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- James is given land in his father's will written in 1803. He is obviously of an age to receive the land at his father's death estimating his birth age to be before 1787 as landowners could be age 16 or older at that time. According to "Tals of Newberry" James, son of Big John and a John Turner, Jr. were involved with the death of a William Cox. William apparently got in a fight with them over a fishing hole around the Saluda River and died in the scuffle. The trial for murder took place in the March 1807 court. John Turner, Jr. was sentenced to the pillary and James fled the state. (C-1838, 1839, 1917, 1922) Most accounts state that nothing further was ever heard of James Coats. According to some descendants, this is the James Coate b. 1779 (from PA) married to Mary West who is the son of Stephen Marmaduke Coate and Martha Ann Matthews. Guy Coates and others believe he is the son of Big John Coate instead. DNA matches with descendants of son Wright, and possible son William are a match to this theory.
I've currently placed James married to Mary West as the son of Big John for this reason as well as the following. 1. It doesn't fit that he could be the son of Stephen Marmaduke Coate because: James's first 3 children were all born in SC all previous to the 1807 murder according to their census records. The only Stephen Coates (no Stephen Marmaduke) of this time period we've been able to find lives in Pennsylvania and New York at the time. His children were not being born in South Carolina. 2. James was born in PA in 1779 according to his 1850 census record, but in South Carolina according to his son John C. Coates 1880 census record.
If James is the son of Big John who committed murder, he could have lied about his birth place while his son gave the truth not knowing his parents had done otherwise. (C-2216, EL) 3. James, the son of Big John, was involved in a murder in 1807 and escaped from South Carolina. The first verified specific birth date of one of James's children is Elizabeth who was born in 1809 in Miami Co., Ohio. This is also still a fit. (C-482, C-1628)
For futher proof, please see the quoted section by Guy Coates below. Guy Coates believes James Coate of Newberry, Twp., Miami Co., Ohio is the missing son of Big John for the following reasons based upon his ancestor's known timeline and his DNA that matches other persons whom were descended from William, Big John's other possible son. Guy Coate's grandfather said that his ancestor, James Coates fought in the War of 1812 and was from Pennsylvania. "A James Coats (is) on the roster of Ohio soldiers in War of 1812. A James Coats is listed as a captain in Westfall's Mounted Company. This group of soldiers was trained in Pennsylvania and assigned the task of building a fort along the Stillwater River near today's Covington, Ohio. The fort was originally named "Fort Recovery," but later became known as "Fort Rowdy." The old fortress, which has been restored as a museum, was part of Newberry Township, Ohio.
Between 1810 and 1816 most Miami County residents moved to Darke County, Ohio for a period of years during the Indian uprisings and returned to Miami County after their safety was more assured by the government. According to census records, in 1820 James was living in Adams Twp., Darke County, Ohio. By 1830, James and his family were back in Newberry Twp., Miami County; then by 1846 they were living in Gibson Twp., Mercer County, Ohio. ('The history of Newberry County Ohio mentions William and John Coats who settled in the area with their sons. William and John were probably his brothers, sons of Big John Coate.') Children of James Coats (b. Jan. 28, 1779) & Mary West (b. April 9, 1780).Joseph Coats, b. abt, 1802 William Coats, b. abt. 1803 Abigale Coats, b. Dec. 24, 1803, b. S.C. Mark Coats, b. May 27, 1806 in So. Carolina. d. 8/15/1883 in Koszta, Iowa. Mary Coats, b. July 10, 1806.Elizabeth Coats, b. February 14, 1809.Sarah Coats, b. June 11, 1812.John C. Coats, b. July 15, 1817 in Covington, Ohio. d. December 13, 1888, Ponca, Nebraska, age 71.James B. Coats, b. May 19, 1825Wesley Coats, b. March 2, 1829.
Now, here is some evidence to consider: James Coats' oldest daughter, Abigale married a man named Abraham Mott and they show up in the 1860 census living in Gibson Township, Mercer County, Ohio. In this census, Abigail shows her place of birth as South Carolina. In addition, living in the same household is probably her mother or mother-in-law, Mary, age 76. (Remember that her husband, James, died in 1856). Mary also shows her place of birth as South Carolina. By 1860, John C. Coats, age 44 year, shows up living in Honey Creek, Iowa. Next door to him is brother, Mark Coats, age 55, who shows his birth place as South Carolina. Finally, in 1880, John C. Coats, age 64, is living in Ionia, Dixon County, Nebraska and in the census he states that both his father and mother were born in South Carolina."
Starting with his daughter Elizabeth, in 1809, they were having children in Miami Co., Ohio. His son John born 1817 is the last child that can be verified as being born in Miami Co., Ohio. He is living in Newberry Twp. in the 1835 tax lists for Miami Co., Ohio. His grandson, Eli Inman Coate was born in 1843 in Covington, Miami Co., Ohio (Covington is north of Ludlow Falls, Miami Co., OH) A James Coate family that appears to fit this James and not the James who is the son of Marmaduke Coate in Miami Co, OH is in the census in 1830, 1840 and 1850 for Miami Co., Ohio (C-1628) In the 1830 Newberry Twp., Miami Co., Ohio census, he is between the age of 50-60 and his wife is of 40-50. They have the following children in their family: 1 son under 5, 1 from 10-15, 1 from 15-20, 1 from 20-30 and 1 daughter of 5-10 and 1 of 15-20. They are living next door to their son Mark Coats. They are living within six farms of John Coats, Sr. and Jr. in Newberry Twp. that is related to Steve Pearson's family. The connection is not known however.
He might be the following James and Mary Coate in the 1850 census records for Clinton County, Ohio, Chester Township. He is 66 years old and Mary Coats is 63 living at the residence of a blacksmith named Seaseney (sp?), probably in Wilmington, Ohio. Both are from South Carolina. If this is him, James would have been born in 1783 and Mary in 1786. Some researchers believe that James died in 1856. He might be buried near Wilmington, Ohio or in Iowa Co., Iowa as others claim. It should be noted though that Mary is listed with a birth date of 4/19/1780 in several 2nd hand sources and at age 76 in the 1860 census where she is living with her daughter, Abigail Mott.
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1779 - 1856 (76 years)
