Biography of Mark Ainsworth Coffin, 1867-1941

Mark Ainsworth Coffin, manager of the firm of Coffin and Beglan, engaged in the automobile and garage business in Boise, dates his residence in Idaho from 1891, in which year he arrived from Longmont, Colorado. Illinois claims him as a native son, his birth having occurred in DeKalb County, September 19, 1867, his parents being George W. and Emilie (Ainsworth) Coffin. The father was born at Roxbury, New York, while the mother is a native of Belvidere, Illinois. His death occured at Longmont, Colorado, in 1906, but the mother still survives and makes her home with her son Mark in Boise. She is approaching the age of eighty years. George W. Coffin devoted his life to the occupation of farming and thus provided for the support of his family, which numbered four sons and two daughters, all of whom are yet living.

Mark A. Coffin was reared and educated in Colorado, where his parents had resided for several years prior to his birth, which occurred, however, while his mother was visiting in Illinois. He studied Civil Engineering in the Colorado State Agricultural College at Fort Collins and practiced his profession for some time before turning his attention to the automobile business. He removed from Longmont, Colorado, to Idaho in 1891, settling first at Idaho Falls, where he remained for thirteen years and afterward lived for a few years at Twin Falls. In the former place he had charge of the Great Western canal for a number of years, acting as water master for some time. At Twin Falls he was in charge of the Twin Falls irrigation project, being superintendent of construction and water master. In 1906 he went to Brazil, where he spent eighteen months as superintendent of construction of a large dam in Southern Brazil for a Toronto (Canada) concern.

Upon his return to the United States he took up his abode in Boise in 1907 and has since made his home in this city. While his family were in Boise, however, he spent much of the time during the years 1909 and 1910 in Twin Falls, occupying the position which he had previously filled. During the following years up to 1915 he was professionally engaged on various other public projects in Idaho and Utah. In 1915, however, he turned his attention to the automobile and garage business and is now senior partner in the firm of Coffin and Beglan, his associate being Matthew Beglan. They are distributors in Southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon for the Hupmobile and sell a large number of cars annually. Their garage on Bannock Street is seventy-five by one hundred and twenty-two feet and they have a storehouse in addition, twenty-five by one hundred and twenty-two feet.

On the twentyeth of December, 1894, Mr. Coffin was married in Idaho Falls, Idaho to Miss Mary Alice Pelot, who was born in this state and is a daughter of Carlisle and Alice (Buck) Pelot, early residents of eastern Idaho. They now have four daughters: Reva, the wife of Pliny Arnold, of Boise; Ruth, Mary, and Laura, who are at home. Their daughter Ruth is Stenographer for the firm of Coffin and Beglan. Mr Coffin owns his home at No. 1119 North Eighth Street in Boise, which he erected in 1908 and which is a comfortable and attractive residence of eight rooms. He also owns an excellent grain ranch of three hundred and twenty acres in Idaho County.

Fraternally, Mr. Coffin is an Odd Fellow, belonging to the subordinate lodge and encampment, and is a past grand of the order. He also has membership in the Boise Commercial Club and is interested in all of its well defined plans and projects for the upbuilding of the city. In politics he is a democrat but has never been a candidate for elective office. However, he is serving as one of the drainage commissioners of Ada County, a position which he has acceptably filled for some time, his previous experience as a civil and irrigation engineer well qualifying him for work of this character.