My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE W. COFFIELD. This gentleman holds a leading position among the thrifty farmers of Mad River Township, Clark County, where for many years he has prosecuted agriculture very successfully and is now well-to-do. Personally he is very agreeable, entertaining and hospitable, and is a great favorite among his fellow-citizens. His home farm comprises one hundred and sixty-three acres of land on section 11, while he has other land on section 17. His farm buildings and other surroundings indicate in a marked manner the thrift and enterprise which are characteristic of the man. He makes of his vocation an art and a science, and deserves the success with which he has been rewarded.

Mr. Coffield is of honorable antecedents, being the son of Gen. John Coffield, who was born in Washington, Va., April 3, 1797. The paternal grandfather was Arthur Coffield, a native of Ireland, and born in 1753. He was reared to farming pursuits, and when approaching manhood learned the weaver’s trade. He was married in his native country, where he lived until about 1773, and then emigrating to America, located first in Virginia. Thence he removed to Ohio, and lived in Hamilton and Champaign Counties. Afterward he went to Kentucky, but subsequently returned to Ohio and settled in Mad River Township, Clark County, where he died in 1849, at the advanced age of ninety-six years. Grandmother Coffield had passed away twenty-six years prior to the decease of her husband, her death taking place in 1823.

The father of our subject came with his parents to Ohio about 1810. When approaching manhood he learned the cooper’s trade, and finally emigrated to St. Louis, Mo., where he was during the first cholera epidemic which visited that city. From there he returned to Ohio, and located in in the vicinity of Cincinnati, where he opened a shop of his own. He was a very skilled workman in his line, and indeed could make anything required from wood, being more than ordinarily handy with tools. Early in the ‘30s he removed to Fairfield, where he put up a shop, but this was shortly afterward destroyed by fire. About that time he was married, in June, 1835, and subsequently engaged in farming on the land now occupied by his son, George W. Here he spent his last days, departing hence in September, 1875.

The father of our subject was for many years connected with the State militia as a Lieutenant. Subsequently he rose still higher, and was mustered out with the title of General. George W. has in his possession his father’s sword, a relic with which he would not part for scarcely any amount of money. Gen. Coffield officiated as Township Trustee for a period of twenty-five years. He was Justice of the Peace for eighteen years, and a member of the School Board nine years. Politically, he was a staunch Democrat, and in religion, a Universalist. Mrs. Nancy (Tenney) Coffield, the mother of our subject, was born in Mad River Township, in 1816, and was the daughter of John Tenney, a native of England, and born in 1766. Grandfather Tenney came to America in 1800, and settled in New Jersey, where he was married to his second wife, Eliza Pinckney, a lady of German descent. In 1808 they came to Montgomery County, this State, but in 1811 removed to Clark County. Grandfather Tenney entered a tract of Government land, and soon afterward engaged in the War of 1812. He witnessed the surrender of Hull, and after the war was over returned to his farm, where he died in March, 1846. His wife survived him until September, 23, 1852.

The mother of our subject spent her childhood and youth with her parents, living in true pioneer style in a log house, learning to spin wool and flax and weave and knit. After the death of her husband, she made her home with her children until she too passed away, May 31, 1887. She was a lady of many excellent qualities, and a member in good standing of the Christian Church, at Enon. Of the first marriage of Gen. Coffield there were born three sons: Freeman and William, who engaged in the Mexican War, the former was under the direct command of Gen. Scott, and entered the City of Mexico with him. William, at the close of the Mexican War; enlisted in the regular army, and served for five years in Texas, and enlisted in the Army of Missouri at the outbreak of the Civil War, losing an arm by the premature discharge of a cannon. He is now a resident of St. Joe, Mo., in the employ of a railroad; Freeman is farming in Darke County, this State; Joseph M. also served in the Civil War, and is now a resident of Denver, Col. The second family comprised nine children: John T. died near Lincoln, Neb.; Sarah, Mrs. Arthur, died in Mad River Township, Clark County; Margaret, Mrs. Collier, is a resident of Springfield; Arthur was killed in the battle of Oldtown, Md.; George W., our subject, was the fifth child; James P. resides in Green Township, Clark County; Uriah died when about twenty-seven years old. Peter T. resides in New Carlisle; Ella died when six years old. The eldest son and Arthur were in the one hundred days’ service during the Civil War.

