of her books) from her grandmother. 

Deborah Prentice (1833-1910) and Albert Coe (1827-1907)
Photo courtesy of Marion Sperry Howe

Marion's blog with Coe photos is at https://mlsperry.blogspot.com/2020/07/coe-family-this-post-presents-pictures.html

father - Albert Coe (1827-1907). Son of Ezra Coe and Elizabeth Ann Sornberger. In 1850, he married Deborah Prentice (1833-1910, daughter of Southwick Prentice and Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Smith). Albert and Deborah had five children,  Mary Isadore (1851-1924), Ezra Frank (1853-1942), Elizabeth Ann (1962-1956), Clara Addie (1864-1950), and Carrie Evelyn (1864-1948). Elizabeth Ann Coe, wife of Charles Joslin Call, is the author of the Memories of the Coes. 

Wesley's sermons - John Wesley (1703-1791) was an English clergyman and leader of the revival movement in the Anglican Church known as Methodism. The Methodist religion developed from his teachings. His sermons have been published in book form many times over the years. Presumably one of these is the book given to Albert Coe. 

Nine children - Ezra Coe and Elizabeth Ann Sorberger had nine children  Ransom (1819-1892, married Almira Facer), Huldah Melissa (1821-1902, married Henry Crocker), Olive (1823-1901, married Cyrus Sperry), Jesse W (1825-1890, married Mary Elizabeth Storms), Albert (1827-1907, married Deborah Prentice), John (1829-1844), George W (1931-1906, married Harriet Van Voorhis), Hiram (1833-1919 married Sarah Fisher), and Emory (1836-1915, married Julia Frances Arms)

Frances Searles - Frances Elizabeth Willard Searles (1895 - 1970, daughter of Leroy Searles and Carrie Elizabeth Lyon) attended Cornell University from 1915-1918. She earned a B.S. degree.

Mrs Hayes and Miss Pfister - I haven't been able to identify either Mrs Hayes or Miss Pfister

granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Call - Elizabeth Ann Call (1922-2012). Daughter of Robert Vincent Call and Lucille Alice Hale. She married Theodore Leonard Kingsely (1918-2015) in 1945. 

Ezra Walker - Ezra Walker (1824-1909), son of Loomis Walker and Hannah Bow. He married Rebecca Wells. Ezra and Rebecca Walker had two sons Charles (1861-1945, married Mary Stewart) and Jay (1865-1938). 

On January 30, 1866, Ezra Coe and Elizabeth, his wife, sold about 100 acres of land at Pavilion to Ezra Walker for $ 6300. 

 

Erie railroad - This reference to the Erie Railroad may refer to financial problems of the New York & Erie Railroad in the 1850s and 1860s. The original railroad was charted in 1832. In 1859, the company went bankrupt and reorganized as the Erie Railway. This was the first major railroad bankruptcy in the United States. In the early 1860s, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Daniel Drew, James Fisk and Jay Gould fought for control of the rail line. If Ezra Coe had any financial interest in any version of the Erie Railroad, he could well have lost significant amounts of money. 

Lima Seminary Scholarships -This could be a reference to scholarships to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima, New York. The original Seminary operated from 1829 to 1849, when it became Genesee College. In 1870, the school moved to Syracuse and became Syracuse University. A second Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima was organized in 1870 and operated until 1851.  Ezra Frank Coe (1853-1942) attended Le Roy Academy in the early 1870s. If he had considered attending Genesee College around that time - the change in schools in 1870  may have affected scholarships the family was looking at. 

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