David Vance Coe was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, December 15, 1835, to Samuel and Marie Coe. In 1852 he moved to Independence, Iowa where he married Almira Sufficool on August 12, 1858. She was the daughter of Isaac and Keziah Sufficool, pioneer settlers of Hazelton, Iowa.
David served as sergeant in Company G, 9t Regiment, Iowa Volunteers during the Civil War. The Coes came to Nebraska in May 1870 with five children settling down on a farm outside Neligh in 1873. They built the first hotel in Neligh, known as the Coe House. He was the first Antelope County judge. In 1879 he retired from the hotel business and sold lumber and coal until 1886 when they moved to Ewing and entered the mercantile business. In 1890 they moved to Pennington County, South Dakota, where they established a horse and cattle ranch. They returned to Neligh in 1903 when Almira became ill. She died July 28, 1905. David lived with his daughter Effa Rapp until his death December 20, 1924. David and Almira had ten children: Irene, Effa, Samuel, Lecta, Hattie, Lottie, Nellie, Lulu, Vance and Vera.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007