Tuesday, October 16, 2018

1893 A Pleasant Surprise Party for Alfred Coffman- Elk Grove, California

While researching one of my favorite ancestral uncles, I came across a newspaper article that celebrates his tireless zeal in founding the Union High School in Elk Grove, California.  I am hoping that the local history folks in Elk Grove will recognize his efforts in some way.

Here is a transcript of the article, followed by the Optical Character Recognition and finally a copy of the newspaper article from GenealogyBank.com.  The GenealogyBank.com collection of the Sacramento newspapers has been very helpful to me in both the 19th and 20th centuries.

A pleasant surprise party was tendered Alfred Coffman at his residence last Thursday evening by the patrons. pupils and teachers of the Elk Grove School. Mr. Coffman for many years has acted as School Trustee. He has filled the position admirably, thereby winning for himself the esteem of all. He has been largely instrumental in securing to Elk Grove the Union High School, and wishing to show their sense of his ability and untiring zeal, the friends of Mr. Coffman presented him with a handsome chair. The presentation was accompanied by a few well-chosen remarks by Delos Gage, expressive of the sterling worth of the recipient. A sumptuous repast was partaken of by the guests, who agreed that this was a memorable event in the annals of Elk Grove history. Among those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Coffman, Mr. and Mrs. Delos Gage, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Kerby, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Duffy, Mr. and Mrs. Woody, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Loll, Mr. and Mrs. D. Sherwood. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon. Mrs. Trueblood, Mrs. Butler, Misses Lena Smith, Mattie Malcolm, Howard, Mabel Leimbach. Lena Loll, Ada Gage, Ella Trueblood, Hortense Woody, Jennie Stewart and Laura Keemy, Messrs. Trueblood, Stewart, A. Gage, S. Gage, John Piekett, Joe Pickett, Loll, Cowart, Kerby, H. Kerby, C. Oltman, G. Oltman, Costella, Howard, Volney, Smith, Trueblood, Leimbach, Dixon, J. Stewart, N. Stewart and A. Gray. 

Here is the OCR version:

A pleasant surprise party WIlS tendered
AU'red Coffman at his resideuce last
Thursday e\'euin~ by the patrons. pupils
and tsachel'll of the Elk Grove School.
Mr. Colfman Cor many yeai'll has acted as
School Trustee. He has filled the posi"
on admirably, tbereby winninJ[ lor himself
the esteelD of all. Ho has been
largely instrumental in secnrinJ[ to Elk
(irove the linion High School, and wishinl[
to ebow their aellse of his ability snd
untirinl[ zeal, the friends of Mr. Cotfman
presented him witb a handsome chair.
The presentation was accompanied by a
few well-cbosen remarks by Delos Galeo,
expre.sive of the sterlinJ[ worth .of the
recipient. A sumptuous reput was partaken
of by the KlieBts, who agreed tbat
tbis WILl a memorable ev.ent in tbe annals
of Elk Grove history. Amon~ those
present were: Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Colfmlln,
Mr. and Mrs. Delos GSEe, Mr. and
Mrs. Clinton Kerby, Mr. and Mrs. Tom
Dull'y, lb. and Mrs. Woody. Mr. and
Mrs. titewart, Mr. and ~1ra. Loll. Mr. and
Mrs. ». Sherwood. lir. and Mrs. Dixon.
)f rs. Trueblood, lire. 8utler. Misses
Lena Smith, Mattie Malcolm, Howard.
Mabel Leiru bach. Lflna Loll. Ada Gage,
Ella Trueblood, Hortense WOO<1Y. Jennie
S~war~ aud Laura Keemy, lle881'8.
Trueblood, Stewart, A. Gage, S. Gage,
John Piekett, Joe Pickett, Loll. Cowart,
Kerby. H. Kerby, C. Oltman, G. Oltman,
Costella. Howard, Volney, tlmitb, Trueblood,
Leimoacb, DixoD, J. Stewart, N.
Stew an and A. Gray.
It was interesting to note that both "Alfred" and "Coffman" were garbled at various points in the article but fortunately both names were recognized properly in a couple of different places which led to my discovery of this article.  I'm just lucky, I guess!

Here is the original image:

Date: 1893-08-22 Paper: Sacramento Daily Union Volume: 86 Page: 6
For more historical background on Alfred Coffman, check out this article:

http://www.ancestorpuzzles.com/2017/03/backyard-history-1-sacramento.html