Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/98

72 COE, George Simmons, banker, b. in Newport, R. I., 37 March, 1817; d. in Englewood, N. J., 3 May. 1896. After receiving a coinmon-scliool edu- cation lie became a clerk in a grocery, and at eight- een years of age a bank messenger. He served six years in a New York banking house, and in 1834 was made cashier of the American exchange bank, whose vice-president he became a few months later. In 1860 he was elected its president, and he held the oflicc (ill his retirement, on account of failing health, two years before his death. Mr. Coe, at a conference of New York bankers that was called in 1863 by Secretary Chase, suggested a successful plan for relieving the financial straits of the gov- ernment by the combination of banks in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, lie also conceived a plan of bringing together the banks and the clear- ing-house, then newly established, in such a way that their coin reserve and liabilities could be re- ported daily, and devised the system of clearing- house certificates that has proved so useful in averting or ameliorating financial panics. He was elected president of the National banking associa- tion in 1881, and was treasurer of the Children's aid society, which he assisted in founding.

COFFEE, John, soldier, b. in Prince Edward county, Va., 3 June, 1778; d. near Florence, Ala., in July, 1834. He removed to Davidson county, Tenn., in 1798, and engaged in mercantile pursuits till 1807, when he began to survey public lands. In October, 1809, he married Mary Donelson, a sis- ter of Andrew Jackson's wife. At the beginning of the war of 1813 he raised a cavalry regiment, and after the massacre at Fort Minns he organized two others, became brigadier-general of militia, and fought and won the battle of Tallusliatchie. He participated also in the battles of Talladega, Emuckfaro, Ala., where he was severely wounded, Enotochopco, and the Horseshoe. He was subse- quently at the battles of Pensacola and New Or- leans, reaching the latter in time for the fight by a forced march from Baton Rouge in two days, and commanding Jackson's left wing. He was fre- quently commissioned to treat with the Indians, became surveyor-general of the southwest territory in 1817, removed to Huntsville, Ala., and later to Florida. He was known as " brave Jack Coffee."

COGHLAN, Joseph Bullock (cog-Ian), naval officer, b. in Frankfort, Ky., 8 Dec, 1844. He was graduated from the U. S. naval academy in 1863, and immediately saw service as an ensign in the civil war, his first sea duty being aboard the "Sa- cramento." He became master in 1865, in the fol- lowing year was promoted to lieutenant, and was executive officer of the " Pawnee." Later he was transferred to the " Guerriere," and made lieuten- ant-commander in March, 1868. He served on the " Richmond," and then on the ironclad " Saugus," of the North Atlantic squadron, and later on the " Monongahela" and the "Indiana." He was pro- moted to commander in February, 1883, and cap- tain 18 Nov., 1896. Since 1897 he has commanded the " Raleigh " on the Asiatic station, taking part in the brilliant naval battle of Manila bay, 1 May, 1898. In the spring of the following vear Capt, Coghlan returned in the " Raleigh " to t"he United States, where he received a cordial welcome. A speech made in a New York club in which he said that Dewey was on the point of sinking the Ger- man squadron at Manila, as he did the Spanish shhis, attracted the attention of the country.

COGOLLUDO, Diego (co-gole-yoo-do), Spanish historian, b. in Alcala de Henarcs about 1610; d. in Mc'-rida, Yucatan, about 1686. He entered the order of liarefooted Franciscan friars in his native city in 1639; was sent to the missions in Yucatan, where he labored with zeal among the natives; became professor of theology in the seminary of Merida, afterward superior of the convent, and lastly provincial of his order. He studied the antiquities of Yucatan, searched the archives and convent libraries for historical documents, and, as an expert in the Maya language, investigated the oral traditions of the natives. As a result of his studies he composed his "Historia de Yucatan," which is still the principal source of information for students of Maya history (Madrid, 1688).

COLBY, Leonard Wright, lawyer, b. in Cherry Valley. Ashtabula co., Ohio, .5 Aug., 1848. He studied at the University of Wisconsin, where he was graduated from the classical department in 1871, and from the law-school in 1873. He moved to Nebraska, and was a memVierof the state senate in 1877 and 1887. From 1891 to 1893 he wa.s assist- ant attorney-general of the United States. He took an active interest in the militia of Nebraska, serving four years as captain, six as colonel, and nine years as brigadier-general in command of the Nebraska state troops in the Indian wars and troubles from 1874 to 1896. When war broke out with Spain in 1898 Gen. Colby was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, and was assigned to the command of the 3d brigade of the 1st di- vision of the 3d army-corps.

COLE, Nelson, soldier, b. in Duchess county, N. Y., 18 Nov., 1833; d. in .St. Louis, 31 July, 1899. During the civil war he saw much service, and reached the rank of colonel of the 3d Missouri light artillery. In 1865 he returned to St. Louis and organized the Cole and Glass manufacturing company, of which he was president. When war was declared, with Spain he was appointed a briga- dier-general, and was assigned to the 3d brigade, 3d division, at Camp Alger, afterward going to Columbia, S. C. Gen. Cole was mustered out owing to ill health in February, 1899.

COLES, Jonathan Aekerman, physician, b. in Newark, N. J., 6 Jlay, 1843. He was graduated from Columbia and from the College of physi- cians and surgeons, also studying abroad for two years. He gave to Washington park, Newark, a colossal bronze bust of his father. Dr. Abraham Coles (q. v.), and has made gifts of works of art to his native state, to the Metropolitan museum, to Columbia university, and to Admiral Dewey as a memento of his famous victory at Manila bay he jiresented one of Barye's beautiful allegor- ical bronzes. Dr. Coles is a well-known collector of bonks and paintings, and active in the affairs of the New Jersey historical society.

COLSTON, Raleigh Edward, soldier, b. in Paris. France, 31 Oct., 1835; d. in Richmond. Va.. 39 July, 1896. His supposed father. Dr. Raleigh T. Colston, was the son of Raleigh Colston, of Berke- ley county, Va. (now W. Va.), and his wife, Eliza- beth Marshall, a sister of Chief-Justice John Mar- shall. Dr. Colston after studying medicine in this country went to France, became a permanent resident of Paris, and married there the divorced wife of Gen. Kellermaii. Some years of married life passed without ottspring. when Dr. Colston de- cided to visit his family in Virginia. On his re- turn his wife presented him with a son, said to have been born during his absence. The child was received by Dr. Colston as his own, and named Raleigh Edward, for himself and his brother Kd- ward. This supposed son. who afterward became Gen. Colston, was highly educated, and. being pos- sessed by nature of a bright mind, made rapid progress in all his studies. In 1841 he was sent to