A native of Long Island, American patriot Benjamin Coe settled in Newark with his widowed mother, Mary, sometime before 1732.
His father had died when he was seven, but by the time he was 15 his mother had re-married, taking James Wheler/Wheeler as her second husband, and Benjamin had an infant half-brother, Caleb Wheeler.
Benjamin also married twice, and had several children with his first wife, the former Abigail Woodward. After Abigail's death in 1761, he wed a mature woman named Rachel. According to contemporary accounts, Benjamin and Rachel Coe were among the Newark residents terrorized by British troops, who, showing no consideration for their advanced years, burnt their house to the ground. Despite being in his 70's, Benjamin was eager to fight back, but while his spirit was willing, his aging flesh was weak, so he freed his slave, Cudjo, to fight in his stead. Given an acre of land as an additional reward for his service, Cudjo was later listed among the participants in the Battle of Monmouth. Benjamin suffered the loss of his second wife during the war, but survived to see the ultimate triumph of the American cause in 1783. He died five years later at age 86. Originally interred with his wives in Newark's First Presbyterian Churchyard (Abigail's surname transcribed as "Coo"), the trio's remains were exhumed and transferred to Mt. Pleasant in the 1880's.
His father had died when he was seven, but by the time he was 15 his mother had re-married, taking James Wheler/Wheeler as her second husband, and Benjamin had an infant half-brother, Caleb Wheeler.
Benjamin also married twice, and had several children with his first wife, the former Abigail Woodward. After Abigail's death in 1761, he wed a mature woman named Rachel. According to contemporary accounts, Benjamin and Rachel Coe were among the Newark residents terrorized by British troops, who, showing no consideration for their advanced years, burnt their house to the ground. Despite being in his 70's, Benjamin was eager to fight back, but while his spirit was willing, his aging flesh was weak, so he freed his slave, Cudjo, to fight in his stead. Given an acre of land as an additional reward for his service, Cudjo was later listed among the participants in the Battle of Monmouth. Benjamin suffered the loss of his second wife during the war, but survived to see the ultimate triumph of the American cause in 1783. He died five years later at age 86. Originally interred with his wives in Newark's First Presbyterian Churchyard (Abigail's surname transcribed as "Coo"), the trio's remains were exhumed and transferred to Mt. Pleasant in the 1880's.
A native of Long Island, American patriot Benjamin Coe settled in Newark with his widowed mother, Mary, sometime before 1732.
His father had died when he was seven, but by the time he was 15 his mother had re-married, taking James Wheler/Wheeler as her second husband, and Benjamin had an infant half-brother, Caleb Wheeler.
Benjamin also married twice, and had several children with his first wife, the former Abigail Woodward. After Abigail's death in 1761, he wed a mature woman named Rachel. According to contemporary accounts, Benjamin and Rachel Coe were among the Newark residents terrorized by British troops, who, showing no consideration for their advanced years, burnt their house to the ground. Despite being in his 70's, Benjamin was eager to fight back, but while his spirit was willing, his aging flesh was weak, so he freed his slave, Cudjo, to fight in his stead. Given an acre of land as an additional reward for his service, Cudjo was later listed among the participants in the Battle of Monmouth. Benjamin suffered the loss of his second wife during the war, but survived to see the ultimate triumph of the American cause in 1783. He died five years later at age 86. Originally interred with his wives in Newark's First Presbyterian Churchyard (Abigail's surname transcribed as "Coo"), the trio's remains were exhumed and transferred to Mt. Pleasant in the 1880's.
His father had died when he was seven, but by the time he was 15 his mother had re-married, taking James Wheler/Wheeler as her second husband, and Benjamin had an infant half-brother, Caleb Wheeler.
Benjamin also married twice, and had several children with his first wife, the former Abigail Woodward. After Abigail's death in 1761, he wed a mature woman named Rachel. According to contemporary accounts, Benjamin and Rachel Coe were among the Newark residents terrorized by British troops, who, showing no consideration for their advanced years, burnt their house to the ground. Despite being in his 70's, Benjamin was eager to fight back, but while his spirit was willing, his aging flesh was weak, so he freed his slave, Cudjo, to fight in his stead. Given an acre of land as an additional reward for his service, Cudjo was later listed among the participants in the Battle of Monmouth. Benjamin suffered the loss of his second wife during the war, but survived to see the ultimate triumph of the American cause in 1783. He died five years later at age 86. Originally interred with his wives in Newark's First Presbyterian Churchyard (Abigail's surname transcribed as "Coo"), the trio's remains were exhumed and transferred to Mt. Pleasant in the 1880's.
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Source of birth & death places, & day of birth: Jim Stevens, Findagrave member #47249634
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