The Coffin Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

The family of Coffin in England was seated at Portledge, in the parish of Alwington, in the northern part of county Devon, and has been in England since the Norman conquest. There are various branches of this family in the county. The Portledge family of Coffin bore these arms: “Vert, five cross-crosslets argent, between four plates”. These arms are also used by the American families.

(I) Tristram Coffin

Tristram Coffin, the earliest English progenitor of whom there is authentic record, lived in Brixton, county Devon, England. His will was dated November 16, 1601, and was proved at Tetness in 1602. He left legacies to Joan, Anna and John, children of Nicholas Coffin; to Richard and Joan, children of Lionel Coffin; to Philip Coffin, and his son Tristram; and appointed Nicholas Coffin his executor.

(II) Nicholas Coffin

Nicholas, son of Tristram (1) Coffin, lived at Butlers, county Devon. His will was dated September 12, 1613, and proved November 3, 1613. It mentions his wife Joan; sons Peter, of whom further, and Tristram, Nicholas and John; daughter, Anna; and Joan, daughter of one of his sons.

(III) Peter Coffin

Peter, son of Nicholas Coffin, married Joan Thember. He lived at Brixton, and died in 1628. His will was dated December 21, 1627, and proved March 13, 1628. It provides that his wife shall have the estate during her life, and that it then goes to his son Tristram, “who is to be provided for according to his degree and calling.” He mentions daughters, Joan, Deborah, Eunice and Mary, as being under twenty years of age. He refers to his tenement called Silfernay, in Butlers, and to his brother Nicholas. In 1649 his widow with her son Tristram and two daughters, went to Salisbury, Massachusetts, and thence to Haverhill and Newbury, Massachusetts. She died in Nantucket or Boston in May, 1661, aged seventy-seven years. She was said to possess remarkable strength of character, and on the occasion of her death Rev. Mr. Wilson preached a funeral sermon. Children:

1. John, born in England, died in Plymouth Fort;
2. Tristram (2), of whom further;
3. Joan, probably died in England;
4. Deborah, probably died in England;
5. Eunice, born in England;
6. Mary, born in England.

(IV) Tristram (2) Coffin

Tristram (2), son of Peter Coffin, was born in England in 1609, died in Nantucket, Massachusetts, October 2, 1681. He married, in England, Dionis, daughter of Robert Stevens, of Brixton, county Devon. He was the immigrant ancestor, and came to Salisbury, Massachusetts, in 1642, with five children. He removed in a short time to Haverhill, and was witness to an Indian deed of that place November 15, 1642. About 1648 he moved to Newbury, Massachusetts, where he kept an ordinary, and thence to Salisbury again in 1654 or 1655 and was commissioner there. In 1659 he was one of the company of Salisbury men who bought land at Nantucket Island, where he removed in 1660 with his wife, mother, and some of his children, and there he died. He was one of the first magistrates of the island and a capable officer. Children:

1. Hon. Peter, born in England, 1631;
2. Tristram (3), of whom further;
3. Elizabeth, born in England;
4. James, born August 12, 1640;
5. John, born in England, died in Haverhill, October 30, 1642;
6. Deborah, born in Haverhill, November 15, 1642, died December 2, 1642;
7. Mary, born in Haverhill, February 20, 1645, mother of the first white child born in Nantucket;
8. John, born in Haverhill, October 30, 1647;
9. Stephen, in Newbury, May 11, 1652.

(V) Tristram (3) Coffin

Tristram (3), son of Tristram (2) Coffin, was born in England, in 1632, died at Newbury, Massachusetts, February 4, 1704. He settled in Newbury and was admitted a freeman April 29, 1668. He is the ancestor of all the Newbury families of the name. His house, which at last accounts was still occupied by his descendants, was built about 1659, and is therefore over two hundred years old. He married, in Newbury, March 2, 1652-53, Judith (Greenleaf) Somerby, born 1625, died at Newbury, December 15, 1705, daughter of Edmund and Sarah Greenleaf, and widow of Henry Somerby. Children, born at Newbury:

1. Judith, born December 4, 1653;
2. Deborah, born November 10, 1656;
3. Mary, November 12, 1657;
4. James, April 22, 1659;
5. John, died September 8, 1700;
6. Lydia, born April 22, 1662;
7. Enoch, January 21, 1663;
8. Stephen, of whom further;
9. Peter, July 27, 1667;
10. Hon. Nathaniel, born March 22, 1669.

(VI) Stephen Coffin

Stephen, son of Tristram (3) Coffin, was born in Newbury, August 18, 1664, died August 31, 1725. He married, October 8, 1685, Sarah Atkinson, born November 27, 1665, daughter of John and Sarah (Mirick) Atkinson. Children, first 6 born at Haverhill, rest born at Newbury:

1. Sarah, born May 16, 1686;
2. Tristram, January 14, 1688, died March 9, 1688;
3. Tristram, born March 6, 1689, died at Newbury, January 23, 1718;
4. Lydia, July 21, 1691;
5. Judith, February 23, 1693;
6. John, January 20, 1695.
7. Abigail, born September 25, 1696;
8. Stephen, 1698;
9. Daniel, September 19, 1700;
10. Abner, April 29, 1702;
11. Mary, September 26, 1704, died January 18, 1717;
12. Joseph, December 26, 1706;
13. Benjamin, of whom further.

