Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 14,569, Obed Coffin, Mass

Page 1

(S-1776)

SERVICE
Mass [Massachusetts]

Coffin, Obed
Violet

NUMBER
W. 14.569

Page 2

15.075
Massachusetts

no ticket
Obed Coffin
War
of Barnstable in the state of Massachusetts who was a Private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Vose of the Massachusetts line, for the term of Three years

Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 22 of April 1818.

Certificate of Pension issued the 9 day of Sep. [September] 1819 and sent to Abner Davis of Barnstable Massachusetts

Arrears to 4th of Sep [September] 1819.  131.46
Semi-anl. [annual] all'ce ending Mar. [March] 1820.  48.00
16 Mo. 13/30  $179.40

{Revolutionary claim,
Act 18th March, 1818.}

R. 
Continued

Dec. [December] 20. '33 [1833] certif. [certificate] of 3 yrs [years] service of Obed Coffin sent Hon: [Honorable] John Reed, this day - for Mr. [Mister] R. Baldwin of Masstts [Massachusetts]____.

Notification sent to Abner Davis Eqr. [Esquire] Oct {October] 12 1820 ~ Barnstable Mass. [Massachusetts]

Page 3

1897
Massachusetts

Violet Coffin
Widow of Obed Coffin
Mass [Massachusetts]
who was a pensioner under the Act of 1818 and who died on the 19th. April 1838 of Barnstable in the State of Mass. [Massachusetts] who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain ------------ of the Regt. [Regiment] commanded by Col. [Colonel] Vose in the Mass. [Massachusetts] Line for 3 years

Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rat of 80 Dollars ---- per annum, to commence the 4th day of March, 1836 & [and] ending 19th April 1838

Certificate of Pension issued the 10th day January 1863 and sent to L M Stone Esq. [Esquire] Boston, Massachusetts

Arrears to the 4th of
Semi-annual allowance ending

[Act July 7, 1838.]
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk
Book A. Vol. [Volume] 1. Page 80

A new certificate was issued in this case under the opinion of the Attorney General of the 2d Sept. [September] 1842, which was given in consequence of the Resolution of Congress of the 16th of August 1842.

Reported to Agent, see letter

Page 4

Obed: Coffin

Obed Coffin private Vose's Massachusetts served three years 22nd April 1818
Proof of service & [and] Judge's certifi-cate [certificate] as to claim unto circumstan-ces [cirsumstances] wanted.

Corrected & [and] Admitted

Page 5

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Barnstable  ss.
On this 22d day of April 1818, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas, for the Southern Circuit, personally appeared Obed Coffin, of Barnstable aged                     years, resident in the said Circuit, who being by me first duly cautioned according to law, on his oath made the following declaration, by him signed, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain person engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war."

Barnstable ss. February 29th, 1819.
I am satisfied that the applicant is in need of assistance from his Country for a support.

And I, the said Judge, do certify, that it appears to my satisfaction, that the said Obed Coffin did serve in the revolutionary war, as stated in the preceding declaration, against the com-mon [common] enemy, for the term of nine months, on the continental establishment: and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me, to the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions of the aforementioned act of Congress.

Thomas B. Adams, Ch. [Chief] Jus. [Justice]

Page 6

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Barnstable  ss.
On this 22d day of April 1818, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas, for the Southern Circuit, personally appeared Obed Coffin, of Barnstable aged                     years, resident in the said Circuit, who being by me first duly cautioned according to law, on his oath made the following declaration, by him signed, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain person engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war."

Barnstable ss. February .
I am satisfi
from his Country for a suppor

I Obed Coffin of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable & [and] Commonwealth of Massachusetts a resident citizen of the United States, on Oath set forth & [and] declare, that I enlisted as S. Barnstable as a private soldier in Capt. [Captain] Robert Miller's Company in Col [Colonel] Joseph Vose's Regt. [Regiment] Genl. [General] Patterson's Brigade of Mass [Massachusetts] Line for the term of three years during this time I enlisted during the war. I served in & [and] with Regt. [Regiment] in the State of N. [New] York [illegible] & [and] Virginia. Was in the Battle at the taking of Burgoyne, of Fort Montgomery, & [and] at the Capture of Cornwallis, and was discharged at the conclusion of the War at West Point, had a written dis-charge [discharge], but have unfortunately lost it. I have no further evidence of my service now in my power
Am now in reduced circumstances in life and stand in need of the assistance of my Country for support.___
Obed  X  Coffin
mark.

