Fountain-Warren County IN Archives Biographies.....Coffing, Brasier 1840 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 23, 2007, 6:33 pm

Author: H. W. Beckwith (1881)

   Brasier Coffing, farmer, stock raiser and stock buyer, Veedersburg, was born
in Warren county, Ohio, October 10, 1840. He was the only son and one of three
children by William and Margaret (Firman) Coffing. His mother died when he was
two years old. In 1849 his father removed to Crawfordsville, where he died
September 9, 1869. In 1859 Mr. Coffing came to Fountain county, where he worked
by the month and at farming until an early stage of the war, when, on September
15, 1862, he enlisted in Co. E, 86th Ind. Vols. He went into camp at La Fayette,
and was mustered into the service at Indianapolis. Returning to the former place
he was seized with sore eyes, and sent home by Col. Dick with instructions to
remain till ordered to join his command. The order never came, and so ended his
military life. He was married August 10, 1861, to Sarah C., daughter of William
and Rebecca Ireland. She was born April 23, 1842. Her father was born in
Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1815, and his parents dying soon afterward he was
raised by connections. In 1821 he came with his uncle, Samuel Woods, who
emigrated at that time to Warren county, this state. Four or five years
subsequently he went to Richland township to live with his aunt, Polly Bodley,
whose husband was John Bodley. He lived there on the Big Shawnee until his
marriage with Rebecca Lee, February 5, 1836, and a few years after, working for
his uncle in his "corn-cracker" and stillhouse. His experience was the same as
that of many other poor and youthful pioneers. His only property, when married,
was a cupboard and a cow. He made stools to sit on, and their couch was a pile
of straw. While learning to read he had no book, but used a paddle whereon were
carved the letters of the alphabet. His industry was so great that in spite of
these discouraging drawbacks he secured a fair common education, and left his
family a competency. About 1840 he bought the farm where his widow is living. He
was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church some forty years, and led a
consistent, useful life, dying August 15, 1878. He had ten children, and left
property at his death worth $18,000. Mr. and Mrs. Coffing have four children:
Ida May, born August 10, 1862; Mary Ella, January 9, 1864; Mattie Lee, September
9, 1871; and Guy Firman, July 20, 1880. Mrs. Coffing belongs to the Christian
church. Mr. Coffing was reared a democrat, but has always voted with the
republicans except when he has cast an occasional ballot with the green-backers.
From the time of his marriage till 1875, when he moved to Veedersburg, he was
farming. Since that time he has been in the stock trade at that place, and, in
addition, during the last two years has been farming in Shawnee township. He
owns a farm in Warren county, recently bought.

Additional Comments:

Van Buren Township

HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY,

TOGETHER WITH
HISTORIC NOTES ON THE WABASH VALLEY,

GLEANED FROM EARLY AUTHORS, OLD MAPS AND MANUSCRIPTS
PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC, THOUGH, FOR THE MOST
PART, OUT-OF-THE-WAY SOURCES.

BY H. W. BECKWITH,
OF THE DANVILLE BAR; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF
WISCONSIN AND CHICAGO.

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

CHICAGO: H. H. HILL AND N. IDDINGS, PUBLISHERS.
1881.


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