Coffinberry, Rebecca J.

Other Events:

• Residence: 1870, Grand Rapids Ward 1, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; Age: 30; Occupation: At Home
• Residence: 1880, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; StreetAddress: Summit Street; Age: 40; EnumerationDistrict: 135; MaritalStatus: Single; RelationToHead: Daughter

Other Events:

• Residence: 1850, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; Age: 43
• Residence: 1860, 1 W. Grand Rapids, Kent County, MI
• Residence: 1870, Grand Rapids Ward 1, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; Age: 63; MaleCitizenOverTwentyone: Y; PersonalEstateValue: 3000; RealEstateValue: 10000; Occupation: Civil Engineer
• Residence: 1880, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; StreetAddress: Summit Street; Age: 73; Occupation: Civil Engineer; EnumerationDistrict: 135; MaritalStatus: Married; RelationToHead: Self

Notes:

Capt. Wright L. Coffinberry [Grand Rapids Eagle]

Capt. Wright L. Coffinberry was born at Lancaster, Ohio, April 5, 1807. His father, George L. Coffinberry, was born in Berkeley county, Va. He was a farmer and cut the first road from Wheeling, W. Va., to Zanesville, Ohio, and drove the first team over it. He went to Chillicothe, Ohio, in its earliest days and four years later removed to Lancaster, at a period when it was first laid out. The mother of the deceased, Elizabeth (LITTLE) Coffinberry, was a native of Berkeley county, Va. His parents fixed their residence at Mansfield, Ohio, in 1809, when their son was two years old. He received a common school education and at eighteen years of age left the farm to learn the trade of millwright and carpenter, which calling he followed thirteen years, winning a good repute as a. mechanic. At the solicitation of the Civil Engineers' Corps of Ohio he enrolled himself in that body in 1836 and has seen much active service in civil engineering in the States of Ohio and Michigan.

In 1844 he went to St. Joseph, this State, and in 1846 came to this city, where he opened a watch and clock repair shop which he carried on for four years. In 1850 he was elected first city surveyor and three years later was engaged by the government as surveyor of lands in the northern part of the State. In 1854 he was again elected city surveyor and held the position three years. He has platted about one hundred and fifty additions to the city. In 1859 he surveyed a State road from Grand Rapids to Northport, in the extreme north of Leelanaw county, the location of which cost a month's travel on foot carrying a knapsack. In 1860 he fulfilled a contract to construct a road forty miles long north of Newaygo, cutting and bridging it. In 1861. he enlisted and raised a company of 100 men in this city (Co. C, First Regiment Michigan Engineers and Mechanics). He Served as captain One and one-half years during the war of 'the Rebellion, when he resigned.

His collection of plans and drawings and curious remains of his career in his profession is novel and affords matter for much entertainment. In 1881 he was elected county superintendent of the poor, which position he held for six years, discharging the difficult and delicate duties with marked ability and faithfulness.

He was married August 18, 1831, near Mansfield , 0., to Jane BEACH, who was born in Pennsylvania and reared in Ohio. August 18, 1881, they celebrated their golden wedding. Mrs. Coffinberry survives him, aged nearly eighty-four years. They have had four children: Emma, who died in 1844; Andrew B. , married and residing in this city; Rebecca J. and Julia F., who have long been widely useful teachers in the city schools.

Mr. Coffinberry had had an experience covering a list of vicissitudes equal to most men who were representatives of the old pioneer period. He began the work of temperance here many years ago and labored unremittingly in its interest. He was, one of the earliest members of the republican party, and never swerved from fealty to that party.

He had been connected with the Odd Fellow and Masonic orders for many years. During his early residence in this city he was a member of the Lyceum This was, superseded by the Lyceum of Natural History. During the war the latter barely existed, and finally was merged in the Kent Scientific Institute, which is an important institution of the city. Of this he has always been an active member, serving at different periods as the president of all these societies, and for several years he was chairman of the committee on archaeology He had made many explorations in that line, collecting many valuable relies in archaeology.

He was a man of abounding kindness of heart, of the most absolute integrity with profound religious convictions which actuated his every moment of life, and with a reputation as a man and a citizen which is a rich legacy for his family. His death will be mourned in many a household besides his own, and his wise counsels and exemplary life will be remembered with Pleasure by all who have had the rare good fortune to, know him.

Mr. Coffinberry left his home in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday morning, March 26, 1889, in his usual health, and expired in a street car, without a moment's warning. He was a gentleman of unusual vigor, both of body and mind, and this continued until the day of his death.

