William Robertson Coe

William Robertson Coe (June 8, 1869 – March 15, 1955) was an insurance, railroad and business executive, a major owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses, as well as a collector of Americana and an important philanthropist for the academic discipline of American Studies. Early life William Coe was born in Kingswinford, Staffordshire, England. His father, Frederick Augustus Coe, was then cashier in a local iron works, but later became manager. His mother, Margaret Robertson, was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland. Coe received his early schooling at Albion Academy in Cardiff, Wales. At the start of the 1880s, his family resided in Gloucester, where Coe was confirmed at the local cathedral. Members of the Coe family, including William, arrived in New York on August 18, 1883, from Hull, England, aboard the Rhodora, a merchant ship owned by Margaret's elder brother George Robertson. Their final destination was Philadelphia. His parents and ten children, William was fifth of the ten, settled in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. Career