I first learned about my family's Coffin roots from my dad when I was quite young. His grandmother was Lizzie Emma Coffin. It was clear that being descended from Tristram Coffin was a matter of great pride to the family. I was 30 years old when I first began to research the connection.
It was surprisingly easy because these records were so important to small New England towns. I wrote a number of letters to the town clerk in North Yarmouth, Maine, as I tracked my lineage. North Yarmouth was where my family's birth, death, and marriage records were kept for centuries. I was fortunate to correspond for years with the late Nellie G. Leighton, a local historian and Maine treasure. She helped me a great deal.
I ultimately learned that Lizzie Emma's father was Samuel K. Coffin and her mother was Elizabeth F. Winslow. Their children were: Ulysses A. Coffin, born 30 Dec. 1870; Lizzie E. born on 12 July 1872; George W. S. (I wonder what the W.S. stands for) born 25 Jan. 1874; and Cora E. born 22 Apr. 1875.
Samuel died in 1918 and is buried in Webster Cemetery in Freeport, Maine. I will have to find out if he was a victim of the terrible Spanish Flu pandemic that swept the country that year. Elizabeth's father was Amasa Winslow, who was born 4 Oct. 1823. All we know about her mother was that her name was Betsey. ... kind of sad that it's all we know. I do have to say, however, that for obvious reasons, I have a real fondness for all the Elizabeths and Betseys in my heritage. My brother, my sister, and I all named our daughters Elizabeth.
Samuel''s father was Stephen Coffin Jr. He, too, is buried in Webster Cemetery in Freeport. I know that he was born on 15 July 1809 and married Mary A. Grouse on 17 Nov. 1830. He died in 1861. Samuel's grandfather, Stephen Coffin Sr., was born 6 Jan. 1771 in Freeport, just before the Revolutionary War. He married Rhoda Welch whose death record says she died on Christmas Eve,1836. Samuel's great-grandfather (also named Stephen) was born 6 June 1744. He married Martha Chapman (of N. Market) on 13 Oct. 1768 in N. Yarmouth, and later married the widow Elizabeth Blaisdell of Stratham, This Stephen died 29 Aug. 1800.
We get away from the Stephens for one generation. Abner Coffin was the previous Stephen's father. I know that all of these men are my great-great-great-many times over-grandfathers, but it's hard to keep them straight. Abner was born 29 April 1702 and married my many times over greatgrandmother Mary Rawlings 10 Dec. 1725.
Abner's dad was another Stephen. This Stephen Coffin was born 18 August 1664 in Newbury, Massachusetts and married Sarah Atkinson on 8 Oct. 1685. Sarah was born 27 Nov. 1665. I don't know anything else about her except that her father was named John and that Sarah was named for her mother. Stephen Coffin died 31 Aug. 1725.
The father of this Stephen was Tristram Coffin Jr. (sometimes it's spelled Coffyn). His beautiful home in Newbury, Massachusetts is a museum that you can visit. He was born in England in 1632, but when he was just 10 years old, his father, Tristram Sr. took the whole family to America. There are a few books about the whole adventure. I think this was what gives the Coffins and those related such pride in the family. Tristram Jr. married Judith Somerby (widow of Henry) on 2 March 1652. Tristram died 4 Feb. 1703 or 1704. I haven't been able to find out. Maybe someone can help solve this mystery. Judith died in Newbury not long after on 15 Dec. 1705.
Tristram's father was the famous (some might think infamous) entrepeneur who bought Nantucket Island along with the Starbucks, Folgers, and Macys. There is a terrific book about the families that made Nantucket a name to remember. It's called Away Off Shore by Nathaniel Philbrick. My (11th, I think) greatgrandmother, Tristram's wife, Dionis Stevens Coffin, was a woman to be reckoned with, too. She was arrested in Newbury for charging too much for the ale in her tavern. Dionis went to court and won her case by proving she "made a better brew." Tristram was born in Brixton, Devonshire, England, in 1609, was married about 1630, went to America in 1642, and died on Nantucket Island in 1681.