Florence Earle COATES was born on July 29, 1892, in Chicago, Illinois, when her father, Justus Greene Coats, was 42, and her mother, Cornelia Henrietta (Wiggs) Coates, was 40. She was the youngest of 10 children -- 2 sisters and 7 brothers. The family was prosperous as a result of the family drug store business. She went to Englewood High School and graduated in 1910. Entries from her yearbook (1910 The Purple Book) describe her as:
"This popular member of the June class of 10' entered high school in 1906. She has always been an enthusiastic student both in her studies and her love for athletics. Full of school spirit, she is an energetic "rooter" at all football games (with reason), and does her part in bringing the girls to the games. In the Senior play she is "Queen of the Fairies."
After high school she continued her education focused on becoming an English teacher. During those years she somehow met a "boy from the Pittsburgh streets" who was working for John Deere in Chicago - Thomas Anderson. The courtship began. Around 1912, Thomas accepted a "sales" position at International Harvester in Saskatchewan, Canada. The long distance courtship continued through the summer of 1914, and culminated in Thomas proposing and asking for permission to marry Florence in a long, articulate letter to Henrietta Coates (not Justus). She married Thomas Edward ANDERSON on September 3, 1914, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada -- no mother, family, or friends present. They remained in Canada for about a year, until Thomas' mother, Irene Lucy (Temple) Anderson, convinced them to run the farm she had purchased in Vienna, Ohio, for Thomas' brother, Robert Chester Anderson. Robert was not a farmer. With absolutely no experience in farming, Thomas and Florence decided to accept the offer of the farm and relocated to Fowler, Ohio, in April 1916. Thus began their life together.
They had six children in 10 years:
Windsor Temple Anderson, b. 19 September 1917, d. 17 July 2012;
Thomas Edward Anderson, Jr. - b. 19 August 1919, d. 28 April 2009;
Robert Gordon Anderson - b. 25 February 1921, d. 22 March 2003;
Lawrence Richard Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, d. 25 September 2000; Twin
Florence Allene Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, twin;
Claribel Esther Anderson - b. 22 February 1928.
The farm was named "Mineral Springs Farm" and became a mecca for both the Anderson and Coates relatives especially during the summers and when the children of relatives needed a place to live. All were welcome. Together they turned the farm into a dairy business serving the residents of Youngstown. The depression years were hard on "city relatives" who sought comfort in the simpler life style provided by rural life, not to mention abundant food. World War II brought complete change in the character of the farm as dairy operations ceased (no help available) when all four sons entered the military. During their lives, Florence and Thomas experienced many firsts -- electric lights in the barn, in-door plumbing, first appliance was a washing machine, first tractor was a Fordson with metal wheels, refrigeration, television, home movies, and air travel.
As a young boy (5), I would help gather eggs from the chicken coop where 100+ chickens tried to protect their eggs by pecking your hand. Her only advice to calm me was, "watch out for the snakes ... they also like eggs." Afterward she would grab 3-4 chickens by the neck, spin them around, chop off their heads and let them run around. Sunday dinner was about to be prepared.
She died on July 31, 1968, in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 76, while visiting her son Thomas Anderson, and is buried in the Tod Homestead Cemetery, Youngstown, Ohio.
"This popular member of the June class of 10' entered high school in 1906. She has always been an enthusiastic student both in her studies and her love for athletics. Full of school spirit, she is an energetic "rooter" at all football games (with reason), and does her part in bringing the girls to the games. In the Senior play she is "Queen of the Fairies."
After high school she continued her education focused on becoming an English teacher. During those years she somehow met a "boy from the Pittsburgh streets" who was working for John Deere in Chicago - Thomas Anderson. The courtship began. Around 1912, Thomas accepted a "sales" position at International Harvester in Saskatchewan, Canada. The long distance courtship continued through the summer of 1914, and culminated in Thomas proposing and asking for permission to marry Florence in a long, articulate letter to Henrietta Coates (not Justus). She married Thomas Edward ANDERSON on September 3, 1914, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada -- no mother, family, or friends present. They remained in Canada for about a year, until Thomas' mother, Irene Lucy (Temple) Anderson, convinced them to run the farm she had purchased in Vienna, Ohio, for Thomas' brother, Robert Chester Anderson. Robert was not a farmer. With absolutely no experience in farming, Thomas and Florence decided to accept the offer of the farm and relocated to Fowler, Ohio, in April 1916. Thus began their life together.
