Married to Eckley Brinton Coxe in 1870, she easily could have lived a life of leisure and luxury. Her husband's family owned land in the region, and he co-founded Coxe Brothers & Co. - the largest independent producers of anthracite coal in the United States by 1900. The company built a premier mining village in Drifton, and houses in other areas, for their workers.
Active in engineering, technology, business, education and politics, Eckley Coxe held over 100 patents and became very wealthy during his lifetime, so his wife could have led a life of fun and leisure.
Instead, Sophia chose to spend her time and energy improving the lives of the mining families of the Coxe Collieries. Together with her husband, they established many support systems for the community built around the family’s mines in Drifton. A progressive company for its time, they started a technical school for men and boys for education on mining science and better work opportunities for employees. The couple also built a hospital at the mine for the workers injured on the job to improve their care and recovery, and extended medical treatment to the families when needed.
Sophia supported the families of the miners trying to ease the burdens of poverty and give opportunities to the entire community. She gave ninety percent of her income to charitable works, living on the remaining ten percent.
Along with her husband, their philanthropy extended beyond Drifton. They were instrumental in the founding of Lehigh University and donated to libraries, especially engineering and mining collections. The history of the Anthracite coal industry and the Coxe Colliery is extensively preserved at the Eckley Miner’s Village in Weatherly, PA.
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Sophia G. Fisher Coxe
Sophia G. Fisher Coxe (1841 - 1926) was known as “The Angel of the Coal Fields” for her tireless charitable work with the families who labored in the Anthracite coal mines of her husband’s company in Southeast Luzerne County.
After her husband’s passing and in her later years, Sophia continued to generously donate the majority of her income to the charitable works she held dear, and maintained a modest lifestyle until her death in 1926.
The Sophia Coxe Memorial Foundation and Education Center preserves the couple’s historic home in Drifton, PA and is open to the public for tours, educational programming, and special events.
