BIOGRAPHY - Ammon Coomes
AMMON COOMES. Among the enterprising and successful business men of
Paxton should be numbered the popular druggist whose name heads this sketch.
Mr. Coomes established business in this city in May, 1882, with a full line
of drugs, medicines, paints, oil, wall paper and toilet articles, and has
continued the business with marked success to the present time, covering a
period of ten years.
Our subject was born in Licking County, Ohio, September 15, 1849, and is a
son of Upton and Mary J. (Gregg) Coomes. The father was born on the 28th of
July, 1828, in the same county as the son, and the mother on the 4th of June
of the same year, in Virginia. They emigrated to Illinois in 1855, and
settled in McLean County, near Gridley, and, in 1875, removed to Streator,
where they now reside. For a number of years Mr. Coomes was a minister in
the Christian Church.
Ammon Coomes came to Illinois with his parents when a lad of six summers,
and attended school at Gridley, preparing himself for college, after which
he entered Eureka College, and was graduated from that institution in the
Class of '73. He followed teaching school for several years as a vocation,
serving as prlncipal of village schools, but, not content to make this his
life work, in May, 1882, he formed a partnership with William McTaggart,
under the firm name of McTaggart & Coomes, druggists at Paxton. Mr. Coomes
made a study of the business in a practical way, and, after passing a very
flattering examination before the Illinois State Board of Pharmacy, was
awarded a diploma. In 1884, he purchased his partner's interest and has
since conducted the business alone with marked success, having an excellent
trade and the liberal patronage is certainly well deserved.
In Piper City, Ford County, on the 25th of November, 1883, Mr. Coomes wedded
Miss Margaret Clark, a daughter of Alexander and Eliza Clark, and a native
of Paterson, N. J. With her parents she came to Illinois in 1864. Mr. and
Mrs. Coomes hold membership with the Congregational Church of Paxton. They
are well known throughout this community and rank high in social circles.
Mr. Coomes exercises his right of franchise in support of the Republican
party, and keeps himself well informed on the issues of the day, but has
never sought or desired public office.
Extracted 04 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Record of Ford County, Illinois, published in 1892, pages 226-229.