They had six children in 10 years:
Windsor Temple Anderson, b. 19 September 1917, d. 17 July 2012;
Thomas Edward Anderson, Jr. - b. 19 August 1919, d. 28 April 2009;
Robert Gordon Anderson - b. 25 February 1921, d. 22 March 2003;
Lawrence Richard Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, d. 25 September 2000; Twin
Florence Allene Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, twin;
Claribel Esther Anderson - b. 22 February 1928.
The farm was named "Mineral Springs Farm" and became a mecca for both the Anderson and Coates relatives especially during the summers and when the children of relatives needed a place to live. All were welcome. Together they turned the farm into a dairy business serving the residents of Youngstown. The depression years were hard on "city relatives" who sought comfort in the simpler life style provided by rural life, not to mention abundant food. World War II brought complete change in the character of the farm as dairy operations ceased (no help available) when all four sons entered the military. During their lives, Florence and Thomas experienced many firsts -- electric lights in the barn, in-door plumbing, first appliance was a washing machine, first tractor was a Fordson with metal wheels, refrigeration, television, home movies, and air travel.
As a young boy (5), I would help gather eggs from the chicken coop where 100+ chickens tried to protect their eggs by pecking your hand. Her only advice to calm me was, "watch out for the snakes ... they also like eggs." Afterward she would grab 3-4 chickens by the neck, spin them around, chop off their heads and let them run around. Sunday dinner was about to be prepared.
She died on July 31, 1968, in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 76, while visiting her son Thomas Anderson, and is buried in the Tod Homestead Cemetery, Youngstown, Ohio.
Florence Earle COATES was born on July 29, 1892, in Chicago, Illinois, when her father, Justus Greene Coats, was 42, and her mother, Cornelia Henrietta (Wiggs) Coates, was 40. She was the youngest of 10 children -- 2 sisters and 7 brothers. The family was prosperous as a result of the family drug store business. She went to Englewood High School and graduated in 1910. Entries from her yearbook (1910 The Purple Book) describe her as:
"This popular member of the June class of 10' entered high school in 1906. She has always been an enthusiastic student both in her studies and her love for athletics. Full of school spirit, she is an energetic "rooter" at all football games (with reason), and does her part in bringing the girls to the games. In the Senior play she is "Queen of the Fairies."
After high school she continued her education focused on becoming an English teacher. During those years she somehow met a "boy from the Pittsburgh streets" who was working for John Deere in Chicago - Thomas Anderson. The courtship began. Around 1912, Thomas accepted a "sales" position at International Harvester in Saskatchewan, Canada. The long distance courtship continued through the summer of 1914, and culminated in Thomas proposing and asking for permission to marry Florence in a long, articulate letter to Henrietta Coates (not Justus). She married Thomas Edward ANDERSON on September 3, 1914, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada -- no mother, family, or friends present. They remained in Canada for about a year, until Thomas' mother, Irene Lucy (Temple) Anderson, convinced them to run the farm she had purchased in Vienna, Ohio, for Thomas' brother, Robert Chester Anderson. Robert was not a farmer. With absolutely no experience in farming, Thomas and Florence decided to accept the offer of the farm and relocated to Fowler, Ohio, in April 1916. Thus began their life together.
They had six children in 10 years:
Windsor Temple Anderson, b. 19 September 1917, d. 17 July 2012;
Thomas Edward Anderson, Jr. - b. 19 August 1919, d. 28 April 2009;
Robert Gordon Anderson - b. 25 February 1921, d. 22 March 2003;
Lawrence Richard Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, d. 25 September 2000; Twin
Florence Allene Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, twin;
Claribel Esther Anderson - b. 22 February 1928.
