Person:Francis Coe (1)

From The Coe Families of Maryland and Virginia by Carl Robert Coe, 2001:

Appearing in Shelburne Parish, Loudoun County, Virginia, in 1772 was Francis Peter Coe. On the tithe list that year, he appears on the Cameron Parrish list in 1785, the area south and east of Goose Creek. Interestingly, Edward Coe, son of William Coe of Fairfax County, VA (see "Richard Coe of Charles County, Maryland"), lived in the same area and appeared on the tithe list of Cameron Parish in 1782 and 1783. In 1787 Francis Peter Coe paid taxes in Loudoun County on himself, four horses and nine head of cattle. He appears again the following year. On March 27, 1789, he paid taxes on himself, two Blacks, five horses and two additional Coes who lived in his home — Pearson and Jacob, sons who had come of age. Neighbors taxed on the same day were Reed Brown, Thomas Brown, William Carroll, William Clary, Christie Cocknill, Coleman Brown, John Connelly, John Daily, John Davidson, William Dilworth, Daniel Fisher, and others. Living in Shelburne Parish during those years was the family of Elijah Coe, son of John and Mary Coe of Charles and Prince George's County, MD.

He may be identical with the Peter Coe who served as a sergeant with Captain George Vallandingham's Company of Virginia troops during Lord Dunmore's War.

About 1790 he and other members of his family moved to Pittsylvania County, VA. He first appears on record there May 17, 1794, when an entry was made in the estate records of John Pannill stating that "receipt had been made from Francis P. Coe." He is listed again in the estate records January 28, 1795, "Emanuel Jones and Francis P. Coe for Smith's acct." On February 15, 1796, an entry was made in Pannill's account book, "Balance due on Blacksmith's Book as follows vizt - Francis P. Coe." On January 1, 1797, Francis made payment to Pannill's estate. On November 10, 1805, he and his wife Nancy gave their consent for the marriage of their daughter Mary. They appear on record June 2, 1817, and again June 1, 1818, when the "Overseers of the Poor" of the vestry of Camden Parish allocated $30 to William Dunning — their son-in-law — "for the support of Francis P Coe and wife." On the latter date Catherine Cole was allotted "$4.80 for furnishing Francis P. Coe." They apparently died shortly thereafter.

It is interesting to note that Francis Peter Coe moved to Pittsylvania County about the same time as members of the William Ballinger family of Fairfax County, VA. William Ballinger was the son of Francis and Judith Ballinger of Prince George's County, MD.

From evidence gathered it appears that Francis and his family were members of Virginia's rural proletariat, who in most cases owned very little. Thorough searches of the records of Loudoun and Pittsylvania Counties have revealed no record of any member of this family buying or selling property or leaving a will. From this one would conclude that their belongings were not substantial. It is obvious from tax records of Loudoun County that they were at that time landless farmers, as were 60 to 70 percent of the Virginia populace. After moving to Pittsylvania County, however, the family, because of age or other factors, was forced to accept assistance from the local church. Dependent persons were at the very bottom of the economic and social stratum and became an unappreciated burden on the local Anglican parish. The problem was accentuated in Virginia because of the caste system created by the gentry elite and their large land holdings.

Forces beyond their control sealing the classes in the station into which they were born, Virginia plebeians were forced to live in paltry conditions. Their clothing was coarse, featuring baggy linsey-woolsey trousers and ill-fitting shirts tied at the waist with a bit of yarn or cloth. Their diet, which consisted mainly of corn gruel, was eaten in houses which would be considered uninhabitable by today's standards. On top of everything else they were looked down on as social and intellectual inferiors by the people who created the conditions in which they were forced to live.

Descendants of Francis Coe have been of the working class, mainly farmers, miners, mechanics, carpenters, laborers, etc. Some descendants have been, and are currently, active in a variety of religious denominations and a few have served, and are serving, as ministers. Descendants of Francis Peter Coe now comprise one of the largest group of Coes in the United States.

Francis Peter Coe married Nancy, whose family name has not been learned.

Descendants of Francis Peter Coe have unique DNA. No other Coe family in the US shares the same genes.

1. ↑ The Coe Families of Maryland and Virginia, Carl Robert Coe, found at Rootsweb.Ancestry.com.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Research of Judy Stanley Cardwell found at Rockford and Marsh Twp. Families, Surry County, N.C., www.fmoran.co.