An American Family History

Tristram Coffin

Tristram Coffin was born on March 11, 1609, Brixton, Plymouth, Devonshire, England. He was the son of Peter Coffin and Joanna Kember.

He married Dionis Stevens about 1630. Dionis was born on March 4, 1609 in Brixton.

Peter Coffin (1630, married Abigail Starbuck),
Tristram Coffin, Jr.(1632),
Elizabeth Coffin (1634)
James Coffin (1640)
John Coffin (1642),
Deborah Coffin (1642, died young)
Mary Coffin, (1645)
John Coffin (1647),
Stephen Coffin (1652)

The family emigrated to America in 1642. The group included Tristram, his wife, five children, his mother age 58, and two unmarried sisters, Enice and Mary.

At first they settled in Newburyport, Massachussetts. Then they moved to Haverill, Massachusetts.

After a few years, they moved back to Newburyport, where he operated a ferry and Dionis kept Coffyn's Ordinary.

In the 1650's, he sold his property and moved to Salisbury.

In the late 1650's, he and a few others purchased Nantucket island from Thomas Mayhew for the price of 30 pounds and two beaver hats. He was granted first choice of land and in 1659, he settled on the eastern slope of what is now called Trott's Hills.

Dionis died on October 16, 1676 on Nantucket. Tristram died on October 20, 1681 on Nantucket.