Coe family

Louise Holland Coe (l896-l985), born in Bartlett, Texas, received her B.A. from the University of New Mexico. She taught school in the Ruidoso Valley from l9l6 to l9l8, and married rancher Wilbur Coe in l9l9. Her interest in education led to the beginning of a public career when she was elected Lincoln County Superintendent of Schools in l923.

In l925, only six years after women in the United States had won the right to vote, Mrs. Coe was elected to the New Mexico State Senate. She was the first and only woman member of that legislative body for sixteen years; during her last term, she served as President pro-tempore. She retired in l94l to run in the United States congressional race.

During her four consecutive terms of office, Mrs. Coe concentrated on programs to improve the public education system. As chairman of the Senate Education Committee for l2 years, she was influential in securing legislation regarding free textbooks, larger libraries, higher teacher qualifications and salaries, and the use of sales and severance taxes as school revenues.

After spending twenty-five years working for the people of her state, Mrs. Coe spent thirty years traveling around the world. She wrote of her varied career and travels in Lady and the Law Books (l98l), and High Roads to Friendships (l984).

Her husband, Wilbur F. Coe (l893-l9??), a third generation owner of the famous Coe Ranch, spent his entire life on the ranch, taking time off to receive a law degree from Stanford University and to take specialized training in ranch management. The lives of Louise and Wilbur Coe and the varied life at the ranch are related in his book Ranch on the Ruidoso, published by Knopf in l968.

From the guide to the Coe Family Papers, 1925-1984, (University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research.)