Poem by Mildred A. Coe 1902

 

One year ago, under this very tree,

We Sat and listened to poem three,

This year upon me has fallen the honor,

Of being the poetical donor.

 

Well! Dear friends gathered here,

I wish you all a happy New Year,

That sounds queer, that’s not right,

I wish you all a kind good night.

 

 

 

Oh dear! Was ever a girl so mixed

O never shall get my ideas fixed

But I am only a young scion of the family tree

So I pray you all have charity for me.

 

I’ll try again, with right good cheer,

I wish you all a welcome here,

Proud that today, we united stand,

The happiest family in all our land.

 

Long years ago, from over the water there came,

A man with sons three, Coe by name.

 

And from them has grown a huge family tree

Whose bark and branch glisten with C.O.E.

 

On February eleven, eighteen hundred and eleven

The eleventh child, a girl, was born to one Allen

Is this girl to Maidenhood did grow,

She became the wife of William C. Coe.

 

How proud he was of this handsome bride,

 

As he brought her over the mountainside,

And settled here on this very spot,

Where this name, has never known a blot.

 

To this loving couple only one little girl was given

The sweetest treasure under heaven,

But bye and bye, Phebe did engage,

To cast her lot with Henry Page.

 

The boys of Wm Coe to manhood grown,

Thought wise to make homes of their own,

While only one boy sprang from each branch

There were girls enough, to fill the ranch.

First Hettie she John Smith did wed.

And with him left the Old Homestead,

 

With Louisa a strong preference did lurk,

To keep bright the fireside of E. E. Burke.

Edna liked the name of Doane the Best,

So she soon followed after the rest

Mabel our home girl thought many a stitch

Was needed at the home of Harry Rich.

 

And now of Coe girls there remain only three,

Martha, Beulah, and poor lonely me.

As time rolls on ‘twill surely show,

What name is sweeter to these, than Coe.

 

 Mildred A. Coe

August 21, 1902