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I am the owner of a 16 room Victorian home in Homer Illinois built by
Michael David and Mellie Burton Coffeen in 1888-89 and I am seeking more
information on the people who built it. Michael David Coffeen (born August
28, 1846 in Warren County Indiana to Alvah Preston and Coffeen and Olive E
Martin) a U Michigan Law Graduate. They had two children Charles B (VMI
graduate) and Olive (Allie) B. Michael's bio is in the 1886 Biographical
Sketches of Champaign County IL.
I have a copy of William Coffeen's notes (received last week) and I too am
seeking Michael's date of death. I have the U Michigan and VMI information
but I am looking for anything else that anyone may know. Homer Illinois was
really founded by one M.D. Coffeen, Michael's uncle.
The house can be viewed at http://www.uvis.com/homer/homer.html
The locals in the town did not know who built the home or who lived in it
before 1917. Michael and Mellie moved to Chicago in 1891 after their
business (the Coffeen Mill and Elevator Co) began to have problems. The
house was seized by the Sherriff and sold in September 1894. Michael became
the head of the FMBA in Chicago and they did not return to Homer. I have a
great amount of detail of them for 1880 - 1891 but not much after.
If you have anything that might be helpful I would appreciate hearing from
you.
Ray Cunningham
304 East First Street
Homer IL 61849