Randolph-Jay County IN Archives History - Books .....Chapter I Reunion Of The Coats Family 1896
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 17, 2007, 9:50 pm

Book Title: Reminiscences Of Adams, Jay And Randolph Counties

CHAPTER I.
REUNION OF THE COATS FAMILY.

    On Sunday, September 1, a reunion of the Coats family was held in W. R.
Diehl's grove, four miles west of Winchester. Music, and speaking by A. J.
Studebaker was the order of the forenoon exercises, after which a table about
two hundred feet long was loaded with the choicest the country affords, all
hands doing what they could to hide from view as much of the good things in
sight as possible.

    Elder D. S. Davenport invoked the Divine blessing, after which there was an
engagement of a half-hour's duration in which knives and forks were dexterously
used. Verily to the victors belong the spoils, as after the smoke had cleared
away it was quite perceptible that much had been accomplished, yet, after all
had been satisfied that all could not be eaten, there was enough left to raise
another generation of Coatses. After dinner the brass band from Saratoga
rendered some excellent music, interspersed with some choice selections from the
choir, after which Robert Dodd was introduced and in a very entertaining manner
gave a detailed history of the Coats family. He said that grandfather, John
Coats, was born in North Carolina in the year 1787, and grandmother, Sally
Wright Coats, was born in the same state in the year 1788. They were married in
1808, moving soon thereafter to Covington, Ohio, where there were six children
born to them, viz.: Thomas W., Isaac, Charlotte, Charity, William and James. In
the year 1819 they came to Randolph County, then almost an unknown wilderness,
stopping on the farm now occupied by Tyre Puckett, our present Township Trustee.

Grandfather Coats entered the land he selected for a home three miles east of
Winchester, on the Big Four railroad, where there were fourteen children born to
them, two dying in infancy. They raised twelve children to man and womanhood,
all married and settled around them so near that they could go home for
breakfast. Grandfather Coats was Justice of the Peace when that office done
about all the legal business of the county. He was a man of almost iron
constitution, working by the day for the support of his large family and
clearing his farm after night. With the assistance of grandmother they struggled
through, making their clothing from the lint or flax and skins of animals, going
on horseback to Richmond, Indiana, to mill through almost impenetrable forests,
being frequently disturbed by Indians and wild beasts. Their house was a
stopping place for travelers in the early settlement of the county, many weary,
hungry traveler found a welcome beneath their friendly roof. Grandfather and
Grandmother Coats belonged to the society of Friends and led an upright,
honorable life, ever ready to extend a helping hand to those less fortunate than
themselves. They lived to a ripe old age and were gathered to their Father as a
shock of corn cometh in its season. The Coats family have been closely
identified with the history of Randolph County.

    Other speeches were made by Ann Coats, Joel Pickett, D. S. Davenport, G. C.
Shultz, S. D. Coats and A. J. Studebaker. A pleasant feature of the afternoon
exercise was the spinning of flax with an old-fashioned spinning wheel by the
only living daughter, Aunt Polly Pogue, seventy-four years old, who was placed
upon the platform and the entire crowd passed around and saw how the clothing of
our grand-parents was made. After the exercises were concluded the family was
formed and marched out and counted, there being 180 present. Charles Pierce was
present with his camera and took a picture of the group.

    An organization was effected by the election of D. S. Davenport, president;
Otis Coats, treasurer; George Coats, secretary, and Ann Coats, assistant
secretary. W. Diehl, Robert Dodd, Simeon Cox, S. D. Coats and Simon Snyder were
appointed a committee of arrangements for our next annual reunion.

    The Coats family are good eaters, but Seth can surround more saltrising
bread than most men of his size. W. R. Deihl brought down the house by singing
in a most laughable manner "The Old Arm Chair." There were other features of the
occasion deserving mention, but for fear of being consigned to the waste basket,
I will close.

                         GEORGE COATS, Secretary.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Reminiscences of Adams, Jay and Randolph Counties

Compiled by Martha C. M. Lynch

Ft. Wayne, IN: Lipes, Nelson & Singmaster

Circa 1896

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/randolph/history/1896/reminisc/chapteri479gms.txt

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