Douglass Coe

Douglass Nathaniel Coe (January 21, 1863 - November 15, 1925) was an American businessman and investor. Born to wealthy immigrants from the United Kingdom, he invested diversely in the rapidly developing new technologies of the time. With seven companies to his name, and acquisitions of several others, he became a driving force in the spread of early electronics, lighting, and telecommunications. His second wife Gwendolyn inherited control of his businesses after his death, and in 1928 merged them all into a single entity, Coe.

Early Life
Douglass Nathaniel Coe was born on January 21, 1863 to Dr. John Alexander Coe, a wealthy English physician, and Harper Kate Coe (nee Shear). The couple had moved from London, England to Boston, Massachusetts in 1860, where Coe attended Harvard, earning degrees in business and finance. In 1872 his mother passed away from pneumonia, and shortly after that in 18his father became gravely ill. At his fathers advise, Coe began investing the family's money in new directions, to new technologies being developed.

Coes Companies
During his lifetime, Coe created 9 companies and facilitated acquisitions of 6 others:
 * Douglass Coe Computing Machines (founded 1886, absorbed Sheffield Billing Machines)
 * Coe Electric Company (founded 1890)

Springfield Ceramics and Celluloid became defunct some time in 1910. In 1912 Coe shut down the Coe Broadcasting Company, and merged Douglass Coe Wireless Telegraph Company into the Coe Signal Company. After his death in 1925, his wife began consolidating the companies, in 1926 she merged Douglass Coe Computing Machines, Coe Electric Company, and Coe Dictation and Recording into Coe Laboratories, Inc. At this point, Coes businesses had been whittled down to four remaining companies: Only two years later, she conducted the merger of these four remaining companies into a single corporate entity, Coe.
 * Coe Dictation and Recording (founded 1896, absorbed Harrison Phonography and J. W. Hall Mfg. Co.)
 * Coe Electronic Bulb Company (founded 1898, absorbed American Electric)
 * Coe, Schultz & Company (founded 1902 with Grover Schultz)
 * Springfield Ceramics and Celluloid (founded 1902, absorbed parts of J. W. Hall Mfg. Co.)
 * Coe Signal Company (founded 1903, absorbed Andrew & Clark)
 * Douglass Coe Wireless Telegraph Company (founded 1904)
 * Coe Broadcasting Company (founded 1906, absorbed Suntel)
 * Coe Electronic Bulb Company (original from 1898)
 * Coe, Schultz & Company (original from 1902)
 * Coe Signal Company (absorbed Douglass Coe Wireless Telegraph Company in 1912)
 * Coe Laboratories, Inc. (created 1926)

Personal Life
Coe married Samantha Kaye in May of 1887. The union was plagued with problems, and they separated in 1896. In 1902 Coe became involved with Gwendolyn Lyons, who was 20 years his junior. They were married in 1910, and Gwendolyn became very involved with the management of the businesses. They had three children; Nathan, Franklin, and Martin. Nathan John Coe was born on December 2, 1904, less than two months after Gwendolyn turned 21. The child died on December 18, and the whole pregnancy was kept private.