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Big John Coate

Big John Coate[1, 2]

Male Bef 1735 - 1809  (74 years)    Has no ancestors but 23 descendants in this family tree.

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  • Name John Coate 
    Prefix Big 
    Birth Bef 1735 
    Gender Male 
    Death 1809  Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I202259  Geneagraphie
    Last Modified 7 Aug 2009 

    Family Rachel Wright,   b. 10 Nov 1747, Prince George County, Maryland, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 2 Sep 1790, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 42 years) 
    Marriage Bef 1767  Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. William Coats,   b. Bef 1768   d. 1826, Marion, Grant County, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years)
    +2. Captain Wright Coats,   b. Abt 1770, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Bef 5 Dec 1808, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 38 years)
     3. Rachel Coate,   b. Abt 1772, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     4. Mary Coate,   b. 1 Dec 1774, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Feb 1860, Miami County, Ohio, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years)
     5. John Coate,   b. Bef 1775, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft Jan 1810, Miami County, Ohio, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 35 years)
     6. James Coate,   b. 28 Jan 1779   d. Yes, date unknown
     7. Rebecca Coate,   b. 1786, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Feb 1861, Miami County, Ohio, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 75 years)
     8. Sampson Coate,   b. 17 Dec 1790, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Jul 1853, Greene, Indiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 62 years)
    Family ID F82918  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 7 Mar 2001 

  • Notes 
    • In some sources, this John Coate is called Little John, the Blacksmith. This is an error as Little John Coate in his probate dated 1802 was married to Susasannah and had son Henry and was named Little John.

      This John who is referred to here was also a Blacksmith. His estate was probated in 1809, as the spouse of Rachel Wright. They had sons James and Sampson listed in his will written in 1803. (C-598b, p.85, 1841) He actually had 5 sons and 3 daughters. He starts his will with a declaration, "In the name of God, Amen", which indicates that he personally is not a Quaker. Rachel is listed in one of the "laying downs" in the Bush River Monthly Meeting. However, when she marries Thomas Wilkinson Furnas in 1792, he was disowned for marrying out of unity (a wife who wasn't a Quaker). Daughter Mary is the only one that appears to have been a Quaker as she was married in the same monthly meeting. (C-1838)

      His wife, Rachel's family were Quaker and lived in the Wateree MM district of Camden, Kershaw Co., SC from 1762 onward. This area literally became the Bush River MM area which her parent's family helped establish. It is highly likely that Rachel and her husband married in this region and settled down on Beaverdam Creek. (C-1920, see bio on John C. Wright also.)

      Big John bought 150 acres on July 4 1769 in Craven Co. on the Saluda River at Beaver Dam Creek. (He probably began this purchase process on May 6, 1766.) His neighbors included Charles Nicks, Isaac Cook (brother-in-law), Thomas Brooks, Calib Gilbert, Peter Hakins and George Heaworth (later). (C-692, 947) He was apparently the only John Coat that lived on this Beaverdam Creek. (There are two other Beaverdam Creeks: Big Beaverdam Creek that flows west and a little north of this and flows into Little River above Mudlick Creek and one that flows into Bush River) C-1552, 1554) This is the same area where many of the children of John Wright Sr. (the father of his wife Rachel) lived. He sold this land in 1787. (C-2075) A deed transcribed by John H. Coate of Michigan in which John purchased four acres from brother-in-law, Isaac Cook follows: (C-1925) "Know all men by these present that I Isaac Cook of Newberry County and State of South Carolina am held and firmly bound unto John Coats of the same place in the R___ sum of twenty pounds Sterling which payment will and truly to be maid I ____ myself and my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns ____ by this ______ sealed with my seal and dated this Eleventh day of February 1788 anno domino one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight. The conditions of the obligation is such that if the above boundin Isaac Cook his heirs Executors Administrators or assigns shall make or cause to be maid unto the (aforesaid) John Coats his heirs or assigns good sufficient lawful title to a certain tract of land containing four acres situated in the county and State aforesaid on the waters of the Beaverdam, a branch of Saluda River _______sixteen(?) perches on Richard Tompsons land and forty perches on the said John Coats’ ___ land then the above obligation to be void or else to remain in full force and virtue in ??????? the land. Isaac Cook hath hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year _____ above written" The will was witnessed by a John (Jay) and Mary Coate. John then proceeded to assign the 4 acres to Jesse Coats (Negro), his slave. He gave Jesse his freedom in 1795. (Newberry Co. Deed Book C, p. 499)

