William Joseph Coogan
Birth: 26 Nov 1894, California
Death: 2 Apr 1955, San Francisco, CA
Spouse: Eda Hoffman
Birth: 28 May 1899, California
Marriage: 22 Oct 1916. San Francisco, California
Death: 6 Nov 1975, San Francisco, California
Children: Blanche Margaret (1917-1998)
William Joseph Coogan was born on November 26, 1894, in San Francisco. He was born premature and had health problems all his life. Physically, he took after his father. According to his World War I draft registration, he was 5’3” and medium build, with blue eyes and brown hair. Because of his health problems, he always looked much older than he was.
It is unknown which grammar school he went to, but the family lived in St. James Parish at the time (before St. Phillips’ was opened) and he would have gone there if he did not go to public school. He left school in 7th grade after his father died in 1907. Early on, he worked as a teamster like his dad. One day he was driving a buckboard to make a delivery to a mining company. At every big bump, he would check back on his cargo. Somewhere he realized that his cargo included nitroglycerin and he could be blown up at any minute. When he got to the delivery site, he resigned immediately. He took a new job as a clerk (and later as a delivery man) at a bakery. It was there that he met Eda Hoffman.
Death: 2 Apr 1955, San Francisco, CA
Spouse: Eda Hoffman
Birth: 28 May 1899, California
Marriage: 22 Oct 1916. San Francisco, California
Death: 6 Nov 1975, San Francisco, California
Children: Blanche Margaret (1917-1998)
William Joseph Coogan was born on November 26, 1894, in San Francisco. He was born premature and had health problems all his life. Physically, he took after his father. According to his World War I draft registration, he was 5’3” and medium build, with blue eyes and brown hair. Because of his health problems, he always looked much older than he was.
It is unknown which grammar school he went to, but the family lived in St. James Parish at the time (before St. Phillips’ was opened) and he would have gone there if he did not go to public school. He left school in 7th grade after his father died in 1907. Early on, he worked as a teamster like his dad. One day he was driving a buckboard to make a delivery to a mining company. At every big bump, he would check back on his cargo. Somewhere he realized that his cargo included nitroglycerin and he could be blown up at any minute. When he got to the delivery site, he resigned immediately. He took a new job as a clerk (and later as a delivery man) at a bakery. It was there that he met Eda Hoffman.
Eda M Hoffman was born in May 28, 1899, in San Francisco, to Barbara Humbert and Albert Hoffman. It is likely that they married because she was pregnant with their son Herman. Albert was not with the family in the 1900 US Census, apparently because he travelled for business and was often away from home. Eda’s mother suffered from what would now be referred to as severe depression, having lost Herman to influenza. In August 1900, Barbara sued for divorce claiming “intemperance” as the cause. Albert’s absence probably had more to do with it since Barbara sued a sailor named M. Johnson in November for $20,000 for breech of promise. They had become engaged at the end of August and “were to have been wed in a reasonable time, but Johnson has refused to take her as his wife.”
Sometime after 1900 but before 1906, Barbara died and Eda became what was known as a half-orphan. Since her father traveled, he fostered Eda with various families while he was away. She was often lonely and scared. One foster mother told her that, if she did not behave, she would be kicked out of the house to live on the streets and the Chinese would come up out of the sidewalk freight elevator and take her away, never to be seen again. When the Earthquake struck on April 18, 1906, the mother with whom she was staying grabbed her own children and ran down the stairs calling over her shoulder for Eda to hurry up. Eda had not tied her shoes and tripped, falling down the stairs as the house collapsed behind her. Tripping probably saved her life. Later in life, she was always terrified of earthquakes. She was also scared of sidewalk freight elevator covers. When her father returned and found how scared she was, he would place her with someone else. Finally, she was put with the Gabrielles, who had a daughter her age named Gretchen. She and Gretchen would become best friends for life and she was able to settle into a sense of relative security.
She was 16 and working in a bakery when Eda met Will. He was a clerk there. He was the one of first people to put an arm around her shoulders and tell her everything would be okay. She fell in love instantly. Will and Eda married on October 22, 1916, and they lived with Bill’s family for the next three years. Will became a plumber like his brother. Over the next few years, he was a pipefitter at the Union Iron Works and a steamfitter in the San Francisco Naval Yards for Bethlehem Steel. On May 16, 1917, their only daughter, Blanche, was born.
They moved out of the house and into an apartment at 1450 Castro Street in 1919. His health caused him to switch to an office job and, in 1924, he became branch manager at Fechner and Martins Plumbing Supply on Geary Blvd. On of the perks of the job was that they could live up over the store. Two years later, he was a salesman and living on 25th Street, back near his mother.
In 1926, Will switched professions again, this time becoming a truck driver and chauffer. He stayed in this career for the next 16 years and was a member of the Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 85. He drove a bakery truck for The Richmond Bakery and, later, for Safeway Foods. As was common at the time, Will and Eda moved around the City every two or three years, from 25th Street to 1103 Castro to 4058 23rd (next door to his mother) to 338 Anza Street. They were always struggling financially. Bill tried to save up money to buy a house, but he seemed to get sick whenever the nest-egg grew enough and it would disappear for medical bills. His sisters helped as best they could, but the Depression was on and Bill was lucky to have a job.
Sometime after 1900 but before 1906, Barbara died and Eda became what was known as a half-orphan. Since her father traveled, he fostered Eda with various families while he was away. She was often lonely and scared. One foster mother told her that, if she did not behave, she would be kicked out of the house to live on the streets and the Chinese would come up out of the sidewalk freight elevator and take her away, never to be seen again. When the Earthquake struck on April 18, 1906, the mother with whom she was staying grabbed her own children and ran down the stairs calling over her shoulder for Eda to hurry up. Eda had not tied her shoes and tripped, falling down the stairs as the house collapsed behind her. Tripping probably saved her life. Later in life, she was always terrified of earthquakes. She was also scared of sidewalk freight elevator covers. When her father returned and found how scared she was, he would place her with someone else. Finally, she was put with the Gabrielles, who had a daughter her age named Gretchen. She and Gretchen would become best friends for life and she was able to settle into a sense of relative security.
She was 16 and working in a bakery when Eda met Will. He was a clerk there. He was the one of first people to put an arm around her shoulders and tell her everything would be okay. She fell in love instantly. Will and Eda married on October 22, 1916, and they lived with Bill’s family for the next three years. Will became a plumber like his brother. Over the next few years, he was a pipefitter at the Union Iron Works and a steamfitter in the San Francisco Naval Yards for Bethlehem Steel. On May 16, 1917, their only daughter, Blanche, was born.
They moved out of the house and into an apartment at 1450 Castro Street in 1919. His health caused him to switch to an office job and, in 1924, he became branch manager at Fechner and Martins Plumbing Supply on Geary Blvd. On of the perks of the job was that they could live up over the store. Two years later, he was a salesman and living on 25th Street, back near his mother.
In 1926, Will switched professions again, this time becoming a truck driver and chauffer. He stayed in this career for the next 16 years and was a member of the Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 85. He drove a bakery truck for The Richmond Bakery and, later, for Safeway Foods. As was common at the time, Will and Eda moved around the City every two or three years, from 25th Street to 1103 Castro to 4058 23rd (next door to his mother) to 338 Anza Street. They were always struggling financially. Bill tried to save up money to buy a house, but he seemed to get sick whenever the nest-egg grew enough and it would disappear for medical bills. His sisters helped as best they could, but the Depression was on and Bill was lucky to have a job.
In 1935, Will and Eda moved into a flat owned by Will’s sister Carrie at 122 - 8th Avenue in Star of the Sea Parish. They would stay there for the next ten years until moving to Carrie’s other flat a block away at 212 - 8th Avenue where they lived until Bill died. Since they had so little, Eda was very conscious and appreciative of what they did have. She took meticulous care of their home and would check in on Carrie’s plants, which were often dead, and take core of them. She was an excellent cook. She kept a copy of Emily Post’s Etiquette in her bottom drawer and counted on its instruction for “how-to ’s” in hosting and letter writing.
On November 7, 1939, Will’s first granddaughter Toni Lynn was born. Two years later, his second, Christine, came along. Will loved being a grandfather and doted on his little girls. He would do anything for them. He used to buy a lottery ticket every week, even though Eda told him to not waste his money. One week he actually won $35, and everyone said he should buy something nice for himself. He spent the money on a stroller for his granddaughter instead, and he was so proud of that.
During the War, Will switch back to working as a steamfitter and joined the Plumbers and Steamfitters’ Union Local 467. His daughter had married a Grocery clerk turned plumber named Elmer Gallagher and they worked together as journeymen. They worked at Broadway Pluming, Kruse Brothers, Ets. Hokin Glavin, and New Mission Plumbing, among others, over then next several years. They laid pipe at the SF Airport, for the new Dolger and Eichler homes in Daly City, and for Holy Cross Cemetery. Everyone on the job sites loved Will. Because he was hard of hearing at this point, other workers (and Elmer, especially) keep an eye out for him. They would tap him on the shoulder or even move him physically out of the way when someone would toss things off the roof.
His granddaughter Toni remembered that Will owned two cars in his life and they were his pride and joy. The first was a 1920 Plymouth with running boards and the other was a 1938 Dodge. According to Toni, he “cared for his cars like they were his children,” though his daughter and granddaughters always came way ahead of the cars in his priorities. He rented a garage a block away from the flat to keep his cars safe. He would spend all day Saturday washing and working on them. Sundays were spent taking drives with Eda, either down the Peninsula or up to Marin or wherever their fancy—and their available gas—took them. They took Toni and Christine to Yosemite, to Burlingame for a day in the sun and, once, to Healdsburg for an overnight trip.
On November 7, 1939, Will’s first granddaughter Toni Lynn was born. Two years later, his second, Christine, came along. Will loved being a grandfather and doted on his little girls. He would do anything for them. He used to buy a lottery ticket every week, even though Eda told him to not waste his money. One week he actually won $35, and everyone said he should buy something nice for himself. He spent the money on a stroller for his granddaughter instead, and he was so proud of that.
During the War, Will switch back to working as a steamfitter and joined the Plumbers and Steamfitters’ Union Local 467. His daughter had married a Grocery clerk turned plumber named Elmer Gallagher and they worked together as journeymen. They worked at Broadway Pluming, Kruse Brothers, Ets. Hokin Glavin, and New Mission Plumbing, among others, over then next several years. They laid pipe at the SF Airport, for the new Dolger and Eichler homes in Daly City, and for Holy Cross Cemetery. Everyone on the job sites loved Will. Because he was hard of hearing at this point, other workers (and Elmer, especially) keep an eye out for him. They would tap him on the shoulder or even move him physically out of the way when someone would toss things off the roof.
His granddaughter Toni remembered that Will owned two cars in his life and they were his pride and joy. The first was a 1920 Plymouth with running boards and the other was a 1938 Dodge. According to Toni, he “cared for his cars like they were his children,” though his daughter and granddaughters always came way ahead of the cars in his priorities. He rented a garage a block away from the flat to keep his cars safe. He would spend all day Saturday washing and working on them. Sundays were spent taking drives with Eda, either down the Peninsula or up to Marin or wherever their fancy—and their available gas—took them. They took Toni and Christine to Yosemite, to Burlingame for a day in the sun and, once, to Healdsburg for an overnight trip.
Will retired in 1954 at the age of 60 because of increasingly bad arthritis and nephritis, but did not enjoy his retirement for long. The next year, he entered Mt Zion Hospital. On his deathbed, his last thoughts were for his beloved Eda, and he made his son-in-law promise to take care of her. He died on April 5, 1955, of kidney failure, at the age of 61. His requiem mass was held at Star of the Sea Church and he was buried in Section H of Holy Cross Cemetery.