Wright married Beach, Jane on 18 Aug 1831 in Grand Rapids, MI. Jane was born in 1805 in Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Residence: 1860, Grand Rapids Ward 1, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; Age: 55
• Residence: 1870, Grand Rapids Ward 1, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; Age: 65; Occupation: Keeping House
• Residence: 1880, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA; StreetAddress: Summit Street; Age: 75; Occupation: Keeping House; EnumerationDistrict: 135; MaritalStatus: Married; RelationToHead: Wife

Notes:

According to the records of Ruth Dunlap, George Lewis Coffinberry was part of the Revolutionary War.

George Coffinberry (1760-1851) enlisted from Berkeley County at the age of sixteen in Captain Culbert Anderson's company. He was in service in the Carolinas under General Nathaniel Greene. He was born at Martinburg, West Virginia and was a pensioner when he died near Mansfield, Ohio.

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Rev War pension W6726. While residing near Martinsburg, he enlisted in the autum of 1780 and served six months as private in Captain Colbert Anderson's company, Colonels Lucas or Glenn's Virginia Regiment. He was allowed pension on his application executed Oct 25, 1832 while a resident of Springfield Township Richland County, Ohio. He died there July 13, 1851.

"a lawyer elected to Legislature in VA about 1790 & while in that capacity petitioned to change name from Kaufenbaerger to Coffinberry"

Source: Genealogy of the Coffinberry Family. Descendants of George Lewis Coffinberry, 1760-1851 (Revolutionary War Soldier) and His Wife, Elizabeth (Little) Coffinberry, Mrs. Beatrice B Scott

Birth:
note:Frederick County at the time

George married Little, Elizabeth on 5 Dec 1785 in Martinsburg, Berkeley, West Virginia, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of Klein, George and Truggat, Elizabeth) was born in 1769 in Strasburg, Alsace-Loraine, Germany; died on 23 Jun 1854 in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio, USA; was buried in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From Genealogy of the Coffinberry Family: Descendants of George Lewis Coffinberry (1760-1851) Revolutionary War Soldier (published 1927), pages 8-11:

[George Lewis Coffinberry] married December 5, 1786, at Martinsburg, West Virginia. Married Miss Elizabeth (Klein) Little, who was born near Alsace Loraine about 1769. Elizabeth Little believed herself to be a descendant of royalty. She was gifted with language and from her pen came forth at command prose and poetry, and her writings, if they had been cared for and published, most certainly would have made her known as a lady of letters in the western world.

An item of interest to those of this present generation was the fact that in the days of Elizabeth Little, false teeth or plates were unknown and so she made her own teeth, by taking a cow’s horn and soaking it in water until flexible, then carefully shaping it to her mouth and by filing teeth in it, made a very serviceable set of lower and upper teeth. The only fault with these kind of teeth was the fact that they wore out too soon and the same performance had to be gone through with again.

Elizabeth Little had a brother that we know of. A Mrs. Cope of Chattanooga, Tennessee, claims to be a descendant of this brother.

...

Springfield Township was organized in 1816. Its name was suggested by Mrs. Coffinberry, one of its earliest settlers, on account of the numerous springs within its limits.

...

ELIZABETH LITTLE COFFINBERRY, wife of George Lewis Coffinberry, was a blonde with blue eyes. Her hair kept its golden tinge until she was quite an old lady. Her father was George Kline (Little) and her mother was Elizabeth Truggat. They were both born in Strasburg, in Alsace, early in the eighteenth century, and were married there. They came to the town of Chambersburg in the colony of Penn, where they both died within six months after their settlement, leaving George Little, 2 years old, and Elizabeth, 6 months old.

These children were taken to Martinsburg, Va., by their mother’s sister, who reared them and where George was married to Caroline Roush, and Elizabeth to George Lewis Coffinberry. The name of her family was originally Kline, but was later changed to Little. The word Kline means “little” in the German language. Elizabeth Little Coffinberry always told her children that some day they would come into a great heritage through her people, but just what this was I do not know.

Buried:
Spring Mill Cemetery

Notes:

"George Ludwig (Lewis) Coffinberry or Kaufenberger as his German neighbors called him, was born in Stuttgart, Wurtenburg, Germany early in the eighteenth century. He was married in Germany to Katrina Kimmel who was born in Hanover about the same time George was born. ... He first changed his name to Coffinberg and later, about 1790, by permission of the Legislature of Virginia, to Coffinberry."
Source: Geneology of the Coffinberry Family

Georg Ludwig Kassenberger arrived in Philadelphia on the ship St Andrew from Rotterdam and took oaths at the Court House in Phildelphia on 14 Sep 1751. Also immigrating on the same ship were Jacob, Johan, Phillip, Adam, and Valentin Kimmel.

