Jacob Coffield

Jacob Coffield was born about December 14, 1832 (based on calculations from the grave marker) in Hartford Township, Licking County, Ohio to Samuel and Catherine Nimerick Coffield.  It was reported in his sister, Margaret's, obituary that he had 5 sisters - Margaret (buried in Centerburg Cemetery), Clara or Clarissa (Mrs. Jake Debolt), Elizabeth (Mrs. William Higgins- see History of Licking County, 1831, page 686), sister #4 [Arvilla who married Perry Higgins?], sister #5?.

On February 13, 1859, he married Elizabeth Stull in Licking County.  Their children were:

            George W., born May 12, 1860 who married Sarah Emma Piper

            Kate, born October 8, 1861 who married Waitman Clark

            Elfie Alvira, born August 4, 1867 who married Henry A. Baker

The 1860 Ohio census, page 9, for Licking County, Burlington Township lists

     Jacob Coffield, 26, farmer, personal property of $536, born in Ohio

     Elizabeth, 21, Housekeeper., born in Ohio

     George W., 1, born in Ohio

In October, 1861, Jacob and Elizabeth had a daughter, Catherine (Kate).  Two months later, Jacob enlisted as a wagoner in the Union Army and Elizabeth spent the next 4 years raising her two children alone.

Jacob Coffield served in the Union Army during the Civil War from 1861 through 1865.    He enlisted on December 1861 in Mt. Vernon, Ohio.  He was a private in Company C, 43rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  He was mustered in on December 31, 1861 for a term of 3 years.  At that time he was 26 years old, 5'10", fair complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair with an occupation of farmer.  On muster rolls he is listed as a wagoner until September 1862 when the term is changed to "Teamster".  He was mustered out on July 13, 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky.  We have copies of his muster rolls, enlistment and discharge papers, and his pension applications/affidavits.

In 1879, he filed for an invalid (disability) pension stating that while "unloading bales of hay from a boat and putting them on a wagon in the service of the government, he was ruptured on the right side."  He apparently had been completely disabled for the past 4 years.  Mary Belle Scholl Trumbold could not find evidence that Jacob ever received a pension for disability due to service.  She doubts it because they were 8 years in trying with only a notation that his application was on file.  His widow did receive $25, terminated due to her death in 1918 (approximately 2 years).

His children recounted that Jacob "was in Sherman's march to the sea (May - December 1864) and was a prisoner for some time. [His being a prisoner is not substantiated by Civil War records for the 43rd Ohio Infantry or his muster rolls].  He drove mules to the food wagon and used a black snake whip which Aunt Kate had for years.  He walked all the way home from Georgia, slept in Georgia swamps and took 14 rattles off a snake that crawled over him.  After his discharge he came to Columbus and stayed overnight.  Somebody stole some of his possessions, among these the rattles."

"In his later years he sometimes had to crawl about the house due to rheumatism."

In 1867, Jacob sold to Azro Myers 30 acres in Range 15, Twp. 4, Hartford Township, Section 1¹.

The 1870 Ohio census, page 148, Hartford Township, Licking County lists

     Jacob Coffield, 36, farmer, real estate of $1500, personal property of $500, born in Ohio

     Elizabeth, 30, born in Ohio

     George, 11, born in Ohio

     Catherine, 9, born in Ohio

     Elfie, 2, born in Ohio

For 1870, Jacob Coffield paid taxes on $308 of personal property.

The 1880 Ohio census, page 70, Licking County, Hartford Township lists

     Jacob Coffield, 45, farm, born in Ohio, father born in Va., mother born in O.

     Elizabeth, 40, wife, housekeeper, born in O., father born Pa., mother born O.

     Elsie, 13, dau., born in O., father born in O., mother born in O.

Jacob died August 17, 1892 at the age of 59 years, 8 months, and 3 days.  Knox County Cemetery Records show that Jacob Coffield and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried in the Old Baptist Cemetery located on the east side of Croton Road #21 at the edge of Centerburg, Knox County, Ohio.  This would indicate that Jacob was born December 14, 1832.  Elizabeth was born June 27, 1839 and died January 24, 1918².

Elizabeth Stull Coffield

Elizabeth Stull Coffield's death certificate says that she was born June 27, 1839, and died on January 24, 1918.  She died in Licking County, Hartford Township, Ohio [Centerburg].  This death record is the first we learned of Elizabeth's father's name, Joseph, and that he was born in Pennsylvania.  Elizabeth's death certificate, signed by her daughter, Mrs. Effie Baker, shows her mother's name as "Unknown".  Elizabeth's mother died shortly after she was born so the grand-daughter, Effie, had no recollection of her grandmother's name.    The cause of death is shown as senile debility with dropsy as a contributing cause.  Elizabeth Coffield was buried in Centerburg Cemetery on January 26, 1918, alongside her husband.

OBITUARY³

“Mrs. Elizabeth Coffield who for several weeks has been in very poor health, died at her home here last Thursday morning, January 24th.  The funeral services were conducted at the home Saturday morning by her former pastor, Rev. L. G. Walker of Centerburg, assisted by Rev. F. R. Crooks after which the interment was made in the Centerburg cemetery.  Those from a distance who attended the funeral of Mrs. Coffield were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Baker and daughter, Gladys and Mrs. Bessie Ghiloni and daughter, Margaret of Newark,  Miss Lottie Baker of St. Louis, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Baker from near Hebron, Mr. and Mrs. Wait Clark and daughter, Dessie and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Clark from near Johnstown, Mr. and Mrs. George Coffield and family, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Higgins and Mrs. Elizabeth Davidson, grand-daughter from Centerburg, Mr. Geo. Stull and Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Barrick from near Condit, Ohio.

Elizabeth Stull was born in Licking County, near Croton, Ohio, June 27, 1839 and died January 24, 1918, aged 78 years, 6 months and 27 days.  She is survived by three children, eight grand-children, great grandchildren, one brother and a host of friends.

Her early life was spent on the farm with her parents until her marriage to Jacob Coffield, Feb. 13, 1859, who preceded her to the great beyond twenty-five years ago.  To this union were born one son and two daughters, who still survive.

She was one of the faithful wives who kept the home fires burning while her husband served the entire four years in the Civil War.  She cared for the little ones and patiently endured the many hardships that were known only to those who experienced them.

In her early girlhood she united with the Schoolland Christian church and later transferred her membership to the Church of Christ in Croton, to which she remained faithful until the Allwise Father called her Home to Peace and Rest.

CARD OF THANKS

We desire to express our heartfelt thanks to the neighbors and friends who were so kind to us during the sickness and death of our dear mother, to the singers for their beautiful songs, to the ministers for their words of comfort.

Mr. Wait Clark

Mrs. Elfie Baker

Mr. George Coffield”

Source Notes

1.      Licking County, Ohio Deed, Vol. 93, page 184, Jacob Coffield to Azro Myers.

2.      State of Ohio Certificate of Death, File No. 4074, Licking County, Hartford Township, Elizabeth Stull Coffield.

3.      Source unknown, Newark newspaper about January 29, 1939.