The Loyalists of Massachusetts and the Other Side of the American RevolutionStark, James Henry
History
The Loyalists of Massachusetts and the Other Side of the American Revolution
Stark, James Henry
American loyalists -- Massachusetts; Massachusetts -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783
He had thirteen children born to him, 11 survived him. Directly, or
indirectly, all throve under the fostering protection of the Crown and a
grateful government. The eldest daughter, Isabella, married Colonel
McMurdo. Her sons served in India, a grandson was captain in the Royal
Canadian Rifles, when that fine regiment disbanded at Kingston in 1870.
The second daughter, Susannah, married the Hon. John Craigie of Quebec,
Provincial Treasurer, a brother of Lord Craigie, Lord of Sessions in
Scotland. One son, Admiral Craigie, died in 1872. A daughter married
Captain Martin, who led one of the storming parties at the capture of
Fort Niagara in 1814.
MARGARET, the youngest daughter, married her cousin, Roger Hale
Sheaffe. At the time of the marriage he was major in Brock's regiment.
That gallant officer was slain at Queenstown Heights at 7 o'clock in the
morning. At noon Colonel Sheaffe moved up from Niagara, attacked the
American forces and hurled them from the rocks into the river. For this
great service he was made a Baronet.
Of John Coffin's sons, the oldest, JOHN, born in Boston in 1760, died
Deputy Commissary-General at Quebec, March, 1837.
WILLIAM, the second son, born in Boston, 1761, obtained a commission in
the 1st Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment. Subsequently through the
kind influence of His Royal Highness, the Duke of Kent, he obtained a
commission in the regular army and served half the world over. He
retired from the service in 1816 a captain in the 15th Regiment and
Brevet Major, and died in England in 1836. His son WILLIAM FOSTER
COFFIN, was Commissioner of Ordnance and Admiralty, Land Department of
the Interior, Canada. This gentleman married, in 1842, MARGARET, second
daughter of Isaac Winslow Clarke, of Montreal, who, in 1774, was the
youngest member of the firm of Richard Clarke and Sons of Boston, to
which was consigned the historical cargo of tea. He rose to the rank of
Deputy Commissary General, and after 50 years service died in 1822.
The third son, THOMAS COFFIN, born in Boston, 1762, was a member of the
Legislative Council of Lower Canada, and Lieutenant-Colonel of Militia.
He married a Demoiselle de Tonancour and lived and died at Three Rivers,
1841. A son of his was for many years Prothonotary for the District of
Montreal.
The fifth son, FRANCIS HOLMES COFFIN, born in Boston, 1768, entered the
Royal Navy and served during the long war with France, and died an
Admiral in 1835. His eldest son, General Sir Isaac Coffin, K. C. Star of
India, died at Black Heath, October, 1872.
The fourth son, NATHANIEL COFFIN, born in Boston, 1766, lived and died
in Upper Canada. In the war of 1812 he joined the volunteer companies
and was aide-de-camp to Sir Roger Sheaffe at the battle of Queenstown
Heights, where General W. Scott was taken prisoner. He became Adjutant
General of Militia in Upper Canada. He died at Toronto in 1835.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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