Page 7

I Josiah Fuller of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable and Commonwealth of Massachusetts on oath do certify and say that I was a soldier in the American Continental Army in the revolutionary war from the Spring of the year 1781 to Dec. [December] 1783, That I well know Obed Coffin of said Barnstable who has made application for a pension and that he was in the said army at the same time with me, that I saw him in the army soon after I joined it, and that I saw him many times at West Point and elsewhere during the time I was in the army and that I left him at West Point when I was discharged in Dec. [December] 1783, and suppose he was discharged very soon after ___
Barnstable July 24, 1819 
his
Josiah  X  Fuller
mark

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Barnstable s. July 24th A.D. 1819 - This day came before me the above named Josiah Fuller and made oath, that the above deposition, by him signed with his mark, is true in all its parts - and I do further certify that J. Fuller is a credible witness
Nymphas Marston - Jus. [Justice] Peace

I Josiah Crocker of Sandwich in the County of Barnstable and Commonwealth of Massachusetts on oath certify and say that I was a soldier in the American Continental Army and in the revolutionary war from the Spring of the year 1781 to near the end of the year 1783 and have obtained a pension certificate under the late act of Congress, and that I well know Obed Coffin of Barnstable who has made application for a pension, and I further certify that he was in said army at the same time with me. That I saw him many times in the army, from the time I joined it in the Spring

Page 8

has made application for a pension, and I further certify, that he was in said army at the same time with me. That I saw him many times in the army from the time I joined it in Spring of 1781 to the Spring of the year 1783 and know he was there all that time - at which last date I was separated from him and did not afterwards see him till he arrived home, but I have always understood that he remained in the army till about the end of the year 1783 and that he was then regularly discharged
Sandwich July 26th 1819     [signed] Josiah Crocker

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Barnstable ss. July 26 A.D. 1819 This day came before me the above named Josiah Croker and made oath that the above disposition by him signed is true in all its parts - and I further certify that said deponent is a credible witness
Nymphas Marston. Jus. [Justice] Peace

[seal affixed] Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Barnstable, Js.

I Abner Davis, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the County of Barnstable, do certify that Nymphas Marston, who hath signed the foregoing depositions of Josiah Fuller and Josiah Crocker, as Justice of the Peace is a sworn Justice of the Peace for the County of Barnstable, and full faith & [and] credit, are due to his offical acts; and that the above are the signatures of said Nymphas Marston: ~
In testimony, whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of our said Circuit Court of Common Pleas, and subscribed my name at Barnstable the twenty sixth day of July ~ in the year of our LORD one thousand eight hundred & [and] nineteen.

Page 9

has made application for a pension, and I further certify, that he was in said army at the same time with me. That I saw him many times in the army from the time I joined it in Spring of 1781 to the Spring of the year 1783 and know he was there all that time - at which last date I was separated from him and did not afterwards see him till he arrived home, but I have always understood that he remained in the army till about the end of the year 1783 and that he was then regularly discharged
Sandwich July 26th 1819     [signed] Josiah Crocker

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Barnstable ss. July 26 A.D. 1819 This day came before me the above named Josiah Croker and made oath that the above disposition by him signed is true in all its parts - and I further certify that said deponent is a credible witness
Nymphas Marston. Jus. [Justice] Peace

[seal affixed] Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Barnstable, Js.

I Abner Davis, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the County of Barnstable, do certify that Nymphas Marston, who hath signed the foregoing depositions of Josiah Fuller and Josiah Crocker, as Justice of the Peace is a sworn Justice of the Peace for the County of Barnstable, and full faith & [and] credit, are due to his offical acts; and that the above are the signatures of said Nymphas Marston: ~
In testimony, whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of our said Circuit Court of Common Pleas, and subscribed my name at Barnstable the twenty sixth day of July ~ in the year of our LORD one thousand eight hundred & [and] nineteen.

[signed with flourish] Abner Davis,
}Clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the County of Barnstable.

