| Note* | | Birth: d/o Robert STEVENS/Dionis __. They of Ford, Brixton, Devonshire,England. 1618. Briston, Devonshire. d/o Robert STEVENS. Baptism: 7 days before Tristram COFFIN, who was baptized 11 Mar 1609/10. Marriage to Tristam COFFIN: Between 1628-1630. Death: 1681/2, Nantucket, MA. 1653, Sep: Summoned before the magistrate for selling beer at herordinary for 3 pence in violation of a law passed by the General Court in1645, which yearly sets the price at 2 pence. She testified that shecharged more because she made a heavier brew, making it with 6 bushels ofmalt to each hogshead instead of 4 bushels as the law stipulated, andthat the General Court had allowed for that 2 years before. Samuel Mooretestified in her behalf and the case was dismissed. (5a) Goodwife COFFINis said to have remarked, 'I'll have better beer than my neighbors and bepaid for it. A fig for the law.' Burial: (1) It was the custom on the island to wrap the body in a sailingcloth and bury the person on his property in a plain box. (1) Served as Constable, Brixton, Devonshire. (10b,c) Of Butlers. (1) 1627/8, 4 Jan: His uncle John COFFIN wrote his will, making TristramExecutor and leaving him most of his estate. (1) 1628, 3 Apr: Tristram's uncle Nicholas COFFIN and his aunt AnnWINSTON brought suit against Tristram in the Exeter District ProbateCourt, claiming that 2 or 3 days before New Years John COFFIN instructedTristram to make John's will and told him that Nicholas COFFIN, son ofJohn's brother Nicholas, should be executor, but that Tristram had puthis own name as executor, and John tore the paper when he saw it. Thepaper of the will read in court was not torn, and was witnessed by HenryTAMMAS and Maethal SIMNELL. Henry and Martha, the witnesses, testifiedthat they saw Tristram write the will and John sign it and seal it with akey. The court found for Tristram. (1) 1642: Tristram and his brother John were mustered to fight with theRoyalists against the Roundheads (mostly Puritan) at Plymouth Fort. (10c)He was a royalist, and was one of the few, if not the only early settlerto come to New England as a consequence of the success of OliverCROMWELL. (2,7,8) 1642: Came to New England with his mother, sisters Eunice andMary, wife and 5 children. (1,8) Came on a ship belonging to friendRobert CLEMENT. (2,7,8,10b,c) 1642, spring: Came first to Salisbury, MA. (2,5,7) 1642, summer: Removed to Haverhill. (1,7,10c) By tradition, wasthe first in Pentucket (later called Haverhill) to use a plough of hisown invention on the cleared land. (1) Lived close to the Parker Riverand its marshland. (7) Settled near Mr. CLEMENTS. (1,5,6,7,10c) 1642, 15 Nov: Witness to an Indian deed. (1,6,7) Deed waswith the Passaquo and Saggehew Indians for a tract of land 14 miles longand 4 miles wide 'with ye isleand and the river that ye isleand standsin.' (10c) 15 Nov 1642 he resided in Haverhill, MA. Passaquo andSaggehew, with the consent of Passaconaway who was leader of theMerrimacs, sold for 3 pounds 10s. to the inhabitants of Pentucket, nowHaverhill, a tract of land 14 miles long and 6 miles wide, with theisland and the river that the island stands in. (7) 1645/6: A landholder at Haverhill, MA. (6) 1647, 26 May: Licensed by the MA General Court to keep an ordinary atNewbury. (1,5,10c) 1644. (7) Dates given in histories of 1644 and 1645cannot be confirmed by colonial records. (1) Sold wine in Newbury. (10c)1644: Moved his family to Newbury, where he became a prominent innkeeperand ferryman. (6,7) 1647, 26 May: Licensed to keep a ferry on the Newbury side of theMerrimac River. George CARR was in charge of the ferry on the Salisburyside. (1,10c) 1644. (10c) Licensed to keep a ferry on the Newbury side ofthe Merrimack River between Newbury and Carr's Island. George CARR ranthe ferry from Carr's Island to Salisbury. This arrangement was confirmedin the town records on 26 Dec 1647. (10c) 1647, 26 Dec: Tristram COFFIN Sr. is allowed to keep an ordinaryand retail wine, paying according to order, and also granted liberty tokeep a ferry at Newbury side. (2,10c) c.1648: Removed to Newbury, MA. (3) Lived in Newburyport. (6,7)Probably moved to Newbury about the time his license was granted. (7)Settled at Newbury opposite what has since been called Carr's Island. (6) 1648, 28 Mar: The town of Newbury was presented at court 'for want ofa convenient safe way from the new town to the ferry side.' 