Birth: 8 OCT 1863
Death: 8 NOV 1934 in Dallas, Texas

Note: John Lewis Coffman was a lawyer and judge in Holdenville, Oklahoma.

Father: Robert J. COFFMAN b: 17 MAR 1821 in Tennessee
Mother: Mary Elizabeth SANDERSON b: 16 FEB 1838 in Anderson, Alabama

Marriage 1 Mary Alice MALONE
Married: 19 DEC 1894 in Giles County, Tennessee

Children
Rivers Coffman
Carrie-Will Coffman
Emma Coffman
Harry Coffman
Living Coffman

November 9, 1934: Judge John L. Coffman, 71, pioneer Holdenville man and jurist, fell dead on the streets of Dallas last night at 9:30 pm. of a sudden heart attack. The body is being brought back to Holdenville and will be here around midnight. Mackey ambulance making the arrangements.

Judge Coffman, a former city attorney, county judge and still later the district judge, left Holdenville Thursday afternoon about 3:00 on a business trip to Grand Saline, Texas, where he owns a farm. He rode as far as Dallas with Colonel J. R. Witty, who was en route to Corpus Christi, and was spending the night in Dallas before going on to Grand Saline. While taking a stroll down one of the streets in the business section of Dallas, Judge Coffman suddenly collapsed to the sidewalk. He was dead before aid could be administered. Colonel Witty had gone on to Ft. Worth to spend the night with his son and was not present.

Judge Coffman was identified by papers found on his person. Among these was a letter addressed to his son, Lieut. John H. Coffman, of the U. S. Marine corps. The letter to Lieut. Coffman was one which the judge had failed to mail before leaving Holdenville. Rivers M. Coffman, another son, said today. Death to Judge Coffman was wholly unexpected. He was suffering a minor ailment when he left Holdenville, but this was not considered incident to his sudden death. Investigation in Dallas indicated conclusively that death was due to a sudden heart attack.

Judge Coffman was born October 3, 1863 in Limestone County, Alabama, near the town of Athens. He grew to a young manhood as a mountaineer and when about 25 years of age accepted employment from an uncle who operated a gin near Pulaski. It was while thus employed that Judge Coffman sustained injuries to his right arm that necessitated amputation. Loss of his arm definitely thwarting the young mountaineer's plans to become a gin operator, he set out to qualify himself for admission the bar. He had gone only through the third or fourth grade, but was so determined to get an education that he did not let his advanced age keep him from completing his grammar school education.

In due course of time, the ex mountaineer was studying law in the offices of Flourney Rivers, a prominent attorney of that section of Tennessee. In 1900, having been admitted to the bar, Judge Coffman opened law offices in Pulaski. His offices were the same rooms where the original Klu Klux Klan was organized. Four years later, he was appointed to fill an unexpired term as county judge of Giles county. While studying law, Judge Coffman was elected county assessor of Giles county by the largest majority which at that time had ever been given a candidate for an office in that county. Shortly before statehood in 1907,

Judge Coffman came to the Indian Territory, locating in Muskogee. He was selected to come to Hughes County to conduct the county seat election and was so impressed with the community that he decided to establish his residence and a law practice here. In 1908, Judge Coffman moved his family to Holdenville and has been a resident of the city since that time. He served as city attorney on municipal law. He drafted the charter under which Holdenville city government was operated for several years. Judge Coffman, who served two terms as county judge, was holding that office when a vacancy was created in the office of district judge through the resignation of George C. Crump. Governor J. B. A. Robertson appointed Judge Coffman to the vacancy, the appointment being recommended by the lawyers of Hughes and Seminole counties.

The widow and five children survive; Rivers Coffman of this city; and Lieut. John L. Coffman of the U. S. Marine Corp.; The daughters: Mrs. Otto Praeger of Washington; Miss Carrie Will Coffman; Mrs. John C. Miller of Houston, Tex; and Miss Emma Jane Coffman: Miss Martha Coffman music instructor at Snider, Ok. Judge Coffman is also survived by five brothers and two sisters: George W. , Shawnee, ; Leonard, Giles County, Tenn.; Billy, Duncan, Ok.; Jim, Texas; Dave, Shawnee; Mrs. Martha White, Ardmore, Ok.; Mrs. Joe Ashford, Shawnee.