Coburg Family of Sullivan County, New York

 

 

Generation No. 1

 

William Coburg, born c. 1828 in Coburg, Germany (in Bavaria); died after 1880 in Bloomingburgh,  NY (Sullivan County).  He married Rosanna C. (surname unknown)

Rosanna C. (surname unknown) born c. 1828 in Georgia; died between 1875 and 1880 in NY.

 

Traditional Germans named their first born sons after the father's father. If that pattern was followed here, then William's father's name was Henry. William Coburg's middle initial variously listed as G., H., and J.; since his son was named Henry William, H. seems the best possibility; on the other hand, if his middle name was John, Hans is John in German and could account for two of the three possibilities. In the ad he put in the Sullivan County Directory for 1872/3 he is listed as William G.; death certificate of Henry William Coburg lists father as William H. Coburg, born Germany. William’s age is listed as 32 in June 1860 (census); 42 in 1870 census; 46 in 1875 Sullivan County census; 51 in 1880 census; there is no 1890 census; he does not appear to be in the 1850. One family legend says two brothers, aged 14 and 16, arrived from Germany, but does not say which one he was or give the brother’s name. The logical supposition is that he arrived in the U.S. between 1842 and 1844. Another variation of the family story says he and two brothers came and the other two remained in NYC. According to another family story, he came to American to avoid having to serve in wars in Germany and arrived just in time for the Civil War in the U.S.; this, however, doesn't make sense given his listing in the Census of 1860, obviously well-established with a growing family. Since his oldest child is listed as being born in November, 1851, he probably married in 1850 or 1851, if not earlier. Again, family stories identify his wife as “a southern girl.” A search of the International and Passengers Records at genealogy.com, searched in Feburary, 2004, lists only one William for any spelling. This William Coberg is found in Tennessee during the years 1847-52 [source publication: Smith, Mary Sue, Davidson County, Tennessee Naturalization Records,     1803-1906 (Nashville, TN: Byron Sistler & Associates, Inc, 1997)] Spelling Variants of the surname include Coburghe, Coburgh, Coberg, Koburg, Koberg, and Cobourg. William was listed as a shoemaker (1860; 1875), a bootmaker (1870), and a cobbler (1880) and his ad on p. 260 of the Sullivan County Directory in Town of Mamakating section reads “Coburg, William G. (Bloomingburgh,) boot and shoemaker.” Census records list his residence as Walkill, NY in 1860, Bloomingburgh in 1870 and 1875, and Mamakating in 1880. He is not listed in the 1892 Sullivan County census, making it likely he had died between 1880 and 1892.

 

William’s wife’s name is variously given in census records as Rossina and Rosanna C. She was listed as being 33 in June 1860, 42 in 1870, and 46 in 1875 and was deceased by the 1880 census. Her birthplace is listed as Georgia, seeming to confirm the family stories that call her "a southern girl." The entry for their son Edwin in the 1920 census, however, says his mother was born NY. This is likely a case of Edwin not knowing much about his parents.

       

Children of William and Rosanna C. Coburg are:

                          i.    Henry William Coburg, born November 24, 1851 in Goshen, Orange County, NY; died January 12, 1919 in Hurleyville, Sullivan Co.,  NY; married Julia Swarthout February 24, 1883 in unknown, m. performed by Rev. E. Kimble.

                         ii.    Mary O. Coburg, born 1853; married (Christian name unknown) Kinner.

Mary, b. Orange County, 1853 is listed as Mary Kinner, 22, in 1875. According to family lore, she had twins. Neither Kinner nor Kenner show up in the area in the Census of 1880.

                        iii.    Frances J. Coburg, born 1857 in Orange County NY.

Frances J. is listed as Fanny in 1870. She died unmarried. She may be the Fanny Coberg (b. 1863) listed as servant to Ernest (or possibly Emmet) Smith of Wallkill in the Census of 1900.

