TITLE:  A Genealogical memoir of the Coffin Family
	
	together with a chart* Displaying the Pedigree of Several of its Branches
	(Compiled by N.W. Coffin, Esq. of Boston) [*the chart being too extensive 
        for the Register in that form, the editor was under the necessity of re-
        ducing it to the regular plan hitherto recommended for our pages]

SOURCE:   Historical and Genealogical Registers, 
	  New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 
	  Samuel G. Drake, Publisher, ©1847 Vol - 1 - 50 - 
	  (publications Oct 1848 pgs 336-341)  (part 1)

SUBMITTED: By Cathy Parziale 7/9/2000

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		A Genealogical memoir of the Coffin Family

	together with a chart* Displaying the Pedigree of Several of its 
Branches(Compiled by N.W. Coffin, Esq. of Boston) [*the chart being too 
extensive for the Register in that form, the editor was under the necessity 
of reducing it to the regular plan hitherto recommended for our pages]


	This family is presumed to be of Norman origin, as the first of the 
name known in England was Sir Richard Coffyn, knight, who accompanied William
the Conqueror on his invasion of that country in 1066.  Sir Richard held the
rank of general in his army, and on a division of the spoils of conquest 
among the Barons, Knights, Esquires, and other followers of the conqueror, he
received from the hands of the king the manor of Alwington, in the parish of
Abbotsham, on the borders of the Severn, six miles east of the isle of 
Lundy, and this property has descended in a direct line in the family by 
inheritance for upwards of seven centuries.  And it is further recorded in 
Prince’s Worthies of Devonshire, that from the time of Henry the First unto 
the age of King Edward the Second, a space of two hundred years, the heir of 
this family was always called Richard§  the present representative is the 
Rev. John Pine Coffin of Pertledge.  For an account of the English family I 
append the following ancient record, prepared in 1719, and happily preserved 
to the present time: --

		   ANCIENT RECORD OF THE COFFIN FAMILY

Dear Coz.						June the        1719.

	Yours I received, with the half crown, and am sorry you should have 
troubled yourself about so small a matter; that or any command should have 
been observed without such punctualities.  I ask a thousand pardons for my 
long silence; my lady duchess having been for some time indisposed, that I 
could not by any means gain this opportunity sooner.  I have taken the 
following accompts from the worthies of Devonshire, out of our office:  and 
for those of Hants, they shew the exact arms of the seal of my formers, which 
was my fathers, given by him to one Mr. James Coffin, of Christ church, 
Hants; in whose possession it is.  I observe those of Hants, spell with the 
letter (y) those of Devonshire; as you see.  My shortness of time will not 
admit of any regard to stops, and scarcely orthography, so beg your excuse 
for all faults, as well as a line just to satisfy me of the receipt of this. 
this day se’nnight or to-morrow, his Grace intends for Nottingham, 
Lancashire, and York; so that if you have any commands to communicate, I 
shall be proud to bear them; and am with all respect (my mother and sister’s 
services attending you)
							Madam, 
For Mrs. Mary Coffin,						Your most 
humble servant,
at Ramsdon Heath, 						Richard 
Coffyn.
in Essex.

§ I have been informed by Thomas Astor Coffin, Esq., of South Carolina, that 
a descendant of one of the loyalist refugees of this family a few years since
married a lady of the English branch, thus uniting the American with the 
English family after a lapse of more than two centuries.

page 336
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Armes								Flor. A.D.1533.
								R.R. Hen. 8.

Azure, three beasants between five cross-croslets Or. Coffin

	Sir William, knight, was born in the county, at the most ancient seat
of the name and family called Portledge, in the parish of Alwington, 
bordering on the Severn Sea about six leagues to the east of the Isle of 
Londy, which stands therein; a most antient tribe, of no less antient 
inheritance; for I find* Sir Richard Coffin, of Alwington knight, so far back 
as the days of King Henry II. and that the mannor of Alwington hath been in 
the name of Coffin from the time of the Norman conquest unto this day±
	As further evidence of the antiquity of this gentile family, there is
a boundary-deed, a copy whereof is in my custody, made near the conquest§§ 
written in the Saxon tongue, which giveth good confirmation thereof.  Which 
said deed expresseth the bounds between the lands of Richard Coffin, lord of 
the mannor of Alwington and Cokementon, and the abbot of Tavistock, in 
relation to the lands belonging to that abby in the near adjoining parish of 
Abbotsham.
	Some of the termes and articles of which agreement between them are 
these; that the abbot and convent of Tavistock should give to the said 
Richard Coffin and his next heir full fraternity in his church of Tavistock,
 to receive there the habit of religion, whensoever (God so inspiring) they 
would; and that in the mean time, he should have the priviledge of one monk 
there, &c.§
	This family very early spread itself into several branches, which 
flourished so well in divers places of this city, that they left their name 
and adjunct to them, as Combe-Coffin, now Combe-Pyne, in the east part, 
Coffins-Will in the south part, and Coffins-Ingarly in the west part of this 
province.  In which last place the mansion house was near the church:// to 
which was belonging a fair deer park, now wholly demolished.

