Would the Real Abraham Coffman please stand up?
Below are Abraham Coffman’s found during research. There were so many of them, I had to chart them to keep it straight. Undocumented information is shown in italics. My goal is to link my Harmon Coffman to his father who I used to think was the second Abraham Coffman in this list (the one married to Margaret Haun or Howey). More research (including his will)—I know now his wife at his death was Margaret Triplett. However, she could have been a second wife as I have never found a marriage bond or record.
Then I find in the Shenandoah County Marriage Bonds, 1772-1850 the marriage entry for Coffman/Howey (except that wasn’t the spelling used).
I received an email in 2006 from another Coffman researcher who suggested that Margaret Howey died in 1801 or 1802 and that Abraham married again. I have been unable to find a male Coffman, no matter WHAT first name, marrying a Triplett. And I’ve found no evidence that his wife died either. So I am still searching.
But the more I think of it and more research — it was a common thing for a second marriage due to the death of a spouse. Why couldn’t that have happened with my ancestors too?
| First/Middle Name | Birth | Death | Parents Father & Mother |
Spouse(s) | Residences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham3 | 175? PA | ? | ? | ? | Pennsylvania, ? |
| An Abraham Coffman is in the 1800 Pennsylvania Census in East Whiteland Township, Chester County. Unknown if this is the same as the Abraham listed in AGBI. | |||||
| Abraham | About 1763/64 VA
Read his will. |
8-Sep-1849 KY | unknown | Margaret Triplett
I used to think it was Howey or Hawn |
Virginia, Kentucky |
| The Virginia Marriages to 1800 has the following entry: Cauffman, Abraham | Howey, Margaret | Date: 19 Jul 1796 | Location: Shenandoah County, Virginia5. Margaret is listed as the daughter of Jos. (Joseph) Howey. | |||||
| Abraham | ? but had a daughter, Elizabeth Ann “Patsy” Coffman Atcher 1819 – 1856 Married 14 Aug 1842 to James Atcher, Sr. |
This entry originally posted separately but obviously, I’m beginning to believe that this one and the one above should be combined. | Margaret Ann Tripplett | ?, Kentucky | |
| Abraham | Unknown VA | Indiana | John ANicholas Coffman & Mary Wisecarver | Peggy Hugby (KY) | Virginia, Indiana |
| A – Sometimes father of the above Abraham listed as Nicholas Coffman. | |||||
| Abraham | 1 Jun 1763 VA | 1843 IN | Jacob Coffman & ? | Anna (Ann) Thursby | Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana |
| The above three are often confused. I’ve found their parents or their spouses mixed. For example, all data matching one of the above except the spouse will be Anna Thursby. | |||||
| Abraham | 16 Jan 1776 VA | 1837 OH | David Kauffman & Dorthy Strickler | Mary Strickler | Virginia, Ohio |
| Abraham | About 1774 | ? | ? | Polly Weaver 19 Jul 17972 |
Virginia |
| Abraham | 1796 PA | 1854 IN | ? | Jane Spear | Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana |
| Abraham4 | 16 Jan 1776 in Dunmore County, VA | 1837 in Licking County, OH | David Kauffman & Dorthy Strickler | Mary Strickler Married 3 Aug 1781 |
Virginia, Ohio |
| Any entry below cannot be ‘my’ needed Abraham as his birth is too late. Abraham has to be old enough to father a child in 1802. | |||||
| Abraham | 17 OCT 1809 VA | 23 AUG 1881 VA | Christian Coffman & Anna Wenger | Mary Tuckwiller | Virginia |
Sources:
1. www.familysearch.org – link to the exact record. [No longer links to exact record. Will be updated later. 3/28/2019.]
2. www.familysearch.org – link to the exact record. [No longer links to exact record. Will be updated later. 3/28/2019.] Also at ancestry.com [$]. Marriage location: Shenandoah County, Virginia.
3. American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI), Vol.31, page 412 on www.ancestry.com.
4. Rootsweb: Brumbach & Associated Families.
5. Ancestry.com database [$].
Last updated: September 26, 2015