The subject of this sketch was born at the old homestead in Mad River Township, Clark County, May 3, 1843. He received a good education, attending a select school and finally Wittenberg College for two terms. He spent his summers on the farm, and when a youth of nineteen, began teaching school, and with the exception of two winters, followed this profession for a period of twenty-four years. He then studied law for two years, under George Spence, of Springfield, and in 1873 was admitted to the bar at Columbus. He began his practice, in Springfield, with Milton Cole, who was subsequently the Mayor of that city.

On the 21st of January, 1874, Mr. Coffield was joined in wedlock with Miss May, daughter of William Bartlett. This lady was born in the State of Ohio, and traced her ancestry to England. Her father, who was born in Maine, located in Ohio when sixteen years old, and was variously occupied for some years. He was married at Lancaster and then removed to Washington, D. C., where he became an attache of the Treasury Department, under President Pierce. After Buchanan came in he resigned, and then returned to Lancaster, where he tried farming, but in 1856 emigrated to the Southwest, locating in Missouri, and remaining in that region until 1862.

Returning now to Ohio, Mr. Bartlett engaged in merchandising at Urbana five years, and then entered the employ of the Government, as a mail agent between Sandusky and Dayton. He was thus occupied until his death, which occurred March 29, 1869. He was a sound Republican, politically, and in his religious views was a Methodist.

The mother of Mrs. Coffield bore the maiden name of Laura A. Clarke. She was born near Lancaster, this State, and descended from New England ancestry. Her grandfather, Obediah Clarke was born in Connecticut. The latter settled in Lancaster at an early day, where he was engaged in farming and died. His wife was a sister of the well-known Thomas Ewing. His daughter, Laura A., was a cousin of Gen. Ewing, and in her younger days was a schoolmate and companion of Gen. Sherman. After the death of her husband she resided at Enon until the fall of 1889, and then went to Eureka Springs, Ark., and made her home with her daughter. To her and her husband there were born six children. The eldest son, Edward, when nineteen years old enlisted in the Sixty-sixth Ohio Infantry, and died of hardship and exposure; William, after serving in the army three years under Gen. Ewing, started home and stopped in Manhattan, Kan., to procure a suit of citizens’ clothes, and while there he was taken with typhoid fever, from the effects of which he died and was buried there; Charles G. went into the army as a substitute, when sixteen years old, serving until the close of the war, and is now living at the Soldier’s Home in Sandusky; May, Mrs. Coffield, was the next in order of birth; Ellen, Mrs. Ingraham, is living in Arkansas; Annie died when seven years old.

Mrs. Coffield was born in Chauney, Ohio, May 29, 1854, and two years later went with her parents to Missouri. She was a maiden of fourteen when they located at Enon. When seventeen years of age she began clerking for the firm of Hanes & Wallace, with whom she remained until her marriage. In 1874 Mr. Coffield removed to Fletcher, this State, and in company with his brother engaged in the grain trade. In 1876 he became principal of the Brandt Schools the second time, which position he held two years. In 1878 he removed to his present farm, where he has effected many improvements, erecting buildings and planting trees, and has a vineyard of five hundred vines. He raises quantities of grain and good grades of live stock. He has been quite prominent in local affairs, voting the straight Democratic ticket, serving as Land Appraiser of Real Property, of Mad River Township, Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. He has been Township Trustee for the past seven years, a Justice of the Peace for nine years and is also a member of the School Board. For three years he was a member of the County Agricultural Society. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Fairfield, the Masonic Lodge at Osborn, and the Christian Church, at Enon, of which he is a Trustee. Mrs. Coffield, a very intelligent lady, has her own views upon matters and things, and believes in prohibition. The four children are named respectively, Carroll D., Ray E., Nina C., and Ella May.