Page 10

Obed Coffin's Schedule of property.
15075
9 Sep' [September] [18]19
Contd [Continued] 7 Oct [October] '20 [1820]

AN

Page 11

SCHEDULE.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

County of Barnstable, ss. Obed Coffin of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable

In this ninth day of August, 1820, before the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Southern Circuit, proceeding according to the course of the common law with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, having a power also of fine and imprisonment, and keeping a record of their proceedings, personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of record for the said county of Barnstable aged sixty years, resident in Barnstable, in said County, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath, declare that he served in the Revolutionary war as follows, viz. for the term of three years in Colonel Joseph Vose's Regiment, Cpts [Captains], [illegible] Hitchcock & [and] Millers Companies, in the Massachusetts Line. and that he has received a pension certificate dated September 9th 1819 and numbered 15,075 in pursuance of his original Declaration made April 22d one thousand eight hundred & [and] eighteen and also takes and subscribes the following oath, viz. And I do solemnly swear - - - - - that I was a resident citizen of the United States, on the 8th day of March, 1816; and that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary war," passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property, or securities, con-tracts [contracts], or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed.
Real Estate, none.
Personal Estate none.
My Occupation is a Labourer, I have a wife named Vilet (Violet] who resides with me & [and] dependent on me for support aged sixty years. I have no children able to contribute to my support. I have lost one eye and am not able to obtain much labor for my support, by reason of old age.

Oded Coffin  X  his signature

[affixed seal] Sworn to, and declared, on the ninth day of August 1820 before said Court.

I, Abner Davis, clerk of Barnstable County do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath - - - and the schedule thereto an-nexed [annexed], are truly copied from the record of the said court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibit-ed [exhibited] in the aforesaid schedule is nothing. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said court, on this tenth day of August 1820.

Abner Davis, Clerk of the Court for the County of Barnstable.

Page 12

V 1789
Violet Coffin
widow of Obed
Mass. [Massachusetts]
act 7 July [18]38

50   1789
50
Application of Violet Coffin for pension

done

some record from [illegible]

T. Reed
Barnstable
Mass [Massachusetts]

Page 13

State of Massachusetts
County of Barnstable} ss.

On this fourteenth day of August in the year of Lord eighteen hundred and thirty eight, person-ally [personally] appeared before the Court of Probate in and for the County of Barnstable, Violet Coffin a negro woman of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts, aged seventy nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, judged July 7th `838 entitled "An act grant-ing [granting] half pay and provisions to certain widows"
That she is the widow of Oded Coffin, a negro, late of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable of State of Massachusetts, deceased, who was a private in the revo-lutionary [revolutionary] war of America: that he enlisted as a volunteer and continued in the war three years and one half which she is sure of, and thinks it may be longer: that she saw him when he started from home to join the army, and it was not long after the beginning of the war: that after being gone about two years he came home and remained a short time, and then went back into the army again, and does not recall of his returning again till peace took peace: that he enlisted, at first, in the Company of Captain Elisha Thacher, but does not recollect under what other officer's service: that he marched from Barnstable to Boston, from thence to New York and from thence to Ticonderoga: that he was pres-ent [present] at [illegible] at the surrender of Burgoyne, and has heard him tell of being in other engagements but cannot name them: That he lived in the town of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts at the time he entered the service: that she has no documentary evidence relative to his

over

Page 14

services excepting what is now in the possession of the War Department: that he was a pensioner under the act of Congress passed 18th of March 1818 and allowed eight dollars per month till his death: that she depends wholly upon the declaration of her husband and the evidence accompanying it for proof of his services, which is now in the Pension Office at Wash-ington [Washington] and uses the Department [illegible].

She further declares that she was married to the said Obed Coffin on, or near the middle of December in the year seventeen hundred and eighty four: that her husband the aforesaid Obed Coffin died on the 19th day of April in the year Eighteen hundred and thir-ty [thirty] Eight and that she has not been married to any other man since: that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety four viz. at the time above mentioned
Witness T. Reed                     

her
Violet  X  Coffin
mark

Barnstable ss. Probate Court Aug. [August] 14. 1838
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the day & [and] year first above written
Nymphas Marston Judge Probate

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable ss. Court of Probate Aug. [August] 14. 1838
I Timothy Reed Register of the Court of Probate in & [and] for the County of Barnstable hereby certify that the above Nymphas Marston is the judge of said Court of Probate and

Page 15

that the signature on the preceding page purporting to have been made by him is his genuine signature affixed in my presence in writings whereof I have hereto set my hand and the seal of said Court this 14th August A.D. 1838
Timothy Reed Register Probate

Page 16

Map
Jan. 9, 1839
add: [illeg.]
Vilot Cuff

Barnstable Jan. 4th
[illeg.]
J. L. Edwards Esq.
[Commissioner?] of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.