      John Coate's sons mostly settled on land adjacent to their fathers. Big John and Rachel sold land to (son) Wright Coates on Sept. 24, 1795. (C-909) This Big John is listed as B. John or Big John in his land deeds and legal documents as demonstrated by John H. Coate of Michigan. (C-633)

      In Newberry Ct. records, dated Sep. Term, 1790 it was ordered that big John Coats be "appointed overseer instead of Tho's Black & command the same hands for the lease & release (of land) from Henry Coats to Robert Gilliam Esq'r proved on a dedimus directed to Burk County in the State of Georgia & ordered to be recorded." (C-1528) There relationship is not yet known.

      In the 1790 census I believe he is the John Coats on page 79. He had 2 males over 16 (he and son Wright), 2 males under 16 (John and James), 4 females (Rachel, his wife, and daughters Rachel, Mary, & Rebecca) and a slave in his household. The reasons why I think this is him, is because it fits what I know of his children, he is living off from other Coats in the census and persons surrounding him are some of his father in law's children. Big John originally got some of his land from his father-in-law and was suppose to have neighbors that were some of his wife's siblings. Case in point: Brother-in-law, John Wright sold his land to John Thompson in 1785. John Thompson is living in the same area as this John Coats. Sister-in-law Susannah was married to Isaac Hollingsworth. Isaac is living in that region. Brother in law's Thomas Write and Nathan Write are also listed in that same region. Big John had one slave which he freed in 1795, and this John's household has one slave in 1790. In this census, his neighbors include several Gallbreaths' including the John and James Gallbreath who sold parts of the original William's land purchased in 1766. The Gallbreaths sold the land in 1800 and abt. 1804. The land the Gallbreath's sold is located on the north of Bush River, which is not adjacent to where Big John lived. Locating all the places where the Gallbreaths owned land in 1800 would be useful to picture this. Did the Gallbreaths live near Big John in 1790, but also own land about 3 miles east where William's original land was located in 1800?

      In the 1800 census on pg. 70, he is the John who has one under age 10 (Sampson), one male between ten and 16 (John Jr.), one male between 16 and 26 (James), himself (over 45), 1 female between ten and 16 (Rebecca), one unknown female between 16 and 26 and Rachel his wife (over 45) plus one other free person in the family (possibly his freed slave).

      According to Summer's Book: "Old John Coate died about 1802-1803, left widow, Rachel, and children James, Sampson, Wright. Wright Coate made will Nov. 18, 1808, and died in same year. He left widow, Mary, and children Frederick, Daniel, and Susan. Exr John Belton O'neall." The fact that he is the only John referred to as "Old" in a list of several John Coates who died in a similar time range.... this John's birthdate is likely to be before all the others guestimated to be between 1735 and 1739.....

      There are several beliefs about his parentage published in various sources. Relatives of the Mary Pearson Greenlee who had family tree information to pass on about our Marmaduke Coate, believe that her ancestor "Big John" Coate was a son of Henry and Esther Willson Coate. Gary W. Coats of Oregon gives his possible parentage as Peter Coats through a supposed Scottish Coate line coming down to William and Mary (Jones) Coate (Theory from "The History of Randolph Co, IN.) Park and Collins give Moses of Chester Co., PA as the possible ancestor of "Big John". However, Moses Coates children and grandchildren seem to be well researched and no John Coate of correct age and spouse are amongst them. (C-1029, 1528)

  • Sources 
    1. [S650] Newberry Co., Estate Abstracts.

    2. [S569] Wilmer L. Kerns, Ph.D., Kerns, Wilmer, Frederick Co., VA, (c1995, Gateway Press).



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