Kings County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



CLAUDE D. COATS
 
One of the prominent farmers and stockmen in the Paddock district, eight miles 
southwest of Hanford, Kings county, Cal., is Claude D. Coats. Mr. Coats was born 
at Dayton, Nev., December 9, 1860, a son of Thomas Coats, who was until the end 
of his career a leader in mining enterprises in that part of the country. The 
family had been at Fort Churchill four months during Indian troubles and were 
returning to their home in Virginia City, stopping at Dayton to look after some 
mining business when their son was born. In October, 1881, after his father's 
death, Claude located a mile east of his present ranch. He and his brother L. B. 
Coats rented one hundred and sixty acres and were associated in farming and 
stock-raising for fifteen years. Meanwhile Claude D. Coats bought two hundred 
and forty acres, which is included in his present home property. He moved onto 
the ranch in 1890 and has since made all the improvements for which the property 
is well known throughout the county. While his principal business is the raising 
of horses and hogs, he does some farming and has one hundred and twenty acres in 
alfalfa. Some years ago he bought and sold seventy-three and one-half acres 
about a mile distant from his homestead.
By his marriage in June, 1902, Mr. Coats united his life and fortunes with those 
of Miss Mattie Finley, a native of Contra Costa county, August 29, 1864, but a 
resident of Santa Rosa, Sonoma county. They have many friends in the country 
round about Hanford who rejoice in their success thus far and express the 
firmest faith in their future. Mr. Coats is a man of much natural public spirit 
who is interested in the growth and development of Kings county.
 
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - 
Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 657-658
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler