John Louis Cofield - 1925 Diploma

John Louis Cofield was born February 9, 1904. After the death of first, his father, in 1910, and second, his mother, in 1912, Louis went to live with his grandfather Sam Cofield. Louis was orphaned a third time as a boy when his grandfather, who also served as his guardian, died in 1920 when Louis was sixteen years old. This followed the death of Louis's older brother in 1918. Records show that upon Sam's death, Louis requested the Probate Court to appoint Nancy Cofield, Louis's step-grandmother, as his legal guardian. The Letters of Guardianship filed August 20, 1920 with the Judge of Probate indicate that Louis had a minor's estate valued at an estimated $750. On September 25, 1925, Nancy Cofield Sanderson was formally discharged as legal guardian of Louis upon his reaching age 21. The Final Settlement of the guardianship reveals funds were expended for Louis to attend school in Florence, Alabama and Newnan, Georgia. The school in Georgia was the Southern Telegraph and Railway Accounting Institute from which Louis graduated in 1925.

Above is a picture of Louis's diploma, given to me by Louis's son Richard who lives in Baltimore.

Louis was a brother to my grandmother, Pearl Cofield Robinson.