	Nor is it less observable that some of those places yielded gentlemen
 with gilded spurs, as Sir Jeffry Coffin, of Combe Coffin, in the dayes of 
King Henry III.; and before that Sir Elias Coffin, of Ingarly, (called also 
Sir Elias Coffin, of Clist.) ¶ in the dayes of King John of England.
	As to the family of Alwington, I find three knights therein, before 
the present Sir William of whom we are discoursing; all which were called 
Richard; as for example, Sir Richard Coffin, of Alwington, knight, in the 
reign of King Henry II. and Sir Richard Coffin, of Alwington, knight, in the
dayes of King Henry IIII.  And Sir Richard Coffin, of  Alwington, knight, in
the days of King Edward I; and as one notes, from the time of King Henry I. 
unto the age of King Edward II. (the space of above two hundred years,) the 
heir of this family was always called Richard.
	Of which name is the present heir and possessor of this antient seat 
Portledge, a right worthy and worshipfull gentleman, of great piety and 
virtue; and for his quality of excellent learning especially in venerable 
antiquity, which hath been much his delight and study.  He hath  a noble 
library,
	
* Sir W. Pol MS of Dev. in the knights of the several kings reigns, in Henry II.
±Risd. descr. of Dev. in Alwing.
§§Sir W. Pol. ibid.
§Hoc modo sopita est contentio:  Abbas et conventus dedere mihi et proximo haeredi
meo post me plenam fratern. eccles. suae de Tavist. ad rocipiend. ibi. habitum 
religiosum quandocunque (inspirante Deo) voluero, &c.-- Ex. magno MS. D. 
Guliel. Pole, p. 203.
//Risd. Surv. of Dev. in Ingarly
¶ Pole’s Cat. of the Knights in King John’s reign, MS.

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He was high-sheriff of the county in the 2d year of King James II, as his 
ancestor and namesake was in the second year of King Henry VIII. as appears
by the quietus he had out of the Exchequer, now in the present gentleman’s 
custody; however, he came to be omitted in those catalogues of the sheriffs 
of this county, published by Fuller * and Izaac.±
	They have matched as they came along into severall honourable 
families, as Chudlegh, Cary, Prideaux, &c. and with divers daughters and 
heirs,§§ as Cockminton, Hathey, Hingeston, &c.  But omitting these things, 
let us proceed to the gentleman before us.
	Sir William Coffin was the younger brother of Richard Coffin, Esq. 
that, as was said before, was high sheriff of this county in the second year
of King Henry VIII. whose education and accomplishments were such that they 
introduced him, with advantage, into the court  of King Henry VIII. where he 
came highly to be preferred; first, to the honourable post of master of the 
horse; at the coronation of Queen Anne Bulloigne (mother to the glorious 
Queen Elizabeth), anno 25 of that King; and after that, to the honor of 
knighthood in the 29th of the same reign.
	He was also one of the gentlemen of the privy-chamber, to the same 
King; a place of great reputation and trust; whose office is to wait on the 
King§ within doors and without, so long as his Majesty is on foot; and when 
the King eats in his privy-chamber, they wait at the table, and bring in the 
meat:  they wait also at the reception of Embassadors; and every night two of
them lye in the King’s privy-chamber.  They are forty-eight in number, all 
knights or esquires of note; whose power is great; for a gentleman of the 
privy-chamber, by the king’s commandment only, without any written 
commission, is sufficient to arrest a peer of England.
	Of what courage this gentleman was and how expert at feates of armes,
 may be partly collected from this// that he was one of the eighteen 
assistants of King Henry VIII. at the just or tournament held, between him 
and the French King. before Guisnes, in France, A.D. 1519:  of which 
exercise, it may not be here improper to give some brief account, which I 
shall do in the words of one, that is greater than all exception.¶  These 
tournaments, saith he, were publick exercises of armes, practised by noblemen
and gentlemen, and became more than meer sports or diversions.  They were 
first instituted A.D. 934, and were always managed by their own particular 
laws.  A long time this practice was continued in all parts to that degree of
madness and with so great a slaughter of persons of the best quality, 
especially here in England, where it was first brought in by King Stephen, 
that the church was forced, by severe canons, expressly to forbid them, with 
this penalty annexed, that whosoever should happen therein to be slain, 
should be denied Christian burial.  And under King henry III. by advice of 
Parliament ‘twas also enacted, that the offender’s estate should be 
forfeited, and their children disinherited; yet in contempt of that good law,
this evil and pernicious custom long prevailed. Thus Cambden:  but to 
proceed.
	Sir William Coffin married the Lady Mannors of Derbyshire; and 
residing, as is likely, with her on her dowry in those parts, he was chosen 
knight of that Shire in the Parliament which began A. 21 K. Henry VIII.