Page 17

Extract from the records of the Town of Barnstable Mass. [Massachusetts]
Names of persons entered in order for marriage by Ebenezer Bacon Town Clerk - 
Obed Coffin, & [and] Violet Cuff, both negroes of this town, December tenth Seventeen hundred and Eighty four. -
I Calvin Stetson Clerk of said town of Barnstable Certify that the above is a true copy of the record with the exception of the date which is expressed in the record in fair legible figures as follows "Dec [December] 10th 1784"
Calvin Stetson} Clerk

I Calvin Stetson above named depose and say that I hold the office of Town Clerk of the town of Barnstable County of Barnstable & [and] Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that the above is a tree extract from the records of said town with the exception above named as certified by me - And I further depose that I do not find after careful examination of said record the marriage of said Obed Coffin. - but that I do find a record of which the following is a true copy viz. 
"The Children of Obed Coffin & [and] Violet his wife 
Alvin Coffin Born Dec [December] 2d 1787
Jeremiah Born July 4th 1794
Alvin Coffin died Nov [November] 27th 1823"
Attest  Calvin Stetson} Town Clerk

Page 18

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable ss.
January 3d 1839
Here the within named Calvin Stetson made solemn oath that the within certificates by him subscribed were true before me
Henry Crocker Justice Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable County
I Timothy Reed Clerk of the Court of Com-mon [Common] Pleas in afore said County hereby certify that Henry Crocker Esq [Esquire] is a Justice of the Peace in afore said County duly commissioned and qualified and that I believe the above signature pre-senting [presenting] to have been made by him to be his genuine signature
Witness my hand & [and] the Seal of said Courth this third day of January 1839
Timothy Reed Clerk

Page 19

Barnstable Mass. [Massachusetts] Jan [January] 4. 1838

J. L. Edwards Esq [Esquire]
Sir I communicated the contents of your late [illegible] so far as respected Violet or Vilet Coffin to her friend who has furnished the foregoing which I forward for your examination
Respl [Respectfully]
Timothy Reed Clerk

Page 20

Revy
WIDOW, &c.

File No. 14569
Violet Coffin
Widow of
Obed Coffin
Priv Rev. War

Act: July 7th 1838
Index: --Vol. A, Page 1487

[Arrangement of 1870.]

Page 21

Violet Coffin
act '38
Massachusetts Roll
$80 per ann
Send cat: to the Hon.
John Reed H.R.

Page 22

1894
Massachusetts

Violet Coffin
widow of Obed Coffin
who was pensioner under the Act of 1818
and who died on the 19th April 1938
of Barnstable in the State of MA.
who was a Private in the company 
commanded by Captain -------- of the Regt. commanded
by Col. Vose in the MA.
line for 3 years

Inscribed on the Roll of Map.a
at the rate of 80 Dollars -- Cents per a
to commence on the [struck out] 4th day of March, 1836 [/struck out] 19th
April 1838.

Certificate of Pension issued the 23a day of Sept.
1839 and sent Home of 
Reed 60 of Reps.

Appears to the 4th of Sept 1838 $33.00
Semi=annual allowance ending 4 Mar 37, HO. 17'

$73.00
{Act July 7,}
{1838.}

Recorded by [signature] Clerk,
Book A Vol. 1st Page 80

Page 23

Merchants Bank
Boston, 9 April 1829

[Gin]

Application has several times been
made to me to pay a pension to Mrs.
Violet Coffin widow of Obed Coffin dec.
under the Act of 7. July '38 whose name
does not appear on the Roll.
Be pleased to inform me if such
a pension has been granted.
I am very respy.
Your obt. svt. 

J Shmauklie Weiver
Pension Agt.

J. S. Edwards Esqr.
Court of Pensions
Washington
D.C.

Page 24

Barnstable (?) MS.            free
Sept. 07

1789 Sept. 22
Maps
7 July 1838

J. L. Edwards Esq
Comm. of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.

Page 25

Barnstable Mass. Sept. 15, 1838
J.S. Edwards Esq (?) of Pensions
Sir please examine the (?)
enclosed papers of (Obed?) Coffin
and make (?) returns (?) to me (?)
(?) (?) respectfully
Timothy (Reed?)

Page 26

Violet (Young) Coffin
Mass.
A? (April?) 7 July 38
80$ from
4 March 36 to
19 apl (April) '38 the 
day of her husbands
death

S (or L) M. Stone Esq
Boston

Page 27

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Secretary's Office, Boston December 22, 1842
Thereby Certify, That Asa Young
is a Justice of the Peace for the
County of Barnstable (?) Thome (?)
Bulfrich's (?) a Justice of the Peace
for the County of Suffath (?)