The farm was named "Mineral Springs Farm" and became a mecca for both the Anderson and Coates relatives especially during the summers and when the children of relatives needed a place to live. All were welcome. Together they turned the farm into a dairy business serving the residents of Youngstown. The depression years were hard on "city relatives" who sought comfort in the simpler life style provided by rural life, not to mention abundant food. World War II brought complete change in the character of the farm as dairy operations ceased (no help available) when all four sons entered the military. During their lives, Florence and Thomas experienced many firsts -- electric lights in the barn, in-door plumbing, first appliance was a washing machine, first tractor was a Fordson with metal wheels, refrigeration, television, home movies, and air travel.
As a young boy (5), I would help gather eggs from the chicken coop where 100+ chickens tried to protect their eggs by pecking your hand. Her only advice to calm me was, "watch out for the snakes ... they also like eggs." Afterward she would grab 3-4 chickens by the neck, spin them around, chop off their heads and let them run around. Sunday dinner was about to be prepared.
She died on July 31, 1968, in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 76, while visiting her son Thomas Anderson, and is buried in the Tod Homestead Cemetery, Youngstown, Ohio.
"This popular member of the June class of 10' entered high school in 1906. She has always been an enthusiastic student both in her studies and her love for athletics. Full of school spirit, she is an energetic "rooter" at all football games (with reason), and does her part in bringing the girls to the games. In the Senior play she is "Queen of the Fairies."
After high school she continued her education focused on becoming an English teacher. During those years she somehow met a "boy from the Pittsburgh streets" who was working for John Deere in Chicago - Thomas Anderson. The courtship began. Around 1912, Thomas accepted a "sales" position at International Harvester in Saskatchewan, Canada. The long distance courtship continued through the summer of 1914, and culminated in Thomas proposing and asking for permission to marry Florence in a long, articulate letter to Henrietta Coates (not Justus). She married Thomas Edward ANDERSON on September 3, 1914, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada -- no mother, family, or friends present. They remained in Canada for about a year, until Thomas' mother, Irene Lucy (Temple) Anderson, convinced them to run the farm she had purchased in Vienna, Ohio, for Thomas' brother, Robert Chester Anderson. Robert was not a farmer. With absolutely no experience in farming, Thomas and Florence decided to accept the offer of the farm and relocated to Fowler, Ohio, in April 1916. Thus began their life together.
They had six children in 10 years:
Windsor Temple Anderson, b. 19 September 1917, d. 17 July 2012;
Thomas Edward Anderson, Jr. - b. 19 August 1919, d. 28 April 2009;
Robert Gordon Anderson - b. 25 February 1921, d. 22 March 2003;
Lawrence Richard Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, d. 25 September 2000; Twin
Florence Allene Anderson - b. 5 September 1926, twin;
Claribel Esther Anderson - b. 22 February 1928.
The farm was named "Mineral Springs Farm" and became a mecca for both the Anderson and Coates relatives especially during the summers and when the children of relatives needed a place to live. All were welcome. Together they turned the farm into a dairy business serving the residents of Youngstown. The depression years were hard on "city relatives" who sought comfort in the simpler life style provided by rural life, not to mention abundant food. World War II brought complete change in the character of the farm as dairy operations ceased (no help available) when all four sons entered the military. During their lives, Florence and Thomas experienced many firsts -- electric lights in the barn, in-door plumbing, first appliance was a washing machine, first tractor was a Fordson with metal wheels, refrigeration, television, home movies, and air travel.
As a young boy (5), I would help gather eggs from the chicken coop where 100+ chickens tried to protect their eggs by pecking your hand. Her only advice to calm me was, "watch out for the snakes ... they also like eggs." Afterward she would grab 3-4 chickens by the neck, spin them around, chop off their heads and let them run around. Sunday dinner was about to be prepared.
She died on July 31, 1968, in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 76, while visiting her son Thomas Anderson, and is buried in the Tod Homestead Cemetery, Youngstown, Ohio.
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