Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1917-01-10
"Grand. Old Man of The Pee Dee"

During the latter years of the illus
trious career of William E. Gladstone,
England's greatest Premier, he was
known and revered throughout the
world as 1.-The Grand Old Man." No
one ever questioned that Mr.. Glad
stone merited this sobriquet.
Several days ago Major ]. L. Coker
of Hartsville celebrated his sOth birth
day, and we believe that, although he
has preferred to spend his life "far
from the madding crowd" away
from the glamor of public life, he de-
serves to be known as "the Grand Old
Man of the Pee Dee. "
In many respects Major Coker is a
remarkable man. He is richly endowed
with those inestimable qualities and
graces of character that make for true
ereatness-a man of rare intellectual
and heart culture. In the development
of his intellectual gifts, unlike many
impractical brainy men who become
"ne 'er-do-wells, !" he developed in
like degree the q nfpaBsstSjffB9fef5F fpaBssSfBfe f5F MIN 10
bring things, large things, to pass.
Major Coker stands out pre-eminent-
ly as man who has made success OF
life. He has through the proper ex-
ercise of inherent gifts amassed large
fortune, which, contrary to the selfish
spirit of the age, he is using to the
glory of God and to the uplift of his
fellow man. Instead of gathering
about him an immeasurable estate in
order to crafty selfish ambition and
gloat over his gold, this good man has
given lavishly of his large means to
bless the live of others.
Besides other beneficent and philan-
thropic acts, Major Coker has founded
and endowed college at Hartsville for
the education of young women which
will prove to be an ever swelling
stream Of refreshing waters to human
ity long after his honorable earthly
career shall have ended. This splen-
didly equipped institution very
fittingly bears the name of its founder
and it will be monument far more en-
during than marble or brass. Memo
rials of stone and brass moulder into
dust, but the teeming hundreds and
thousands of young women, who in the
years to come will proudly own Go
ker" as their alma mater, will for sue
ceeding generations be living monu-
ments to the unsefish generosity of
"the Grand Old Man Of the Pee Dee "
May he be spared another score of
years in order that he may see Coker
college, the apple of his eye, grow into
the leading college for women in the
South, which we confidently believei it is
destined to become.
Another way in which Major Coker
has proven blessing to his fellows
has been through his devotion to ag-
ricultural pursuits. Although an honor
graduate of the University of South
Caroline, fitted by training, as we'll
as endowed by nature, for brilliant
professional career, yet he chose ag-
riculture-erroneously regarded by
some as the most common place of the
arts-which through him and his
achievements has been dignifed and
The name Of Coker has
become synonym for progressive and
scientific agriculture. The develop
ment of plants and the scientific breed
ing of seeds at Hartsvllle, now under
the direction of Mr.. D. R. Coker, a
son of Major Coker, has proven a
blessing to farmers throughout the
South.
In brief article one can but touch
lightly upon few ways in which this
venerable Christian gentleman of the
Old School has been of inestimable
value to his day and generation. Would
that there were many others who also,
like Mr.. Gladstone, deserve to be
spoken of as 'the Grand Old Man."