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"Little" John Coate

"Little" John Coate[1, 2, 3]

Male Abt 1735 - Bef 1802  (67 years)    Has more than 100 ancestors and 20 descendants in this family tree.

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  • Name John Coate 
    Prefix "Little" 
    Birth Abt 1735 
    Gender Male 
    Death Bef 5 Dec 1802  Edgefield County, South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Bef 6 Dec 1802  Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Siblings 2 Siblings 
    Person ID I202178  Geneagraphie
    Last Modified 7 Mar 2001 

    Father Henry Coate,   b. 1700, Kingwood Mm, Hunterdon Co., New Jersey, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt May 1784, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years) 
    Mother Esther Willson,   b. Aug 1711, Chesterfield, Burlington, New Jersey, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Bef 1757 (Age 45 years) 
    Marriage Mar 1731  Chesterfield Mm, Burlington, New Jersey, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F82818  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Susannah Ennis,   b. 1752, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Aug 1834, Clarke, Alabama, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1769  Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Captain Henry C. Coate,   b. Abt 1772, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Jan 1828, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 56 years)
     2. Sarah Coate,   b. Abt 1774, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1841, Clarke, Alabama, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 67 years)
     3. Mary (Polly) Coate,   b. 1777, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Oct 1804, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 27 years)
     4. Elizabeth Coate,   b. Abt 1780, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     5. William Coate,   b. Abt 1786, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Jun 1871, Clarke, Alabama, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years)
     6. Sophia Coate,   b. 3 Sep 1786, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Sep 1836, Clarke, Alabama, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 50 years)
    +7. Marmaduke Coate,   b. 10 Oct 1789, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1868, Grove Hill, Clarke, Alabama, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
     8. Hannah Coate,   b. Aft 1790, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
     9. Nancy Ann Coate,   b. 13 Feb 1793, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 9 Oct 1841 (Age 48 years)
     10. Jesse Coate,   b. Abt 1795, Newberry Co., South Carolina, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Yes, date unknown
    Family ID F82879  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 7 Mar 2001 

  • Notes 
    • The John who is married to Susannah is called "Little John" in Medlin's "Quaker Families of SC and GA." and in Emma O. Collins Book on Coate history. He died c. 1802 in Edgefield Co., SC and probably had three sons, and six daughters. Two of his children were Captain Henry Coate (d.1827) and Marmaduke II. (C-353, 556, p. 85) He might be the John Coats who leased 232 acres of land on Feb. 7, 1763 in Rowan Co., NC from Robert Thompson. This same John Coats was named Constable in the Haw River District on July 16, 1767 in Rowan Co, NC. (C-940)

      Here is what we know about him from Summers book. "COATS--John (known as "Little John"), was the original settler on the lands on which the town of Newberry is located. He gave to the town and the county two acres on which to erect a court house and other public buildings,
      and it is the same where is now the public square and old court House. This grant was made September 8, 1789, seven(?) years after the county was formed, to James Mayson, Philemon Waters, Robert Rutherford, William Caldwell, and Jacob Roberts Brown, who were then the county judges, "a lot of two acres lying on a small hill West of the new dwelling house of John Coates...." John Coate's wife was named Susanna. He died about 1802. Two sons, Marmaduke and Henry, lived in the village. Henry married Elizabeth Long, daughter of Benjamin Long, and after her death he married her sister, Polly Long."

      A John (possibly him) and Marmaduke (brother) are listed in the Jury Lists of South Carolina, 1778-1779, by Morn Lindsay as living in the lower part of Ninety-Six District which was in the fork of the Broad and Saluda Rivers. (C-1492) He moved from Newberry District to Edgefield District, SC in 1779, both eventually areas in Newberry Co., SC. This probably was on100 acres of land that John of Scotch Creek purchased in 1779 (Deed book B, p. 255) from Henry Rugheley and 150 acres of land he purchaced in that same year that was surveyed for Samuel Chapman. I believe this to be him, because a James Coate (his brother?) witnessed the deed of sale when it was entered in 1793. According to Gary Coats of Portland, Oregon, the area where he lived in Edgefield is now currently Saluda Co., SC. (C-1542)

      He is very illusive in the census records. Out of the three John's who are older members of the Newberry Community, there is only one record left after Gentleman John and Big John's connections have been proven. It is for 3 males over 16 and 3 females. I suspect it's empty column of males under 16 was not interepreted correctly in the typed up form of the census. He was enumerated directly after Samuel Kelly Sr.'s property. He lives very near Benjamin Long, father-in-law to son Henry. Other neighbors include Davis's, Riley's and a young John Coates with he and his wife both over age 16. If the number of females is correct, we have estimated the birthdates too early for at least 2 of them. (C-1906)

