Coes, Loring, son of Daniel and Roxana (Gates) Coes, was born in New Worcester, April 12, 1812. His early education was received in the common schools. He and his brother, A. G. Coes, learned the machinist's trade with Kimball & Fuller.
In 1836 the two brothers formed a co-partnership and purchased the business, which in the meantime had been moved, in 1835, to Court Mills. In 1839 Court Mills were destroyed by fire. The brothers then went to Springfield and engaged as pattern makers in the foundry of Laurin Trask. While there they made an improvement in the wrench in use, and having returned to Worcester in 1840, an application was made for a patent, which was granted Loring Coes, April 16, 1841.
The firm name of this concern was L. & A. G. Coes, and they had little beside the name, save a good amount of pluck and energy coupled with great inventive genius. Henry W. Miller sold their manufactured
Loring Coes.
wrenches, and loaned them capital upon which they worked. This continued till 1843, when they bought machinery, tools, etc., that were held by their patron, and carried on both manufacturing and selling. In 1853 they took Levi Hardy as partner; they enlarged their manufacturing capacities and added the manufacture of shear-blades and knives for hay-cutting machines. This partnership was dissolved in 1864. In 1869 a division of the business was made, Loring Coes taking the factory for the manufacture of shear-blades and knives, and A. G. Coes the wrench business.
April 1, 1888, the Coes Wrench Company was formed, with Loring Coes, president, J. H. Coes, treasurer, and Frederick Coes, secretary, the two younger members of the firm being sons of A. G. Coes. They now produce fifteen hundred wrenches per day, and a large quantity of shear-blades and knives, employing one hundred hands.
Loring Coes was married in 1835 to Harriet, daughter of Dana Reed. Of this union were two children: one son and one daughter.