George Lewis Coffinberry received a land grant of 282 acres in 1763 at Wts. Opequon, Frederick County, Virginia. (Opequon Creek) He appears on various rent rolls, tax lists, tithable lists and polls in Berkeley County Virginia for 1782 , 1783, 1788, and 1792.

George and Katrina made their home at Martinsburg where all their children were born and married.

George Lewis Coffinbery Sr. was a noted German clergyman of the Baptist order, and by trade a sickle maker. He is buried at Martinsburg, West Virginia. Died at the advanced age of 108 years. And his wife, Katrina at the age of 116 years. George was a private in the Revolutionary War in the Virginia Regiment.

The will of George Lewis Coffinberry was written 26 Aug 1812 and presented in court on 8 Mar 1813 in Berkeley County, Virginia. Therefore, death date may be about 03/08/1813

The will of George Lewis Coffinberry was written 26 Aug 1812 and presented in court on 8 Mar 1813 in Berkeley County, Virginia.

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Berkeley Co., West Virginia; Will Book 5, page 59
26 August, 1812
I George Lewis Coffinberger of the County of Berkley & State of Virginia, being of sound & perfect mind & memory do on this 26th day of Augt 1812 make and ordain this my last will & testament in the manner & form & allowing making void all other former wills heretofore made by me to viz

1st I give and bequeath to my wife Fanny Coffenbarger the sole use and profits of my whole estate both real and personal of whatsoever kind I may own at the time of my death during her natural life.
2nd It is my will & desire that the proceeds of my estate real & personal after the payment of my just debts & all necessary expenses & charges shall be equally divided between my eight daughters and sons herein after named to vis. Mary Newman, Elizabeth Curtus, Nancy Seybert, Fanny Sipp, Sarah McCasland, Catherine Young, Jacob Coffenberger, & George Cofffenberger or their living children to be equally divided between them share & share alike except the part bequeathed Sarah McCaslin her equal part is to be put to interest by my executors and she is only to receive the legal interest thereof during her life & at her death it is to be equally divided between all her living children.
3rd I hereby consititue & appoint my friends Thomas C Smith & Obed Wait the sole executors of this my last will & testament it will be understood that my executors are fully authorized to sell real estae as well as personal & convey in full authority in witness whereof I have herunto set my hand & seal the date and year above written my executor are not to give any security for the performence as executors. Signed sealed published in presence of us the subscribers

Witnesses: Jacob Hesse, Richard Gartrel, James Riddle, Conrad Hogmire
George L Coffenberger (seal)

Buried:
Old Lutheran Cemetery

Georg married Kimmel, Maria Veronika before 1750 in Stutgart, Wuertemberg, Germany, Estimate. Maria (daughter of Kimmel, Johann Valentin and Beltzer Or Baltzer, Anna Maria) was born about Jan 1726 in Gimbsheim, Hessen, Germany; died before Jul 1813 in Martinsburg, Berkeley, West Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Katrina Kimmel was known as Veronika and Fanny a nickname for Veronika.

George was married in Germany to Katrina Kimmel who was born in Hanover about the same time George was born. They came to the colony of Virginia in 1750, where they made their home at Martinsburg in Berkley County, West Virginia, where all their children were born and married.

According to Timothy Kimmel - - - Maria Veronika Kimmel emmigrated to the US aboard the St. Andrews which landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1751. Georg Ludwig Kauffenbaerger was listed as her husband on the ship's list of passengers.

According to Ruth Dunlap - - - Maria Elisabet Kauffenbaergerbaptismal record lists her mother's name as Veronika.

Georg Ludwig Kauffenbaerger's will lists Veronika's name as Fanny which is the dim. of Veronika.

Veronika's parents travelled with Georg and Veronika to America in 1751 on the St. Andrews.

According to Johann Valentin Kimmel's will - Veronika was married to Georg at the time of Johann's death.


Birth:
based on baptisim date

Died:
in her husband's estate there is an entry of July 23 that year for "paid John Hooper for a coffin for the widow" then Oct 11 "paid Elizabeth Smith for attendance on the widow making her burying clothes"

George married Truggat, Elizabeth about 1768 in Strasburg, Alsace-Loraine, Germany, Estimate. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]