* Worthies of England in Devon.
± Memoirs of Exeter
‡ Sir W. Pole’s MS. of Dev. in Alwing.
§ Dr. Cham. Present State of Engl. part 1, page 165
// My author in the ensuing narrative is the present Rich. Coffin, Esq.
¶ Cambd. Brit. in Hertfordsh. edit. ult. p. 295.

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1529: in his way to which, there happened a remarkable accident, not unworthy
 the relating, especially for the good law it occasioned: passing by a  
church-yard, he saw a multitude of people standing idle, he inquired into 
the cause thereof, who replied, they had brought a corpse thither to be buried,
but the priest refused to do his office unless they delivered him first the
poor man’s cow, the only quick goods he left, for a mortuary.  Sir William 
sent for the priest, and required him to do his office to the dead, who 
peremptorily refused it, unless he had his mortuary first; whereupon he 
caused the priest to be put into the poor man’s grave, and earth to be 
thrown in upon him; and he still persisting in his refusal, there was still 
more earth thrown in, until the obstinate priest was either altogether, or 
well nigh suffocated.
	Now thus to handle a priest in those days, was a very bold adventure; 
but Sir William Coffin, with the favour he had at court, and the interest he 
had in the House, diverted the storm, and so lively represented the 
mischievous consequences of priests’ arbitrary demeanour their then serious 
considerations, we find bound that matter ever after by a particular Statute,
the preamble where of runs thus, seem to intimate as much.*  For as much as 
Question, Ambiguity, and Doubt, is chanc’d and risen upon the order, manner, 
and form, of demanding, receiving, and claiming of mortuaries, otherwise 
called corps-presents, as well as the greatness and value of the same, which
as hath lately been taken, is thought over excessive to the poor people, and 
others of this realm, as also for that, &c.  Be it therefore enacted, by, 
&c.----First, that no mortuary shall be taken of any moveable goods, under 
the value of ten marks.-- Secondly, that no Parson, &c. shall take of any 
person that, dying, left in moveable goods, clearly above his debts paid, 
above ten marks, and under thirty pounds, above three shillings and foarpence
for a mortuary, in the whole: -- and for a person dying or dead, having at 
the time of his death of the value in moveable goods, of thirty pounds or 
above, clearly above his debts, and under the value of forty pounds, no more
shall be taken for a mortuary, than six shillings and eight pence in the 
whole:  -- and for any person, having at the time of his death, of the value
in moveable goods, of forty pounds, or above, to any sum whatsoever it be, 
clearly above his debts paid, there shall be no more taken, paid, or demanded
for a mortuary, than ten shillings in the whole.
	What herein is farther observable, ‘twas also enacted, that such 
mortuaries shall be paid only in such a place, where heretofore mortuaries 
have been used to paid; and that those mortuaries be paid only in the place 
of the deceased person’s most usual habitation; and that no Parson, &c. shall
take more than as limitted in this act, under penalty of forfeiting every 
time so much in value, as they shall above the sum limited by this act, &c. 
So much for the occasion of this statue; which confirms the observation 
‘that evil manners are often the parent of good laws.’
	Sir William Coffin was also High Steward of the manor and liberties 
of Standon in the county of Herford; which had some peculiar honor and 
privileges belonging to it, tho’ I no where find what they were.
	At his death he humbly bequeathed to his great master, the Kin. Hen.
8. with whom he was in special grace and favor, his best horses and a cart,
and all his hawks; and leaving no issue of his own, he conveyed the mannor 
of East Hagginton, in the parish of Berrynerber, with all his other estate


*Of statutes 1632, A. 21 K.H.8, ch 6, p. 481.

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in the county of Devon, to his eldest brother’s son, Richard Coffin, of 
Portledge, Esquire.
	He dyed at Standon, aforesaid, about the year of our Lord 1538, and 
lyeth interred in that parish church, under a flat stone, on which was 
sometime found this inscription.*

Here lyeth Sir William
Coffin, Knight
Sometime of the Privy Chamber to King 
Henry the Eighth; and Master of the Horse
to the Queen,
High Steward of the Liberty
and Mannor of Standon,
Who died viiith (8th)of December,
M. CCCCCXXXVIII (1538)
	
	N.B. I have seen in the hands of the present heir of the family, a 
deed, dated 22 Edw. 3d. unto which the forementioned coat of Beasants and 
Croslets was affixed, as belonging to this name; yet more antiently than 
this, he shewed me another coat given by it, viz Arg. a Chevron between three
Mullets sable.  The occasion of this variety, that worthy Gentleman could 
not inform me of  [ Here ends our English document.]


