HENRY W. COE, Jr
Surnames: SMITH, SUTCLIFFE
No history of San Jose and the surrounding country would
be complete without reference to Henry W. Coe, who was born on Coe
Avenue in The Willows on April 17, 1860. His father, Henry Willard Coe,
and mother, Hannah Huntington (Smith) Coe, were representative of
families who helped shape the destinies of America and they became
pioneer residents of the Santa Clara Valley, where during their
lifetime, they contributed not a little to the progress of the
community. Elsewhere in this volume will be found a sketch of their
eventful lives.
Henry W. Coe was reared and educated in San Jose, having attended the
grammar and high schools of that city, later graduating from the Pacific
Business College of San Francisco. His father having acquired 500 acres
of land, part of the Los Huecos grant in the San Felipe Valley, Henry
W., together with his brother, Charles W., engaged in the stockraising
business, running 1,000 head on the property. In time Henry W. bought
out his brother and added to his holdings until, at the present time, he
owns upwards of 8,000 acres in Santa Clara County. One of his favorite
ranches is located in the Pine Ridge Country east of Morgan Hill, an
ideal location. While Mr. Coe has to some extent discontinued his
stockraising business, he still retains his land holdings and on his
home ranch ranges some 200 head; also raises fruit.
On August 21, 1905, Mr. Coe was married to Rhoda Dawson Sutcliffe and
they have become the parents of two children: Henry Sutcliffe Coe
attending the San Jose high school, and Sada Sutcliffe Coe, a pupil at
the Lowell School, San Jose. Mrs. Coe, who shares with her husband the
good will of all who know them, was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia,
February 10, 1879, and is the daughter of Rev. Ingham Sutcliffe, born in
the year of 1804 at Cowling, near Bradford, Yorkshire, England. During
the year of 1832, he became a Wesleyan missionary to Nova Scotia, where
he was energetic and active in the mission work and where he died in
1885. On account of the migration of this branch of the Sutcliffe family
in the early days, Mrs. Coe has known but little of her English
forbears, but that they were people of standing and education is
evidenced in the traits of character exhibited by their descendants on
this side of the Atlantic.
Mr. Coe is a member of the Pioneer's Society of Santa Clara County and
takes great pride in the pioneer work accomplished by his father and is
always ready to aid in all progressive movements. He is always genial,
whether in the casual meeting on the street or within the portals of his
home. His home life is ideal. He spends nearly all of his time on the
ranch though maintains a residence in San Jose that his children may
have the advantages of the city schools. Mr. Coe is held in high esteem
by all who know him and is a genial and companionable man whose sterling
worth has gained for him warm friendships.
Transcribed by Joseph Kral, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. pge 396
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