"Ancestrees"

Alfred Mainwaring COATS ¹

  General Notes:

They had at least 3 children. Their only known son, Archibald, was killed in World War I. Alfred was listed of 1 East Twenty-first Str. in New York when he was one of the named administrators of his father's estate in 1912. (C-1792, 1793) The following extensive biography on him was from "History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations" c.1920: "Alfred M. Coats was born in Paisley, Scotland, April 12, 1869. He was brought to Rhode Island by his parents when a child of eighteen months, and obtained his preparatory education in St. Paul's School, at Concord, N. H., then entered Yale University. He was graduated A. B. in the class of 1891, and the following year entered the service of J. & P. Coats, Ltd., in the Pawtucket plant. He learned all departments of the business, and was advanced through positions of increasing responsibility to the great managership of the plant, an important post he filled from 1902 to 1910. In the latter year he retired from active affairs, limiting his participation in business to his duties as director of the Industrial Trust Company, the Slater Trust Company, of Pawtucket, and the Lorraine Manufacturing Company, and as trustee of the Pawtucket Institute for Savings, although he has wide interests. The period of the United States active participation in the World War found him giving unreservedly of all his resources, time, effort and funds, to the Allied cause. In 1917 he was chairman of the first Red Cross war fund campaign for Rhode Island, and in August of that year was appointed federal food administrator. He discharged the burdensome duties of this office with an efficiency that won him high commendation and secured the cooperation of the citizens of the State to such a degree that comparatively little friction arose from the beginning of his administration until the office was discontinued, January 31, 1919. His gifts of labor, personal convenience, and money, valuable as they were, were but the smallest of his contributions to the cause of victory, for he lost his only son, Lieutenant Archibald Coats, in the service, seventeen days before the armistice ended the conflict. Mr. Coats was appointed by Mayor Gainer a member, and became chairman, of the Providence Citizens' Committee, whose object was to aid returning soldiers and sailors in securing employment and adjusting themselves to civil life. He served in this capacity until June 1, 1919, when he resigned his office.

Mr. Coats is a member of numerous social organizations, including the Squantum Association, the Agawam Hunt, Rhode Island Country, Hope, and Turk's Head clubs, and many out-of-town clubs. He is a popular member of the Providence community, and although retired from industrial and business affairs, is intimately concerned in all that affects his city's welfare. From 1912 to 1916 Mr. Coats resided in New York City, but since the latter year Providence has been his home and his associations extend into many channels of the city's life.

Alfred married Elizabeth Morris BARNEWELL. (Elizabeth Morris BARNEWELL was born in 1867 of Flushing, NY, USA and died on 11/5/1940 of Providence, RI, USA ².)