JOSHUA COFFIELD, another energetic descendant of pioneers who left the Emerald Isle to make a home in America, is a prosperous farmer of East Finley township, and a grandson of John Coffield, who was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, about 1757. He was one of five brothers who were famous for their physical powers, and had no equals in their native county for muscular strength. He was a man of massive frame, a splendid specimen of well-developed manhood. Mr. Coffield was married in Ireland, and had nine children. In 1798 he took passage on the ship "Happy Return," which was very filthy and carried all kinds of freight, but as he was a poor man the cheapest had to suffice. After the vessel was a few weeks out, drinking water became scarce, and before the voyage (which lasted three months) was ended, nearly one-third of the crew and some of the passengers died, three of Mr. Coffield's children being among the number. At last the terrible journey was ended, and the family landed at New Castle, Del., near which place they lived for a time, doing farm work, but the father soon after died, and the five children (Arthur, Lawrence, James, Ann and Elizabeth) were obliged to earn a living for themselves and their widowed mother, by working their way, the family finally reached Washington county, Penn., and first located near Washington borough, where they remained a short time, then came to East Finley township, and locating on the present farm of J. Wiley Patterson, the boys began to clear the land and make a home. The mother died in 1811, and the children (all except Arthur) grew to an adult age and married. Lawrence Coffield was married in 1810, to Elizabeth Rawden (who was born in 1773), whose parents came from Ireland in the same ship as the family of John Coffield. To their union were born children as follows: John (moved to Illinois and died in Adams county, in 1891); Joshua (subject of this sketch); Thomas (a farmer in Belmont county, Ohio, deceased in 1887); James, Jane and Elizabeth (all three deceased in infancy). After his marriage Mr. Coffield located on the home farm in East Finley township, where he resided until 1846, when his wife died, and he removed to Adams county, III., and there died in 1848. Joshua Coffield was born in East Finley township, this county, January 17, 1813, and passed his boyhood on his father's farm, receiving but a limited education, which he improved by cultivating his natural inclination for reading. After the death of his father he purchased the old "Rawden farm," on the head waters of Wheeling creek, which had been previously entered by his maternal grandfather. Mr. Coffield enjoys the esteem of all who know him, and though well advanced in years can do a day's work which would do credit to many younger men. Politically he was formerly a Whig, and is now a stanch supporter of the Republican party.

Text taken from page 1047 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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