      He is the John Coats often listed in the court minutes for Newberry Co., SC starting in Sep. 1786 as showing the court meeting being held at his home through Sep of 1789. (C-1531, 1541) I suspect these meetings became burdonsome to his family as he and his wife Susannah gave 2 acres of their land to the town in 1789 for the construction of a courthouse. As such, he was the original proprietor of the town of Newberry and called it's first real estate developer. (C-1489) He developed a plan to divide the town into nearly 100 lots of 1/4 acre each with the street widths at what is now a very narrow 33 feet wide. He and son Henry laid off the first village in Newberry but did not live in it. It was not until after his son Henry's death that his land was included in the town. The first settlement was below the present "Old Village Cemetery" and near what was known as "Cedar Spring" where Little John dwelled. The court house was positioned at Coate's shop (blacksmith shop) and the town square was also part of the land he donated. It appears that he also was allowed to run a Tavern at his house and he and wife, Susannah are mentioned as being given court permission for that in the October Term of 1797. (C-930, 1531, 2084) In "The Annals of Newberry" it states he was a "very skillful mechanic, capable of executing almost anything, as a blacksmith, or as a silversmith. He left many children, two of whom, Henry Coate (Deputy of Sheriff John Speake) and Marmaduke (called Duke) Coate, lived at different times in the village, and had much to do with its prosperity." (C-930)

      This John Coate possibly was the John who purchased land from Henry Righley on Feb. 23, 1779 in Newberry. He was the John who sold 2 acres to a group of neighbors on Sept. 8, 1789. He is listed as an adjoining land owner to Henry Coats when he purchases 57 acres on Scotts Creek in 1793. This is probably his son, Henry, buying his first land. If it's his son, Henry was already married to a Mary whom up to now was not known about. "Little" John Coats apparently bought 33 acres on Jan. 4, 1802 in the 96th District shortly before his death. (C-692) He was called John Coate of Edgefield District when he sold land on two different occasions to Henry Coate (likely son) in the spring of 1801 and 1802. (C-896)

      In the administration of his estate dated Dec. 7, 1802, he names wife, Susannah, and son Henry who were his administrators. He lists no other children. Susannah and Henry Coate, Benjamin Long, and Frederick Nance were listed as bondsman. His personal estate was ordered sold on Feb. 3, 1803. Purchasers were Benj. Watson, Capt. Benj. Long, Joseph Howel, William Chapman, William Norwood, George Coyser, Henry Coate, Moses Brooks, Joseph Buffington, Robert Davis, John Harvin, William Hogan, Polly Coate, John Barnz, Juliuz Necholz, and Samuel Abney, (C-598b, 886, 1913b)

      A deed in which his land was sold listed the following heirs of this John Coate: Henry Coate, Thomas Dixon, Jesse Summers, Hardy Flucker, (these last three being son-in-laws), William Coate, Marmaduke Coate, Hannah Coate, and Nancy Coate. All named Coates were his children or son-in-laws. (C-1831)

      The reader should be aware that this John who married Susannah is sometimes confused with "Big John" Coate who was a blacksmith in Bush River. This "Big" John married Rachel Wright, daughter of John and Rachel Wells Wright, in 1788. His will was written Jan. 3, 1803 and proved on Aug. 7, 1809. (C-253c)

      His parentage has been in some question in the 20th century. Case in point: Some descendants of this John in the Flowers and Harper lines believe him to be the son of William Coate who moved from near Salisbury, NC in 1762 to SC. However, most descendants believe him to be the son of Henry and Esther Willson. I fully concur. His children have the correct names if he was the son of Henry and Esther Willson Coate. The other Johns in the area of the same age, do not maintain the naming patterns of this family. He lives in the appropriate spots and arrives in SC at the time period that father Henry and brother Marmaduke and James do. Lastly, when father Henry dies, he does not will or deed out his 200 acres that he purchased in 1765. However, this same parcel of land is sold by Little John in 1792 proving the descent from my point of view. More specifically, Henry Coate purchases 200 acres from John Brooks on July 29, 1765. It was on Scotts Creek with no adjacent families. John Brooks had purchased it on Aug 26,1757. It consisted of some buildings and pasture lands. Then, (Little) John Coate and his wife Susannah sell to Peter Buffington 200 acres on Nov. 14, 1792. The land was on Scotts Creek, and was originally purchased by John Brooks on Sep. 19, 1758 (when transaction was completed). The filing of the deeds clinches it. Henry's purchase of 1765 was not filed until 1792 (years after Henry's death) and is filed directly before this John sells the same property to Peter Buffington according to one set of SC deed records. In a recopied set, Henry's first deed is listed in the 1765 deed book, but it's original placement appears to be filed by probable "son" Little John in 1792. (C-1325, E)

  • Sources 
    1. [S565] William Medlin, Medlin, William, Quaker Families/ SC, (Ben Franklin Press).

    2. [S644] DAR, comp, Daughters of the American Revolution, Lineage Book, V.31, (Daughters of the American Revolution, V. 31).

    3. [S641] New Jersey Archives, Series I, Vol. 23.



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