HERBERT ALLEN COFFEEN.

HERBERT ALLEN COFFEEN.
Death often removes from our midst those whom we can ill afford to lose, and such was the general feeling when Herbert Allen Coffeen, of Sheridan, passed away in Pasadena, California, whither he had gone for the benefit of his health. He was a resident of Wyoming from 1884, and in 1887 took up his abode in Sheridan, where his remaining days were passed. He was born in Bement, Illinois, on the nth of March, 1869, and was therefore a lad of but fifteen years when the family arrived in Wyoming. His father was the Hon. Henry A. Coffeen, who is mentioned at length on another page of this work. The ancestral line is traced back to one of the oldest New England families—a family represented in the Revolutionary war and closely associated with the history of Vermont's development. Spending his early youth in his father's home in Illinois, Herbert A. Coffeen supplemented his public school education by a course in Monmouth College at Monmouth, Illinois. With the arrival of the family in Wyoming, their home was established at Big Horn, where they remained until 1887 and then came to Sheridan. From that time until his death Herbert A. Coffeen was closely associated with the development, progress and material upbuilding of his city. His father figured prominently as a merchant, ranchman and investor in lands and other properties in Wyoming and had accumulated a large estate, the care of which fell to his son upon the father's death in 1913. He acted as administrator of the estate and at the same time supervised his personal business interests, the demands being thus placed upon him undoubtedly hastening his end. He conducted one of the most attractive business shops of Sheridan under the name of “The Sign of the Teepee.” and it was always a rendezvous for visitors. He was ever a man of keen business discernment, readily separating the accidental and incidental circumstances of a business situation from that which was valuable and essential. He was also a man of marked enterprise and initiative and he never hesitated to take a forward step where favoring opportunity pointed the way. On the 27th of July, 1892. Mr. Coffeen was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Heald, a native of Dover, New Hampshire, and to them were born three sons Donald, John and Henry. all of whom, together with the mother, were with the husband and father at the time that he passed away in Pasadena, on the 31st of August, 1916. Mr. Coffeen's interests were extremely broad. He was long an active worker in the Commercial Club and he did much to develop the summer resorts of this section of the country. He did much to advertise the summer resorts and Sheridan, and to make known to the world the natural resources and possibilities of the country. He was himself a close student of western history and he thoroughly believed in giving the Indian his opportunity. He was not a sentimentalist in regard to the red man, but studied the Indian problem from a sane standpoint and could tolerate no plan which would directly or indirectly work an injustice to the Indians. He was equally quick to endorse any plan which would tend to bring them into full rights of citizenship and make them men instead of wards. There are few men so thoroughly familiar with Indian handicraft and, more than that, he was a discriminating art critic and an excellent judge of literature. He had a remarkably wide acquaintance among men of note throughout the entire country, and at his place of business in Sheridan, his home in the city and in the mountains he frequently entertained prominent artists, noted writers, great railroad builders and distinguished statesmen and military leaders. A local paper at the time of his death wrote of him: “His breadth of vision was remarkable, his tolerance unlimited. He was a friend of every man. He was not a ‘mixer’ in the ordinary sense of the word, but he met all with an unfailing courtesy, an understanding, a spirit of friendliness which was unsurpassable. There are in Sheridan today probably more men who owe their favorable impression of this city and country to meeting Herbert Coffeen than to any other one cause * * * He loved Sheridan devotedly. Its possibilities were early established in his mind and they grew with the years. He constantly discovered and pointed out new prospects, new ideas for the upbuilding or betterment of the city wherein he dwelt. His innate love of beauty and order was exemplified in his home, his business, his surroundings and in all things associated. This love led him into many bypaths and he became an authority upon art in its many ramifications. More especially did he excel in matters of pictures and books. He possessed perhaps a greater knowledge of the Indian tribes of the west, their legendary history, character and customs than any other man in the west. He owned a large collection of genuine relics of many of the tribes, valuable as a living part of the history of the country. He enjoyed a wide acquaintance among artists and authors and was the personal friend of many of them. He lived among us from the early village days. He bore his pail in all public matters, with his means, his wisdom and his industry. He was ever a clean, honorable man in all of his transactions, a citizen of public spirit, of high personal character, a neighbor whose kindness of heart all have known and many bear testimony of appreciation of help in time of affliction and need.” To hold the esteem and love of one's fellow citizens through all the years of boyhood, youth and early manhood as well as in mature life is certainly an indication of a most upright and honorable character, combined with many admirable and lovable qualities—and this Herbert Allen Coffeen did.

