Taking the Census.

– How many males are there in this family?

Do you mean children and all?

Certainly.

Ah, then there ain’t none — cause my children’s all galls ‘cept John, and he ain’t my child. D’ye count John?

How many females are there in the family?

Females! Let me see there ain’t none but Biddy, the hired gal.

I understood you to say that your children were all girls.

La! Yes! Wal, d’ye count them too?

Certainly I do — I count all who make their home in your family — old and young — men, women and children.

Sakes alive! Then I s’pose you want to put down the old man I s’pose — don’t you?

What old man?

My old man to be sure.

I thought you said that John, the servant, was the only male in the family.

So I did — but I didn’t s’pose ‘males’ meant decripit old men, like my husband. Poor dear! he’s been all but dead with palsy, six years next hoeing.

Now for the females.

Well, here’s Biddy, and Prudence, and Grace and Jemima, and — that’s all four of ‘em.

But you hav’ent included yourself?

Gracious? D’ye put down old women, too! ‘Pears to me the State’s might curious this year.

Huron Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio) 24 Sep 1850

I don’t know if this Coffman is related or not, but they sure made sure the judge was earning his keep!

MARRIED.
On April 16, 1896, by Squire Thompson, Mr. Edward Coffman and Miss Maud Haskins, both of Blairsville.

Indiana Progress (PA) 22 Apr 1896

Saturday in court, was devoted to the hearing of surety of the peace cases.
The first case taken up was that agains Edward Coffman, of Blairsville. It developed some very unpleasant family relations, and the Court sentenced the defendant to pay the costs of the hearing; to pay to his wife the sum of four dollars on Saturday of each and every week, the first payment to be made on Sauturday, Dec. 15; and to
enter into a recognizance, with good and sufficient sureties in the sum of $200, to comply with the sentence of the court. If the defendant shall provide a home for his family and give surety therefore, this sentence will be annulled.
Being unable to furnish the $200 bond, Coffman was sent to jail.

Indiana County Gazette (PA) 12 Dec 1906

*****

Separate bills of indictment were returned against Edward Coffman and his wife, Maud Coffman, of North Blairsville for selling whiskey to Joe Gaines, Will Sipe and others on April 21. The Coffmans pleaded guilty and were sentenced to pay a fine of $500 and undergo an imprisonment of 90 days in the county jail. The District Attorney was told to notify the poor overseers to look after the infant child of
the Coffmans.

Indiana County Gazette (PA) 29 Apr 1908

Census Record

Home in 1900: Blairsville, Indiana, Pennsylvania
Edward Coffman  21 [Mar 1879 PA]
Maud Lucy Coffman 26 [Feb 1874 PA]
Pearl Elizabeth Coffman 1 [Aug 1898 PA]

Home in 1910:  Blairsville Ward 1, Indiana, Pennsylvania
Abraham Coffman  63 [father]
Sadie Coffman     64 [mother]
Edward Coffman     32* it says he is married, no wife living with him though, but this is probably the correct Edward.

In 1930, Brush Valley, Indiana Co., PA, there is an Edward Coffman living with an Ida Marsh,  he is listed as widowed, she is single.