Reuben Coffin
2/22/1787 - 2/21/1868
(Ed. Note:
Reuben Coffin is one of my G-G-G-G-G grandfathers)
Reuben Coffin and his bride of two years arrived in Lysander, Onondaga County with their clumsy covered wagon in 1810. It gave a final lurch and came to a creaking stop before the Palmer's log cabin one May day in that year. The trek from Washington county had been long and tedious, with the homespun linen cover to the heavy wagon their only shelter from the noonday sun. One of the last nights on the trail had been spent in camp in what is now the heart of Syracuse, the present site of the Lincoln store. A few days were spent in the Palmer cabin while the men fashioned a similar one farther east, on the bank of a swift stream. Here on Lot 37 lay the 600 acres of land claimed by Reuben and Sarah Bassett Coffin. Here beneath the tall pines that grew along the stream, the women of the settlement gathered on wash day to make use of the excellent spring water, and exchange bits of news, and assist each other in daily tasks. Not far from the spring and near the cabin, Reuben hung an iron kettle on a tripod for cooking and general purposes.
Last Will and Testament of Reuben Coffin
County Book # 34 , Vol #M, Page # 90
In the matter of proving the last will and testament
of Reuben Coffin, deceased, Onondaga County, NY. Be it remembered that
heretofore upon the petition of Edward Bentley and Robert Coffin, the
executors named in the last will and testament of Reuben Coffin, late of
the town of Lysander in said county, deceased, in said county, for that
purpose, to the Surrogate of said county, a citation was duly issued in
this matter which citation with the proofs of service thereof was
thereafter duly returned to said Surrogate, and which said petition and
citation, with the proofs of service thereof, are now on file in the
office of said Surrogate. And thereupon the last will and testament of the
said Reuben Coffin, deceased, with the proofs thereof were produced and
are as follows, to wit:
I, Reuben Coffin, of the town of Lysander in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York of the age of seventy five years and being of sound
mind and memory do make publish and declare this my last will and
testament in manner following that is to say after paying all my debts and
funeral charges I give and devise to my wife Sarah Coffin all my personal
and real estate lying and being in the town of Lysander, county of
Onondaga, State of New York during her natural life excepting, what I
hereby set apart to my son E. B. Coffin. To my son E. B. Coffin I give
thirty acres of land lying and being in the state of Iowa, county of Tama,
being the same deeded to me by E. B. Coffin and Almira his wife bearing
date Sept. 22nd 1857 and also a Judgement obtained in said State of Iowa
for the sum of about two hundred and twenty dollars the same as he has a
power of attorney to collect. And after the decease of my said wife my
property is to be divided between my children as follows, first to my son
Robert Coffin five hundred dollars and to my son Alexander M. Coffin five
hundred dollars. The remainder of all that may be left to be divided in
equal shares with my sons Jacob Coffin, Robert Coffin, and Alexander M.
Coffin and my daughters Harriet Borgardus, Elizabeth Chaffee, Sally Ann
Harrington, Hepsibah Woodruffe, Susan Fuller, and Mary Bentley and to
their heirs after them.
I hereby appoint Edward Bentley and Robert Coffin Executors of this
my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In
witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirtieth day of
August A.D. 1862
Reuben Coffin L.S.
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