Death often removes from our midst those whom we can ill afford to lose, and such was the general feeling when Herbert Allen Coffeen, of Sheridan, passed away in Pasadena, California, whither he had gone for the benefit of his health. He was a resident of Wyoming from 1884, and in 1887 took up his abode in Sheridan, where his remaining days were passed. He was born in Bement, Illinois, on the nth of March, 1869, and was therefore a lad of but fifteen years when the family arrived in Wyoming. His father was the Hon. Henry A. Coffeen, who is mentioned at length on another page of this work. The ancestral line is traced back to one of the oldest New England families—a family represented in the Revolutionary war and closely associated with the history of Vermont's development.
Spending his early youth in his father's home in Illinois, Herbert A. Coffeen supplemented his public school education by a course in Monmouth College at Monmouth, Illinois. With the arrival of the family in Wyoming, their home was established at Big Horn, where they remained until 1887 and then came to Sheridan. From that time until his death Herbert A. Coffeen was closely associated with the development, progress and material upbuilding of his city. His father figured prominently as a merchant, ranchman and investor in lands and other properties in Wyoming and had accumulated a large estate, the care of which fell to his son upon the father's death in 1913. He acted as administrator of the estate and at the same time supervised his personal business interests, the demands being thus placed upon him undoubtedly hastening his end. He conducted one of the most attractive business shops of Sheridan under the name of “The Sign of the Teepee.” and it was always a rendezvous for visitors. He was ever a man of keen business discernment, readily separating the accidental and incidental circumstances of a business situation from that which was valuable and essential. He was also a man of marked enterprise and initiative and he never hesitated to take a forward step where favoring opportunity pointed the way.
On the 27th of July, 1892. Mr. Coffeen was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Heald, a native of Dover, New Hampshire, and to them were born three sons Donald, John and Henry. all of whom, together with the mother, were with the husband and father at the time that he passed away in Pasadena, on the 31st of August, 1916.
Mr. Coffeen's interests were extremely broad. He was long an active worker in the Commercial Club and he did much to develop the summer resorts of this section of the country. He did much to advertise the summer resorts and Sheridan, and to make known to the world the natural resources and possibilities of the country. He was himself a close student of western history and he thoroughly believed in giving the Indian his opportunity. He was not a sentimentalist in regard to the red man, but studied the Indian problem from a sane standpoint and could tolerate no plan which would directly or indirectly work an injustice to the Indians. He was equally quick to endorse any plan which would tend to bring them into full rights of citizenship and make them men instead of wards. There are few men so thoroughly familiar with Indian handicraft and, more than that, he was a discriminating art critic and an excellent judge of literature. He had a remarkably wide acquaintance among men of note throughout the entire country, and at his place of business in Sheridan, his home in the city and in the mountains he frequently entertained prominent artists, noted writers, great railroad builders and distinguished statesmen and military leaders. A local paper at the time of his death wrote of him: “His breadth of vision was remarkable, his tolerance unlimited. He was a friend of every man. He was not a ‘mixer’ in the ordinary sense of the word, but he met all with an unfailing courtesy, an understanding, a spirit of friendliness which was unsurpassable. There are in Sheridan today probably more men who owe their favorable impression of this city and country to meeting Herbert Coffeen than to any other one cause * * * He loved Sheridan devotedly. Its possibilities were early established in his mind and they grew with the years. He constantly discovered and pointed out new prospects, new ideas for the upbuilding or betterment of the city wherein he dwelt. His innate love of beauty and order was exemplified in his home, his business, his surroundings and in all things associated. This love led him into many bypaths and he became an authority upon art in its many ramifications. More especially did he excel in matters of pictures and books. He possessed perhaps a greater knowledge of the Indian tribes of the west, their legendary history, character and customs than any other man in the west. He owned a large collection of genuine relics of many of the tribes, valuable as a living part of the history of the country. He enjoyed a wide acquaintance among artists and authors and was the personal friend of many of them. He lived among us from the early village days. He bore his pail in all public matters, with his means, his wisdom and his industry. He was ever a clean, honorable man in all of his transactions, a citizen of public spirit, of high personal character, a neighbor whose kindness of heart all have known and many bear testimony of appreciation of help in time of affliction and need.” To hold the esteem and love of one's fellow citizens through all the years of boyhood, youth and early manhood as well as in mature life is certainly an indication of a most upright and honorable character, combined with many admirable and lovable qualities—and this Herbert Allen Coffeen did.