'WitnessTristram COFFIN of Newbury and John STEVENS of Salisbury.' (6) 1650, 9 Apr: George CARR offered to build a floating bridge toconnect the island where he resided with the Salisbury shore, and theCourt at Salisbury granted him the ferry on both sides of the river solong as he built and maintained the bridge, thus taking the business awayfrom Tristram. (6) 1651, 1 Mar: On a list of freeholders who had purchased proprietor'srights, Newbury, MA. His were purchased from Mr. SNELLINGS. (2) 1652: Taxed in Salisbury, MA. (6) 1652/3, 21 Mar: The town of Newbury ordered 'that the ferry overMerrimack should be kept in the old place thru the Gutt and that the wayfor driving cattell should suddenly be layd out and that Mr. COFFINshould still continue fferry man conditionally he keep sufficient men andboates...'. The order also fixed the rates he could charge. (6,10c) 1653, Sep: 'Tristram COFFIN and ux (Dionis) presented for sellingbeer at 3d a quart.' 'Upon the testimony of Samuel MOORES that she putsix bushels of malt into the hogshead she was discharged.' (6,7) 1653, 7 Sep: Robert PIKE was disenfranchised by the General Courtfor 'his intemperate zeal and seditious speech' when he disagreed withone of their decisions. Tristram signed a petition to the court which wascirculated in Newbury, requesting PIKE's sentence be revoked. (6) 1653, 27 Dec: Samuel POOR was licenced by Newbury to keep the ferry. (1) 1654, Feb: Sold his businesses. (6) 1654, 14 May: The PIKE petition was presented to the General Court,and they subsequently appointed a commission to question each signerabout why he had signed it. (2,5,10c) c.1654/5: Removed to Salisbury, MA. (1) Moved to the northernside of the Merrimac River at Salisbury. (10c) 1654: Resided inSalisbury, MA. (1,2,10c) Signed his name 'Commissioner of S.' (6) 1655/6, 10 Feb: A grant to Lionel WORTH in Newbury mentions land hehad formerly purchased of Mr. COFFIN which was Mr. RAWSONs land, whichMr. WORTH was giving up to the town for a highway to Salisbury Ferry. (2) 1659: Taxed in Salisbury, MA. (9) After moving from one place to another, he and a band of planters inthe vicinity of Salisbury, MA began to seek a location where they wouldbe free of the stifling restrictions which they endured and where therecould be common pasturage and tillage. (1,2,8) In the summer of 1659, Tristram COFFIN and others are said tohave visited Nantucket island, with Peter FOLGER of Martha's Vineyard asan interpreter between them and the Indians. (1) The party includedEdward STARBUCK, Isaac COLEMAN (age 12), and Tristram's son James, age18. (2,8) 1659, Jul: Thomas MAYHEW of Martha's Vineyard deeded 19/20ths ofthe island of Nantucket to Tristram COFFIN, Thomas MACY, ChristopherHUSSEY, Richard SWAYNE, Thomas BARNARD, Peter COFFIN, Stephen GREENLEAF,John SWAYNE, and William PILE, MAYHEW reserving a share for himself. (9)1661. The company of 9 men purchased 9/10 of Nantucket from Gov. ThomasMAYHEW. Subsequently the company was expanded to 20 shares. MAYHEWretained for himself 1/10 of the island and that part called Quaise.Tristram COFFIN controlled 1/4 of the shares through his own and histhree sons and a son-in-law. When Thomas MAYHEW had acquired the islandshis desire was to found a manorial system of land tenure. Tristam COFFINhad similar ideas. Part