According to his obituary, Will had been a member of the Ahwashte Tribe No 89 of the Improved Order of Red Men. This was a fraternal organization that had its roots in the Boston Tea Party, whose offshoots included Tammany Hall in New York, and who could claim Teddy Roosevelt as a member. Like many such benevolent societies, its dues went into stocks and bonds to provide disability and death benefits. The Order had started in California in 1854 and it had a Red Men’s Hall on Golden Gate Avenue. When the hall was sold in 1948, a trust was set up wherein each member would receive almost $5000 in 1951. When Will joined and how active he was are unknown. Will’s brother-in-law Billy Ellison also belonged but was part of a different tribe.
After Will died, Eda continued to live in Carrie’s flat, but she needed to reenter the work force. She first worked in a Laundromat washing and folding clothes in the upper Mission area. Her granddaughter Toni Lynn was attending Mercy High School in San Francisco and was working in the school cafeteria. She knew that there was a job opening as a cook and asked her supervisor Ora Dillon to give Eda an interview. Ora only interviewed Eda as a favor, thinking she would be speaking with an elderly person, but she and Eda hit it off right way and Eda was hired. Eda was so loved, both for her cooking and her personality, that, three years later, the nuns hired her to cook in the Convent instead of the cafeteria. The nuns considered her to be a wise woman who listened to everyone and who had a “keen sense of the needs of humanity.”
In 1960, Carrie got sick and sold the flats on 8th Avenue and Eda moved to an apartment at 1640 Kirkham Avenue. She lived there for four years while her son-in-law built an in-law apartment in their house on 33rd Avenue. She moved into her daughter’s home in 1964 and lived there for the rest of life.
Eda died of complications from a massive stroke on November 6, 1975. She was 76 years old. After a rosary at Duggan’s Serra Mortuary and the Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Name Church, Eda was laid to rest with her beloved William in Holy Cross Cemetery.
According to his obituary, Will had been a member of the Ahwashte Tribe No 89 of the Improved Order of Red Men. This was a fraternal organization that had its roots in the Boston Tea Party, whose offshoots included Tammany Hall in New York, and who could claim Teddy Roosevelt as a member. Like many such benevolent societies, its dues went into stocks and bonds to provide disability and death benefits. The Order had started in California in 1854 and it had a Red Men’s Hall on Golden Gate Avenue. When the hall was sold in 1948, a trust was set up wherein each member would receive almost $5000 in 1951. When Will joined and how active he was are unknown. Will’s brother-in-law Billy Ellison also belonged but was part of a different tribe.
After Will died, Eda continued to live in Carrie’s flat, but she needed to reenter the work force. She first worked in a Laundromat washing and folding clothes in the upper Mission area. Her granddaughter Toni Lynn was attending Mercy High School in San Francisco and was working in the school cafeteria. She knew that there was a job opening as a cook and asked her supervisor Ora Dillon to give Eda an interview. Ora only interviewed Eda as a favor, thinking she would be speaking with an elderly person, but she and Eda hit it off right way and Eda was hired. Eda was so loved, both for her cooking and her personality, that, three years later, the nuns hired her to cook in the Convent instead of the cafeteria. The nuns considered her to be a wise woman who listened to everyone and who had a “keen sense of the needs of humanity.”
In 1960, Carrie got sick and sold the flats on 8th Avenue and Eda moved to an apartment at 1640 Kirkham Avenue. She lived there for four years while her son-in-law built an in-law apartment in their house on 33rd Avenue. She moved into her daughter’s home in 1964 and lived there for the rest of life.
Eda died of complications from a massive stroke on November 6, 1975. She was 76 years old. After a rosary at Duggan’s Serra Mortuary and the Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Name Church, Eda was laid to rest with her beloved William in Holy Cross Cemetery.
William Coogan, Jr, was an incredibly gentle and lovable man. He was always smiling, especially when he was with the love his life, Eda. No matter how tough times got—and they got plenty tough—they were always happy together. They were made for each other and it showed every moment.