Highland-Pike County OhArchives Obituaries.....Coe, James R. April 17, 1975
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Ralph Cokonougher rcokon@hotmail.com December 29, 2005, 1:10 am
From the April 18, 1975 Greenfield , Ohio "Greenfield Daily Times":
"TWO ARE CHARGED IN DEATH OF ELDERLY MAN.
Two men have been placed under $50,000 bond each after being charged
with murder in connection with the Thursday afternoon death of a Higginsville
resident.
Donald Pryor, 35, 408 Milburn st., and Arthur (Sonny) Jenkins, 24, (no
address provided), were placed under $50,000 bond each when they appeared
before Judge Conrad Curren in Madison Twp. County Court Friday morning.
Both men, unable to provide bond, were remanded to the custody of the
Highland County Sheriff Walter Reffitt.
The men were charged in connection with the slaying of an elderly
Taylor st. resident at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
JAMES R. (BOB) COE, 79, was pronounced dead at Greenfield Municipal
Hospital's emergency room Thursday afternoon after being taken there by
Greenfield Area Life Squad.
Coe, according to Sheriff Walter Reffitt, had sustained bruises, cuts,
and abrasions about the face.
According to the sheriff's report, his department was called at 4:58
p.m. Thursday and was told that the life squad had picked up a man who had
been beaten, and that he had died. The incident occurred in Higginsville,
outside the Greenfield city limits, the sheriff was told.
Sheriff Reffitt and Capt. Hugh Rogers went to the hospital emergency
room.
Reffitt said that according to information he had been able to obtain
by Friday morning, Coe and Pryor’s father had been drinking beer Thursday and
had quarreled.
Pryor and Jenkins stepped in, in behalf of Pryor’s father, Reffitt said
he learned.
The sheriff said he had not ascertained exactly where the incident
occurred, but the life squad reported it picked Coe up at 401 Taylor st.,
Coe’s address.
The sheriff did not give details of the arrest of the two men, but said
they were arrested after midnight. Pryor reportedly was picked up near a
small garage that he operates.
Reffitt also stated it has not been determined if a weapon was used,
and assumed that fists and hands caused the death.
When the two men appeared in court Friday morning, Pryor stated he
would provide an attorney and Jenkins asked for a court-appointed attorney.
Ronald Swonger of Hillsboro was appointed.
The two men are to appear in court at 7 a.m. Monday for preliminary
hearing.
Robert Cyrus, an agent with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and
Identification, is assisting with the case.
Coe was born Aug. 23, 1895 in Pike County, the son of JAMES W. COE and
EMMALINE BARFELL COE. He was married to the former ETHEL MCWILLIAMS on Oct.
11, 1933. A U.S. Army Veteran of World War I, he was a retired employe of the
B&O Railroad and a member of the Eagles Lodge and Disabled American Veterans
of Greenfield.
Survivors besides his wife, include a daughter, Mrs. CHARLES (MARTHA)
CODER, Leesburg Rt. 1; a sister, Mrs. ESTHER OVERMAN, Arizona; a brother,
ARTHUR COE, Arizona, and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two sons, JAMES L. COE and ROBERT E. COE,
both of whom died June 30, 1947, and two sisters.
Service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Murray Funeral Home,
officiated by Rev. Edward B. Fisher. Burial will follow in Greenfield
Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home after noon Sunday.
Eagles service will be held at 8 p.m. Sunday.”
Additional Comments:
This article, from an undated 1975 issue of the Greenfield, Ohio “Greenfield
Daily Times”, appeared a few days after the above article:
“PRYOR, JENKINS ARE GRANTED CONTINUANCE.
The arraignment of the two men charged in the beating death of JAMES
COE, 79, 401 Taylor st. Thursday afternoon was continued in Highland county
court until April 28.
Donald Pryor, 35, 408 Milburn st., and Arthur Jenkins, 24, no address
given, are charged in the slaying. Both are under $50,000 bond and are in
Highland County jail in lieu of that bond.
The beating occurred in Higginsville, just outside of the Greenfield
city limits.
Highland county sheriff Walter Reffitt reported that Coe had sustained
bruises, cuts, and abrasions about the face.
Reffitt said that according to information he received, Coe and Pryor’s
father had been drinking and quarrelled.
Pryor and Jenkins stepped in on behalf of Pryor’s father, Reffitt said
he learned.
The Greenfield Area Life Squad took Coe to the Greenfield Municipal
Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
It has not been determined if a weapon was used in the beating. Reffitt
assumed that fists and hands were the cause of death.”
James R. Coe was a half-first cousin to my grandmother, Nora (Spurgeon)
Hester, through their common grandmother, Sarah Ellen Lytle. The following is
a partial ancestry of James R. Coe:
Generation No. 1
1. James R. Coe, born August 23, 1895 in Pike County, Ohio; died
April 17, 1975 in Highland County, Ohio. He was the son of 2. James W. Coe
and 3. Artamissa Emeline Barfell. He married (1) Ethel McWilliams October 11,
1933.
Children of James Coe and Ethel McWilliams are:
i. Martha Coe, married Charles Coder.
ii. James L. Coe, died June 30, 1947.
iii. Robert E. Coe, died June 30, 1947.
Generation No. 2
2. James W. Coe. He married 3. Artamissa Emeline Barfell.
3. Artamissa Emeline Barfell, born March 29, 1864. She was the
daughter of 6. Fulthy Barfell and 7. Sarah Ellen Lytle.
Children of James Coe and Artamissa Barfell are:
1 i. James R. Coe, born August 23, 1895 in Pike County,
Ohio; died April 17, 1975 in Highland County, Ohio; married Ethel McWilliams
October 11, 1933.
ii. Esther Coe, married ? Overman.
iii. Arthur Coe.
iv. ? Coe.
v. Flora Coe, married Lafayette "Lafe" Spurgeon.
Generation No. 3
6. Fulthy Barfell, born Abt. 1810; died July 28, 1887. He married 7.
Sarah Ellen Lytle July 06, 1863 in Pike County, Ohio. Sarah Ellen Lytle was
the widow of James Thomas Spurgeon.
7. Sarah Ellen Lytle, born April 1824 in Ohio; died September 13, 1915 in
Highland County, Ohio.
Children of Fulthy Barfell and Sarah Lytle are:
3 i. Artamissa Emeline Barfell, born March 29, 1864;
married James W. Coe.
ii. Rachel Ellen Barfell, born May 02, 1866; died November
16; married George Henry McEdwards May 10, 1885.
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