of the attraction of Nantucket was that MAYHEWhad been appointed Governor by New York's Gov. LOVELACE, and it was notgoverned by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. (10c) 1659: Tristram COFFIN andsome of his sons were among a company of Salisbury men who purchased19/20ths of the island of Nantucket from Thomas MAYHEW. (2a) 1659, 2 Sep: At a meeting of the Nantucket proprietors held atSalisbury, the 10 owners of Nantucket were authorized to admit 10partners. Tristram COFFIN took Nathaniel STARBUCK. Peter COFFIN tookJames COFFIN. Stephen GREENLEAF took Tristram COFFIN, Jr. (1,2b) Feb1659. (8) Feb 1660. (1,8) They signed the Nantucket Compact, establishinga proprietary, limiting access to the island's resources to the original10 purchasers, called 'first purchasers.' No one could make privatepurchases from the Indians. (9) It became evident that there was a needfor more craftsmen to share in the development of Nantucket. Therefore,the meeting authorized the gift of a 1/2 share to any craftsman who wouldmove to the island and diligently apply his trade for at least 3 years. (10c) 1660: Tristram COFFIN Sr. with his wife, mother and some of hischildre moved to Nantucket Island, MA. Tristram COFFIN Jr. remained inNewbury. (1,8) 1669, 10 Oct: Purchased, with sons Peter, Tristram and James, fromThomas MAYHEW for 5 pounds, the island of Tuckernuck. (1) Was on committee with Thomas MACY, Thomas BARNARD and Edward STARBUCKto lay out lots on Nantucket. (1,8) 1660, Apr: Went to Nantucket on son Peter's sloop. Lots were laidout for himself, Thomas MACY and Edward STARBUCK, 20 acres each.Tristram's lot was by Capaum Harbor near the SE corner of the island. (1,8) 1660, May: Negotiated a deed with the Indians which gave theproprietors Indian rights to the land they were to settle on the westernhalf of the island, half of the marshes and meadows on the rest of theisland 'within the jurisdiction,' and the right to feed cattle on anypart of the island between harvest time and spring planting. The chiefsNichanoose and Manamamack to be paid 12 pounds given the summer beforeplus 14 pounds to be paid within 3 months of May, 1660. (1) Negotiated a deed with the Indian Pattachaunet for the southern halfof Tuckernuck Island. (1,8) Hired 2 Indians to help him construct a house. (1) Called his home'Northam.' (1,2,8) 1660: Removed to Nantucket with his wife, mother, and 4 children.(3) Was living in Nantucket by 1659. (1) Took 4 youngest children: James,Mary, John, and Stephen. (1) Sons Peter and Tristram had adjoining property, but did not move toNantucket. They delegated their voting rights as proprietors to theirfather, as did son-in-law Stephen GREENLEAF. (8) 1661, 15 Jul: The proprietors met on Nantucket. (2) 1663/4: 'Tristram COFFIN for William PILE.' (NOTE: Does not say onwhat document this appears. Perhaps PILE's deed of his 10th to RichardSWAIN.) (8) 'In regard of my Fatherly affections (I) do give unto my daughter,Mary STARBUCK, the one half of my accomodation of my purchase, onNantucket Island, namely, the half of my tenth part which I bought withthe other nine first purchasers of Mr. Thomas MAYHEW, in Patten right,and of the Shachems Indians right... and all my Right of the half of alllands, Meadows, marshes, commons, Tember, wood, and all appurtenancesThereunto belonging.' Deed witnessed by Thomas MACY, Mary SWAIN, andSarah MACY. (1) 1664: Nantucket was made part of the newly created New York. In 1668,Gov. Francis LOVELACE asked all property owners to present their patentson claims of land. (8) The order to present claims was dated 16 May 1670. (1) By 1670 had conveyed half his rights in Nantucket to son John. (NOTE:Could this be in error, meaning daughter Mary?) (2) 1671: Indian deed of Nantucket Island was to Tristram COFFIN, ThomasMACY, Richard SWAYNE, Thomas BARNARD, John SWAYNE, Thomas