Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-18

Special TO Times Republican.
Fort Dodge, Jan. Isl. 5. Coffin
Will known all over the 'niddlewes' aS
Father" Conin, died Sunday morning
AZ o'clock at mis- farm homestead
Wlllowedge. He had attained the great
age OF sa years ana IN his life time
gained more than local recognition for
his charities and his activity in many
public works, social. religious and po-
utica.. He mas been confined to his
home and 20 his bed this winter for me
ars- time in his long and active life
Uutn this winter in spite Of his great
age. ne has been constantly . trave.eF
and public speaker. he spoke often OF.
temperance and was always IN demand
a. colleges as chapel speaker.
Tutor OF Garfield.
Lorenzo :. Coffin was born in Alton
y H. April 3. 1923, OH the farm winch
mas the birthplace OF his father his
lineage was English. When . Young
man ne was a student al Wohooro
, Academy. wolfooro y. H. Later, after
| working al farming 10 gain money Tor
! mis- education. he studied for a time al
| oberlln College. There he married
| CYNTHIA 7. Curtis and together they
! began teaching in Geuaga county, ono
seminary. where they had among their
/ pupils James \. Garfield and his future
( wife.
After year there, Mrs. Coffin's fall
| ing health caused them TO leave the
F.! college and they came 70 Iowa in 1891.
! =
I ernment. and that ground has ever
since been the Coffin home. Mrs. Coz
| in died in April. 1856, and in February.
! 1857. Mr.. Coffin married again, taking
for a wife, Miss Mary Chase. Of Or
leans county. New York. Three cnil-
dren were born. Mrs. Carrie Rutledge
| being the only one still living. TIE
second Mrs. Coffin died great many
years ago. and during the course OF
his philanthropic work, Mr.. Conn met
Mrs Nellie ingalls,, who was employed
in the Highland Park, Illinois, Home
for Railroad Men, and married her.
This marriage did not prove happy
one and a divorce followed after
sensational trial, the events OF which
were widely noted. Mrs. Coffin was
given divorce but no aiimony. The
private life of Mr.. Coffin was once
| more brought to public notice thru his
1 adoption of Mrs. Elizabeth Murray
Newman. former Iowa woman and a
writer and editor for a California mag
azine.
Pioneer Preacher.
For his philanthropic and public ac-
tivities, Mr. Coffin has almost con-
stantly been IN the public eye thruou'
his life. Between the years OF 1859 anc
1875, altar manual labor on the farm
during the week. Mr.. Coffin regularly
arose Sunday morning and went or
horseback 10 some community withou
, a church and served In the capacity O
a minister He built a chapel in con
.. nection with his own home. where hi
, daughter might conduct Sunday schoo
services and where he often assisted IL
! them himself In those early days IL
, was a member of the State Agricultur
al Society and did much TO proTnot
Z farming.
Father of Coupler Law.
+ In 1893 ne was appointed by Cover
nor Sherman to fill vacancy in tn
railroad commission on the retiremen
s of Hon. James Wilson, and was re
2 appointed when the term expire
i While acting in this capacity. Mr.. COT
/ fin became intensely interested in tn
: social welfare Of the railroad man. II
e agi,ated the compulsory demand 70
power brakes and automatic coupler
y on cars and finally succeeded in enact
e ment of such law in Iowa in 1883. Nj
Coffin spent a month in preparation q
n the bill, consulting a supreme cour
I i,,lo re,
u stitutionality might never be ques
> toned. AS a result his object was at
l. tanned. After that for more than fou
: years. he lobbied in Washington, to &c
= a similar bill passed in congress. Pres
!, dent Harrison finally signed the bi
r in 1893.
4 Also in behalf of railroad men, NJ
Coffin organized the Railroad Temper