James Anderson & Priscilla Coffin, Private, War of 1812

* James ANDERSON was born on 3 Nov 1786 in Kent, DE; died on 27 Aug 1858 in Spring Valley, Greene, OH; buried in Caesar’s Creek Friends Cemetery, Warren, OH.

He married Priscilla COFFIN on 16 Nov 1809 in Greene, OH. They had the following children: William ANDERSON (b. 5 Aug 1810), Rhoda ANDERSON (b. 22 Mar 1812), John ANDERSON (b. 6 Nov 1813), Joseph ANDERSON (b. 10 Dec 1815), Preston ANDERSON (b. 28 Jan 1820), ♥ Harmon “Hiram” ANDERSON (b. 27 Jun 1824), Abijah Coffin ANDERSON (b. 27 Dec 1825), James Robinson ANDERSON (b. 4 Apr 1833).{D1}

BIRTH: James was born in a section of PA that later became DE.

MARRIAGE: “James Anderson and Priscilla Coffin was married on the 16th Day of November 1809 by John McKnight J.P.” {D2}{D6}

MILITARY: James and his brother John H. served in the War of 1812 under Captain Ammi Maltbie. They are listed as Privates from Greene County, OH. James served from 25 Aug to 29 Sept 1812. During their one month of active duty, James and the local militia erected a blockhouse at McPherson’s Station, Sugar Creek Twp.; located 3/4 miles N.W. of Bellfontaine, OH.{D3}{D4}{D5}

LIVELIHOOD: A farmer.

HOME: James Anderson inherited 200 acres of the family farm located on the Ohio Military District, Survey #2425. The location of the house on this property can be seen on the 1855 Greene County Wall Map.
In 1850 James household was made up of James, age 63; Priscilla, 56; Joshua Anderson, 19; Mary Shealds, 36; and George Shealds, 6 years old. James is listed as being a farmer with real-estate valued at $6000.{D7}

[Photo above: A panoramic view looking across John Anderson, and son James Anderson’s farm at Spring Valley, OH. Third generation, Harmon Anderson was raised here.
19^th Century maps of the area show the farm building located at extreme right and just out of picture. No visible trace of the building existed during my visit in 1989- Mr. Larry]

DEATH: On 31 Aug 1858, three days after James death, those sons and relatives who were to administer his estate gathered to have an inventory and sale (11 Sep) of his private effects. The items inventoried and sold, as well as the purchasers names, are listed with the Greene County Probate Court.{D8} “Dill’s History of Greene County” states that his son, John, inherited $1200.00 from his estate.

BURIAL: At Caesar’s Creek Friends Meeting Historic Cemetery, Warren Co. OH. James has a small marker located near the stone wall that surrounds the historic cemetery. Directions to the cemetery: Go about 15 miles SSW out of Xenia on US Hwy. #42, at State Hwy. #73 proceed east 0.3 miles turn north on Smith Road and you’re in the economically depressed, tiny town of Corwin. The cemetery is located about 6.1 miles NE of Corwin, about 0.3 miles to the E (right) off New Burlington Road. Jame’s gravestone states, “James Anderson died Aug. 27 1858 Aged 71yrs, 9m, 24d.”{D9}

{Photo at left (by LFP 1989): James Anderson marker at Caesars Creek Friends Historic Cemetery, Wayne Twsp, Warren Cty, OH.]

DOCUMENTS:.
1. James Anderson family birth records in the Bible of William Glenn Hagler. Photo copies of the records and of the correspondence between Reverend Robert F. Pierce and Mrs. Hagler are found in the Larry F. Pierce family archives.
2. LDS Genealogical Library, Tucson, AZ; file J21 No. 547 North America, North Carolina, April 1984 IGI.
3. Roster of Ohio Soldiers in the War of 1812 republished by Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1968, James listed on page 36.
4. James Anderson military records from 1 Regiment (4 Brig., 1 Div.), Ohio Militia (War of 1812) show Company Muster Roll and Company Pay Roll.
5. History of Greene County by George F. Robinson, published in Chicago by the S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1902.; pages 244-246 list James and brother John H. Anderson as well as discuss the local militia’s part in the war.
6. Greene County, Ohio, Marriage Book H, page 18. Photocopy original script.
7. 1850 Federal Census, District #44, Sugar Creek Township, Greene County, OH., entry #1544.
8. Greene County Probate Court, Estate of James Anderson, Filed Nov 3d 1858, Docket N, Page 345, Record No. K, Page 219.
9. Larry F. Pierce personal observation.

Individual source: TITLE: Betebenner – Horney and Allied Families, 1981 by Evelyn Halkyard Vohland, Published by The Clipper Publishers, Shelton, NE, 297 pages, hardbound.

Individual source: The Anderson Story, by Mrs. C. J. Davis, Mrs. Cora May Boots and others, printed in 1968. A 67 page genealogical record of the Anderson family from John & Elizabeth Horney Anderson, ca 1800 to 1968.

* Priscilla COFFIN was born on 29 Jul 1793 in New Garden, Guilford, NC; died on 25 May 1852 in Spring Valley, Greene, OH; buried in Caesar Creek Friends Cemetery, Warren, OH.

BIRTH: Quaker church records give Priscilla Coffin’s birth date as, “7th Mo. 29th 1793”, also stating, “She was the daughter of Abijah and Elizabeth Coffin.”{D1}{D4}

EVENT: Priscilla’s father, Abijah Coffin, died when she was only about 2 to 3 months old. Her paternal grandfather, William Coffin, left instructions in his Will that Priscilla should receive 150 pounds in currency from his estate. In those years between the American Revolution and the War of 1812, £150 pounds had a great deal of buying power.{D5} Note: Comparing £150 British pounds sterling from 1800 with their retail price index today, show the value equivalent to £8,070 pounds. Now converting £8070 pounds sterling into 2011 US dollars yields a value of about $13,320 or 1/3 years gross wages in a medium pay rate job.

HOME: Quaker records mention Priscilla residing “in the limits of Richland” at the time of her death.{D1} Richland was the farm community east of Spring Valley.

RELIGION:
1. Priscilla was born into a Quaker family and remained a devote Quaker her entire life.{D2} She is listed as a member of the Society of Friends. The church records that Priscilla was one of several, “members that no other of the family belong with friends”.{D2} She was the only one in her husband’s family that was a Quaker.
2. Priscilla faithfully attending services at the Caesar’s Creek Friends Meeting House. The current one story, wood frame, cracker box style church was built in 1848 to replace an earlier wooden building . Curved wooden pews and cast iron wood burning stoves are still seen inside the old white building. With the development and creation of Caesar’s Creek Lake, the structure was moved, intact, a short distance (across where the lake would be) to historic Pioneer Village, Warren Co., OH.{D6}

DEATH: Priscilla died at the age of 58 years, 9 months, 26 days. {D1}

BURIAL: She was buried in Caesar’s Creek Quaker Cemetery, Warren Co., OH. Directions to this historic cemetery are given in her husband, James Anderson’s, Burial notes . No marker could be found for Priscilla; however, she is thought to lie beside James, who’s grave is marked.

DOCUMENTS:
1. Caesar’s Creek Monthly Meeting, Births and Deaths, 1755-1898, Microfilm number 0,477,174, Pages 106, double page 56, double page 63. Available from: Genealogical Library, 35 North West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
2. Caesar’s Creek Monthly Meeting Membership, 1833, Microfilm No. 0,477,174; page 25. Available through the Genealogical Library, 35 North West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150.
3. Marriage record from Greene County, OH, Marriage Book H, page 18.
4. LDS General Library, Tucson AZ.; microfiche No 547, J21,North America, North Carolina, April 1984 IGI.
5. Will of William Coffin, recorded in Will Book A, p. 52, File .059, Guilford County Court House, Greensboro, NC.
6. Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village, 3999 Pioneer Village Road, Box 329 Waynesville, OH 45068.

Individual source: The Anderson Story, by Mrs. C. J. Davis, Mrs. Cora May Boots and others, printed in 1968. A 67 page genealogical record of the Anderson family from John & Elizabeth Horney Anderson, ca 1800 to 1968.