MAYHEW, EdwardSTARBUCK, Peter COFFIN, James COFFIN, Stephen GREENLEAFE, Tristram COFFINJr., Thomas COLEMAN, Robert BERNARD, Christopher HUSSEY, Robert PYKE,John SMYTH, and John BISHOP. (1,8) 1671, Jun: Went with Thomas MACY to New York, Tristram to representCOFFIN land interests. They petitioned for the island's right to governitself, to show that its treatment of the Indians met the requirements ofthe crown, and to ask for authority to form a militia. Their requestswere granted, and they were allowed to set up courts on Martha's Vineyardand Nantucket, together to form the General Court for the islands. Theywere asked to recommend 2 persons for Chief Magistrate for the governor'sapproval 3 months before 13 Oct. (9) Gov. LOVELACE of NY grantedNantucket a new patent in 1671 which made it a distinct enfranchisedtownship. (1,5) 1671, 22 Jun: Appointed first Chief Magistrate of Nantucket. Wasnot renominated at the end of his term. (8) The office was for one yearbeginning in October. (9) 1671: Gov. LOVELACE commissioned TristramCOFFIN to be Chief Magistrate of Nantucket and Tuckernuck Island. Thefirst sitting of the Nantucket General Court was in Jun 1672. (8) 1672: After the failure of Peter FOLGER and then William BUNKER toprovide and operate a mill, the right was given to Tristram. He followedthrough. (1,8) 1673, Apr: A feud started with John GARDNER when GARDNER protestedbefore a town meeting that each inhabitant should have one vote, ratherthan the half-share men to have one and the original proprietors to havetwo, whether they lived on Nantucket or not, as originally agreed to inthe Nantucket Compact. (NOTE: See notes under John GARDNER.) (1,8) After John GARDNER represented Nantucket at New York, the Governorof NY decreed that only those who lived on the island could vote, thengave GARDNER the right to buy land from the Indians to set up a fishingindustry for profit, also prohibited by the compact, and made GARDNERCaptain of the Militia. The governor also agreed to name the mainsettlement on Nantucket Sherbourne, the name of the ancestral village ofthe GARDNERs in England. Then the governor declared all deeds, grantsetc. of Nantucket before 1673 invalid. (1,8) 1673: Called a meeting of the original proprietors. Richard PIKEbrought records from Salisbury. They appointed Thomas MAYHEW to go to NewYork to convince the court to nulify the Governor's decisions. But beforehe could reach New York, the Dutch retook it, and MAYHEW turned back. (9)The Dutch regained control of NY in Jul 1673. They held it until Oct1674. Since Nantucket had no appeal procedure during this period,Tristram COFFIN and associates governed the island in accordance withtheir own concepts. (8) 1674, Jun: Called another meeting, attended by James COFFIN, StephenGREENLEAF, John BISHOP, Stephen HUSSEY, Joseph AUSTIN, Nathaniel BARNARD,John SWAIN, Richard SWAIN, Thomas MAYHEW, and COFFIN relatives. Theyagreed to financially support a voyage to New York to petition forredress from the Dutch Governor. (1,8) 1674, Nov: The English retook New York and a letter was written tothe new Gov. Edmund ANDROS. Tristram and Matthew MAYHEW delivered it toNY. The new governor restored their rights. (8) 1675, spring: Tristram COFFIN, John SWAIN, Richard SWAIN, NathanielBARNARD, John COFFIN, Stephen COFFIN, and Nathaniel WIER voted againstsending John GARDNER to New York to represent Nantucket. They lost. (1,8) 1675, Apr: With Thomas MAYHEW, delivered another letter to NY atthe same time that John GARDNER and Peter FOLGER delivered a letterpresenting the opposing view. The governor confirmed the rights of theoriginal proprietors to their land titles. (1) The COFFIN faction controlled the court, and the GARDNER factioncontrolled the town meeting. (8) On the COFFIN side were Tristram, Peter,Tristram Jr., James and John COFFIN, Nathaniel