The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-05-13

ror more imam twenty years Capt.
l.. E. Coe has been conspicuous fig
IRE in Sank Centre, and few men are
equally fortunate in establishing them
selves in the affectionate esteem of
their fellow citizens. The announce
ment of his sudden death, which oc-
cured about six o'clock last Thursday
evening, fell as a thunderbolt from a
clear sky, and was received as per-
sonal bereavement by our citizens gen.
orally. He was remarkably popular
with all, from the youngest school
child to the venerable old citizen, and
there was no more familiar figure on
the street, nor one whose removal
would be more keenly felt.
OF his death there is little to relate.
During the past year he has been in
ill-health, and during the winter was
for time confined to the house with
heart affection. His limbs swelled,
as is usual in such case, and he could
endure little exertion. But skillful
medical service and personal care,
combined with the invigorating infiu-
ence of the spring weather wrought a
remarkable change for the better, and
for the past three weeks he had been
feeling unusually we'll. The day of
his death he felt peculiarly bright and
CHEEKY. Late in the afternoon he went
home, after attending to the usual
duties of his office as superintendent
of the water works. and sat down to
read the daily paper. As supper time
drew near he went to the stable to
care for his horse,-his wife remark
ing that the meal was ready and offer
ing to relieve him of this trifiing bur
den. but he proposed 20 go. Upon his
return he went through the kitchen and
took off his has to hang it in the ac-
.customed place just inside the dining
room door. his wife standing near the
tea table. not six feet from him. and
she noticed him totter and grasp the
door casing, exclaiming Oh, my. as if
in pain. He sank down in the door
way between the kitchen and dining
room. his wife reaching him only to
raise his head, when. without a strug-
gle he died in her arms. She gave an
alarm and several neighbors, Messrs.
r. Buck and Bert Van Camp were the
first to respond. and soon several
Others arrived, and his lifeless body
was picked up and carried to a lounge.
The news spread rapidly, and was the
all absorbing topic of discussion. The
tolling of the fire bell, which struck
the sixty-nine years of his age added
to the universal gloom.
Lemuel E. Coe was born August 9TH
1873, at Granville, Mass, and when a
mere child removed with his parents
to Hartford, Conn.,, where he learned
the Machinests trade and worked at it
until 1859, when he went to Amherst,
Mass. Where he remained for seven
years. At Belchertown, near Amherst
he married Harriet E. Thayer, to whom
were born three sons and one daughter
she alone surviving. In 1860 he en-
tered the employ of the Boston s. AL
bany railroad as q locomotive engineer
and worked on the road for five years.
In 1865 he went to Chilli. South Ameri-
ca. and run an engine on the Coldera
4 Copiopo railroad till 1871, where he
met. the famous engineer, Harry Meigs
of Washington, D. c.. who was in
Chill engaged in railroad and BRIDGE
building, who made him Master Ole
.chanic of the Chimbate & Huyras rail-
road, which was then operated by Mr..
Meigs, running with him until 1871,
when he returned to the states, settling
at his old home in Connecticut. Mrs.
Coe and daughter Emma followed him
TO Chilli a year after the Captain went
and remained until his return. In
1895 he came to Sank Centre at the SOL
citation of his friend Mr.. Kellogg, and
entered into partnership with him in
the mercantile business. together with
Henry A. Mayo, under the name of
Kellogg, Coe q Mayo.
ussgre we ezEsssace Of that 2. s..::s--
ship he purchased the Sank Centre
House of L. 8. Strong, and after an
unfortunate winding up OF the mercan-
tile business. he engaged in keeping
hotel, IN 1879. and two years later he
enlarged and rebuilt the hotel as 1t
now il. Together with his wife they
kept the hotel until her death, about
TEN years ago, when he leased It, and