His grandfather, Daniel Coon moved from Rhode Island to West Edmeston, N.Y. where his son Ezra was born. Henry C. was brought up on a farm and attended district school At the age of 19 he entered De Ruyter's Institute and after graduated from Alfred University. From 1868 to 1871 he was professor of Greek and Natural Sciences at De Ruyter's Institute. In 1872 he graduated from the New York Homopathic Medical College and from that year on he was professor of Chemestry and Physics at Alfred University. He was married twice. First to Lydia Elviria Stillman who died on April 21 1879 and second to Mrs Maty E. Hill 0n Dec 6, 1880. He died 9 May 1898