(VII) Benjamin Coffin

Benjamin, son of Stephen Coffin, was born at Newbury, Massachusetts, June 14, 1710, died April 30, 1784. He married, October 28, 1731, Miriam, daughter of Jonathan Woodman, of Newbury. Children, born at Newbury:

1. Miriam, born August 22, 1732;
2. Abigail, July 29, 1734;
3. Benjamin, September 6, 1735;
4. Moses, January 30, 1737;
5. Sarah, October 12, 1740;
6. Stephen, July 25, 1743;
7. Anna, October 2, 1745;
8. Jonathan, of whom further;
9. Amos, October 5, 1749;
10. Lemuel, November 27, 1751;
11. Mary, March 12, 1754;
12. Jacob, June 11, 1756.

(VIII) Jonathan Coffin

Jonathan, son of Benjamin (1) Coffin, was born at Newbury, October 1, 1747, died at Alton, New Hampshire, in 1813. He married Jane Flanders, who died in 1818. He settled at New Durham Gore, now Alton, New Hampshire, before or during the revolution. In 1782 he was selectman of that town. In 1790 he was living there, according to the first federal census, and had in his family two males over sixteen, four under that age, and five females. Children, born at Newbury and Alton:

1. Benjamin (2), of whom further;
2. Jonathan,
3. Moses,
4. Samuel,
5. Stephen,
6. Sarah,
7. Jane,
8. Miriam
9. Anna.

(IX) Benjamin (2) Coffin

Benjamin (2), son of Jonathan Coffin, was born about 1770, at Newbury, Massachusetts, died at Alton, New Hampshire, in 1858. He came to Alton when a child and was educated there in the public schools. He followed farming for his occupation, and lived at Alton. He and his family were Free Will Baptists in religion. He married ??, died in 1860, and had three sons and three daughters, among them Joseph M., of whom further.

(X) Joseph M. Coffin

Joseph M., son of Benjamin (2) Coffin, born in 1820, at Alton, New Hampshire, died at Gilmanton in 1887. He was educated in the public schools of his native town. He followed farming most of his life at Alton and Gilmanton, New Hampshire, and was also a dealer in cattle. In politics he was a Republican, and was supervisor for several years. He was prominent in the Free Will Baptist Church and deacon. He married, in 1845, Dorothy S. Gale, who was born at Gilmanton, New Hampshire, and died there in 1867, aged eighty-four years, daughter of Abram S. and Martha (Moulton) Gale. Her father was a blacksmith and dealer in horses at Gilmanton. Joseph M. Coffin had one child, Smith Gale, of whom further.

(XI) Smith Gale Coffin

Smith Gale, son of Joseph M. Coffin, was born at Gilmanton, New Hampshire, October 17, 1847. He lived in his native town during youth, worked on his father’s farm and attended the public schools in Gilmanton and Pittsfield, New Hampshire. After leaving school he was for one year a conductor on a street car in Boston, and afterward was in the employ of C. Morrison until the spring of 1870, dealing in wholesale produce. He removed to Brady’s Bend, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, and had charge for three years of a store owned by the Brady’s Bend Iron Company. He resigned to become manager of a feed and grain store in the same town. Thence he moved to Petrolia, Butler county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in business as proprietor of a livery and sale stable. In the fall of 1880 he removed to Bradford, McKean county, Pennsylvania, and started a livery stable, and has continued in this business to the present time. At the present time he owns very spacious and finely equipped stables on Barbour street. He has been prosperous in this business and has also been successful in numerous oil ventures and as an oil producer. In politics he is a Republican, and while living at Petrolia was a member of the city council, but has never sought public office. He is a member of a Lodge of Free Masons; Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons; Council, Royal and Select Masters; Commandery, Knights Templar; and Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; the Merchants’ Club, the Edgewood Club, and the Lafayette Gun and Fishing Club. He has been president of the Edgewood Club, and is a director of the Merchants’ Club. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

He married, June 24, 1874, Flora M. Fleming, who was born at Fair View, Butler county, Pennsylvania, daughter of William A. Fleming, a native of Butler county. Her father was superintendent of an iron furnace in that county, but afterwards lived at Petrolia, where he held the office of justice of the peace, and where he died in 1906. Her mother, L. J. Graham, was born in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, not far from Foxburgh. Mrs. Flora M. Coffin had two brothers, George and Edward, both now deceased, as her parents had four children, one of whom died in infancy. Children of Smith Gale Coffin:

1. Claudia Dorothy, born June 1, 1876; married (first)
   1. Oxley, (second) Calvin Watson; child by first marriage, Gale
   2. Oxley; none by the second; she now resides at Bradford, Pennsylvania.
2. George Ralph, born August 29, 1878; married, October 17, 1911, Grace Renderneck; resides at Bradford.
3. Charles Joseph, born September 4, 1880, an oil producer, living at Robinson, Illinois.

See: Genealogy of the Allegheny Valley Pennsylvania

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content