[Signature]

is the said Commonwealth, duly constituted and commissioned; 
and that to their acts and attestations, as such full faith and
credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
 [Signature]

In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the
Seat of the Commonwealth, the date above  written.

[Signature] (?) P. (B?)
Secretary of the Commonwealth

Page 28

On this sixteenth day of December, 1842, personally appeared before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace duly authorized to administer oaths etc, Mrs. Violet Coffin, a resident of Barnstable, in the County of Barnstable, aged ninety years, who, being duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the amount of pension which she claims from the 4th of March 1836 to the 19th day of April 1838 from which period she had been already paid under the Act of 7th July 1838. -And the declarant further alleges that she is still the widow of Obed Coffin dec'd who was a Private during the Revolutionary War. that her pension was allowed at the rate of Eighty Dollars per annum and was paid to her at the Agency in Boston in the State of Massachusetts. And further she saith not. 
her mark [Insert signature] Violet X Coffin 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable County
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before me. 
Asa Young Justice of the Peace for s? County

Page 29

I Adolphus Davis of Boston in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts of lawful age on oath testify and say that I am well acquainted with Mrs. Violet Coffin named in the foregoing affidavit and have been for more than twenty five years last past.  I know from personal knowledge that she was a pensioner under the law of 1838 at the rate noted in her affidavit having acted as her attorney in receiving from the pension agent the amt. due her and that she has not intermarried since the decease of Obed Coffin her husband.  And I further testify that I fully believe the signature by mark to the foregoing affidavit was made by Mrs. Violet Coffin the same person pensioned as aforesaid and for whom I have heretofore acted as attorney.
Adolphus Davis

State of Massachusetts Suffolk County SS
Boston, 22nd Dec. 1842 Personally appeared Adolphus Davis above named & made oath to the truth of the above (and I certify that he is a credible witness) Before me T. Bullfinch, J. Peace

Page 30

I Allen Gorham of the City of New York in the State of New York of lawful age to give evidence do depose and say: that I am now sixty seven years of age, that I lived in the Town of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts from by birth till I was twenty two years of age, that during that time I well know Obed Coffin and Violet Coffin, two coloured people, of said Barnstable.  I recollect well the day on which the said Obed and Violet were married. I was present at the marriage and saw the whole ceremony.  It was solemnized by the Rev. John Mellen late of said Barnstable deceased.  According to my best recollection the marriage took place in the year seventeen hundred & eighty three or four.  The name of said Violet Coffin before her marriage was Violet Cuffo.
Allen Gorham
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable [?] August 15th 1838 Allen Gorham made oath to the truth of the above deposition by him signed before me
Zeno Scudder, Justice of the Peace
I hereby certify that the above named Allen Gorham is reputed to be a man of undoubted veracity and credibility
Zeno Scudder, Justice of the Peace

Page 31

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable [?]
I Timothy Reed clerk of this Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Barnstable and Commonwealth aforesaid hereby certify that Zeno Scudder Esquire is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified and [obscured by fold] fifteenth day of August instant and that I believe the [illegible] signatures purporting to have been made by him to be his genuine signatures.
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and the seal of said Court this 18th of August [illegible] 1838
Timothy Reed clerk

Page 32

I Enoch T. Cobb of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts of lawful age to give evidence do depose and say: that I was acquainted with Obed Coffin a negro of Barnstable in the County of Barnstable & State of Massachusetts, from the time of my childhood to the nineteenth day of April AD 1838 and that on that day the said Obed died and I afterwards attended his funeral and assisted in burying him.  I am also acquainted with Violet Coffin of the same Barnstable, who was the wife of the said Obed in his lifetime.  She is now living near my house and has not been married to any other man since the death of the said Obed.
Enoch T. Cobb
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable [?] August 15th AD 1838 Enoch T Cobb made oath to the truth of the above deposition by him signed before me
Zeno Scudder, Justice of the Peace

Page 33

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable (LB?)
I Timothy Reed clerk of the Court of Commons Pleas within and for the County of Barnstable and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aforesaid hereby certify that Zeno Scudder Esquire is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County being commissioned and qualified and was so on the fifteenth day of August instant and that I believe the within signatures purporting to have been made by him to be his genuine signatures.
In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and the seal of said Court this 18th August AD 1838
Timothy Reed clerk