	The first of the name in America was Mr. Tristram Coffin, who was 
born in Brixham parish town of Plymouth, Devonshire, England.  He was the son
 of Peter and Joanna Coffin ±.  He is said to have been the first person who
 used a plough in Haverhill, where his name is found as a witness to the 
Indian deed of that town, dated March 15, 1642.  He wrote his name Coffyn.  
He was a royalist, and as far as known, the only one of the early settlers of 
the town of Newbury who came to America in consequence of the success of 
Oliver Cromwell. [The Parliament.]
	Tristram married Dionis Stevens, and came to New England in 1642, 
after the death of his father, bringing with him his mother, who died may, 
1661, aged 77; his two sisters, Eunice and Mary, his wife, and also five 
children, whose names were, Peter, Tristram, Elizabeth, James, and John.  He 
at first came to Salisbury, thence to Haverhill the same year, thence to 
Newbury about the year 1648, thence, in 1654 or 5, he returned to Salisbury, 
where he signs his name "Tristram Coffyn Commissioner of Salisbury."
	In the year 1659, Thomas Macy, a name which has become noted in our 
colonial annals on account of his persecution for entertaining Quakers, in 
violation of the law of 1657, then a resident of Salisbury, desiring a 
greater freedom of conscience than he had hitherto been permitted to enjoy 
among his own people, formed a company for the purchase of the island of 
Nantucket, then inhabited solely by a tribe of Indians.  Nantucket had 
previously been purchased by Thomas Mayhew, of the agent, of Lord Sterling,
under the patent granted to him and Sir Ferdinando Georges, but it had not 
yet been occupied.  The company formed by Macy consisted of Tristram Coffin, 
Thomas Macy, Cristopher Hussey, R. Swain, Peter Coffin, Stephen Greenleaf, 
Thomas Barnard, John Swain, and William Pile.  To them were afterwards added 
thirteen others, among whom were Tristram, Jr. and James, sons of Tristram 
Coffin, sen., there were twenty persons, who became the proprietors, in equal
parts, of the island.  Tristram’s two sons


*Weev. Fun Mon. p534				±Coffin’s History of Newbury.

page 340
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and Stephen Greenleaf, whose names I have italicized (underlined), never went 
to Nantucket.  Peter afterwards settled at Dover, and became a Judge of the 
Superior Court of the province of New Hampshire, and Tristram, Jr. remained 
at Newbury, where the house which he occupied is still standing.  From 
Tristram, Jr., and Peter are descended all of the name of Coffin on the 
Merrimac river, in New Hampshire and Mainen.  Macy embarked for Nantucket in 
an open boat with his whole family ad Edward Startuck (Starbuck) in 1659, and 
established a permanent settlement there,  receiving the friendly notice and 
assistance of the Indians.  The experiment of settling this island must have
been known by these hardy men to be one of great risk, and of doubtful 
success, for it appears that Tristram Coffin had made no arrangements for the
embarkation of himself and family until he received in the following year 
favorable accounts of the success of Macy through Edward Starbuck, who 
returned to Salisbury in 1660, where he was met with rejoicings by his 
friends, who sensible of his hazardous undertaking, had felt doubtful of his
safe return.*  In that year, 1660, Tristram removed to Nantucket, carrying 
with him his wife, mother, and four of his children, James, John, Stephen 
(who was born in Newbury, May 11, 1652,) and Mary, who was born in Haverhill, 
Feb. 20, 1645.  From James, John and Stephen, sons of Tristram, are descended 
all of the name in Nantucket, two or three families in Boston, now nearly 
extinct, (including the family of Admiral Coffin’s father, and those of his 
uncles, William and John) most of the male members of which being loyalists, 
left the country previously, or about the time of the Revolution; several 
families in New York, settled at Hudson, who emigrated from Nantucket before 
the close of the last century, and two or three families in South Carolina, 
of whom is Thomas Astor Coffin, Esq., of Charleston, S.C., a grandson of 
Ebenezer, who was the cousin of the Admiral.
	This notice might be very greatly extended from the abundant 
resources which the writer has in his possession.  The family record is 
voluminous, and embraces all the families in the country in regular order, 
beginning with Tristram, being somewhat imperfect in respect to the two last
 generations, where, however, existing deficiencies may be more easily 
supplied than in those which are remote.  If sufficient space should be found 
in a succeeding number, a few interesting biographical notices of some of the 
fathers of the family might be added.  Many members of that branch to which 
Admiral Coffin belonged attaching themselves to the mother country in the 
Revolutionary struggle, rose to distinction abroad.  Of these some notices 
have already appeared in Currier’s Memoir, and in Mr. Sabine’s interesting 
and valuable biographies of American loyalists.

[to be continued]

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