STARBUCK, StephenGREENLEAF, Richard and John SWAIN, Robert PIKE, Christopher HUSSEY, JohnBISHOP, Nathaniel BARNARD and Thomas MACY. (1,8) Was appointed Chief Magistrate by the Governor at the expiration ofThomas MACY's term. (1,8) As chief magistrate, had John GARDNER's cattle seized fornonpayment of a fine he had levied against him earlier. (NOTE: See JohnGARDNER.) The Governor ruled this act illegal, but the court refused torevoke its judgement. (1,8) 1678: A French ship carrying animal hides ran aground at Nantucket.The crew and islanders rescued some of the cargo, but called off effortsas the as the hold filled with water. The ship's papers and salavager'sreports were given to Tristram as Chief Magistrate. The rule was that allsalvaged goods should be held one year, and after that time, if no claimwas made, the goods would be equally distributed among the Englishinhabitants. When the salvage officially stopped, Indians and islanderstook things from the wreckage without authorization. James COFFIN andJohn COLEMAN asked Tristram's permission to salvage the rest as privatecitizens, and he gave them permission on condition they be liable foranything they took if protest were made. He neglected to report theshipwreck. Governor ANDROS found out and sent John WEST as his agent toinvestigate. Tristram was ordered to secure all the salvage. He hadWilliam WORTH write up an official account for the town records. (8) 1678, 1 Dec: Wrote his will, giving son John his house lot, includingall buildings, upon his death or the death of his wife if she survivedhim. Left 10 acres on Tuckernuck Island to each of his grandchildren. (1,8) Governor ANDROS ordered him to New York for proceedings concerningthe wreck. He postponed sailing when informed that Massachusetts wasclaiming jurisdiction over Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. (1) He wrotethe governor saying he had not gone to New York in March because ofstormy seas and ill health. (1,8) 1679, Jun: His son James offered a compromise to settle grievances,(NOTE: See James COFFIN, John GARDNER), but Tristram would not supportit, nor any of the other agreements reached by the other members of hisfaction with the GARDNER faction. (1,8) 1680, 26 Jun: Governor issued an order for the Court of Admiraltyto hear the case concerning the wrecked ship. (1,8) 1680: Tristram wrote the Governor that he had been informed byThomas MAYHEW that Massachusetts was about to take over the islands, andthat he chose 'not to goe Abroad from home but forbare a few months.' Hesent the Governor 3 broken guns from the ship, and said the 40 hidessalvaged were rotten. He said he had difficulty preventing the pilfering.(8) The letter arrived in NY August 6th. (1,8) 1680, 28 Aug: The Admiralty Court convened at Nantucket. JohnGARDNER, as new Chief Magistrate, was on the court, with John WEST. Thecourt found that 'COFFIN's Actings Proceedings in disposing of the saidgoods, are contrary to law,' and fined him for the amount of salvage notreturned, 343 pounds, 10 shillings. (1,8) Appealed to the Governor of NY, apologizing for any mistakes andclaiming unfamiliarity with maritime law. He stated he had made noprofit, and that he would be imprisoned if his son James could not borrowthe money to pay. (1,8) 1680: The Admiralty Court reduced his indebtedness to 150 poundsand the case against him was discharged. He had paid half, and the otherhalf was secured by a bond from James COFFIN. (5) 1681, 29 Nov: Administration of his estate granted to sons James,John and Stephen. (4) 1722: His living posterity numbered 908. (4) 1728: His living posterity numbered 1218. (6) His descendants are very numerous, among them Admiral Sir IsaacCOFFIN and Dr. Alex G. COFFIN, whose wife Narcissa was a Quaker ministerand granddaughter of Joseph HOAG. (NOTE: Also an ancestor of PresidentFORD, Herman MELVILLE.)1 |