                        iv.    Edwin J. Coburg, born 1861 in Orange County; died 1936; married Amelia Josephine Taylor; born May 1864; died 1924. Alternatively listed in census records as Edward W.; living in Middletown, Orange Co. NY in 1920.

                         v.    Minnie Coburg, born 1868 in Sullivan County.

Minnie, born Sullivan County, 1868; 12 in 1880 census; died young?

 

 

Generation No. 2

 

 

Henry William Coburg, born November 24, 1851 in Goshen, Orange County, NY; died January 12, 1919 in Hurleyville, Sullivan Co.,  NY.  He was the son of William Coburg and Rosanna C. (surname unknown.)  He married Julia Swarthout February 24, 1883; marriage performed by Rev. E. Kimble.

Julia Swarthout, born September 09, 1867; died July 22, 1920.  She was the daughter of Alexander E. Swarthout and Parmelia Parker.

 

Henry William Coburg was born in Goshen according to his death certificate and in Wallkill in other records. His date of birth also varies. November 24, 1851 comes from his death certificate but it says 1852 on his tombstone and in the family record. He died of Bright’s Disease. In 1919 his occupation was listed as carpenter, painter, and paper hanger. In 1880 he resided in Bloomingburg, NY, but by 1888 had moved to Westtown, town of Minisink, Orange Co. NY.

       

Children of Henry Coburg and Julia Swarthout are:

              i.      Fannie Pamelia Coburg, born April 24, 1884; died 1955 in Hurleyville, NY; married Benamin Strain before 1920; born 1882; died 1945. Fannie was the one who burned all the Coburg family papers and letters during World War I because they were written in German.

                         ii.    Ida May Coburg, born August 09, 1888 in Westtown, town of Minisink, Orange Co. NY (twin); died August 20, 1888 in Westtown, town of Minisink, Orange Co. NY. Minisink Museum records for Westtown Cemetery give the date of death as June 24, 1889 aged nine months twenty-four days.

                        iii.    Leslie Hamilton Coburg, born August 09, 1888 in Westtown, town of Minisink, Orange Co. NY (twin); died July 25, 1961 in Liberty, NY; married (1) Tressa Estelle Hornbeck in Hurleyville, NY; married (2) Catherine May Hornbeck September 27, 1934 in Hurleyville, NY.

                        iv.    Alexander Coburg, born July 19, 1890; died March 04, 1976 in Schuylerville, Saratoga County, NY; married Minnie Burdine; born 1894.

                         v.    Nellie May Coburg, born August 08, 1892; died July 22, 1979 in Harris, NY; married Claude B. Cole; born 1885; died 1965 in Hurleyville, NY.

                        vi.    Henry Otis Coburg, born January 02, 1895; died November 18, 1979 in Connecticut; married Dorothy Ranson October 16, 1920; born August 25, 1901; died January 1977 in Connecticut.

                       vii.    Loretta Merle Coburg, born May 30, 1900; died 1973 in RI; married (1) Edward Shapiro; life partner with Lucy (Surname unknown).

 

 

Generation No. 3

 

Leslie Hamilton Coburg, born August 09, 1888 in Westtown, NY (town of Minisink, Orange Co.); died July 25, 1961 in Liberty, NY.  He was the son of Henry William Coburg and Julia Swarthout.  He married (1) Tressa Estelle Hornbeck in Hurleyville, NY. (2) Catherine May Hornbeck in Hurleyville, NY.

Tressa Estelle Hornbeck, born May 19, 1889 in Hurleyville, NY; died c. May 06, 1910 in Hurleyville, NY. She was the daughter of M. G. Hornbeck and Ella May Applebee. Catherine May Hornbeck was her younger sister.

       

Child of Leslie Coburg and Tressa Hornbeck is:

                          i.    Theresa Marie Coburg, born May 05, 1910 in Hurleyville, NY; died April 11, 1993 in Tarpon Springs, FL; married William Russell Gorton, son of Fred Gorton and Daisy Cordelia Steenrod.

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any further information about the family of William Coburg, please contact Kathy at emerson@megalink.net. Thank you.