Notes:

Mattie Countryman, born in MN to Henry D and Sophronia (Briggs), married Edwin Countryman on March 3, 1891. Mattie was one of 13 children: Preston, Mary, Orville, Daniel (deceased), Alice, Alonzo, Edith C(deceased), Evelyn, Edith O, Martha, Wilfred, Winifred, Mary's twin died in infancy.
Erwin and Mattie farmed in Boon Lake township and had four children Virgil, Guy, Ralph, and Preston (deceased).
Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. The History of Renville County Minnesota. Volume I. Chicago: H C Cooper Jr and Company, 1916.

Family/Spouse: Erwin T. COFFIN. Erwin was born on 31 Aug 1860 in Ontario, Canada; died on 24 Nov 1938 in Hutchinson, McLeod, Minnesota; was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Hutchinson, McLeod, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Census: 1860, Nininger, Dakota, Minnesota

Henry married Sophronia BRIGGS on 31 Oct 1849. Sophronia was born on 1 Dec 1831 in New York; died on 15 Oct 1892 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota; was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Hutchinson, McLeod, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Occupation: Domestic (Housewife)
• Census: 1860, Nininger, Dakota, Minnesota

Notes:

Children in 1860 census:
s Preston K. age 9
d Mary R. age 7
s Orville E. age 5
d Alice age 2
Also Daniel Countryman, age 75

Notes:

Pomfret, a corruption of Pontefract. 1 Lt. William Pomfret, planter, Dover. A distiller in 1675, he was within reason the distiller who with Geo. Dugdale, tailor, offered himself to go to N. E. in 1622, and was at Monhegan 1624; … At Dover Neck, he bot from Thos. Johnson in 1639; in Oct. 1640 sent security to Geo. Druell, mariner, London, for passage of w. -Hosanna- and dau.; w. Rose liv. 1675. Dover continually honored him, tho James Nute told ab. his deceitful heart. Com.t.e.s.c. 1643 and often; Lt. by 1646; gr.j. 1646, 1655-6; selectm. 1647-8, 1662; town clerk 1647 to 1665 or perhaps 1670; he, Thos. Leighton and John Dam had mill priv. at Bellamy's Bank 1649; Clerk of the Writs 1657; Comr. for the town. Lic. at times, and prosec. for selling without in 1670. … In Mar. 1679 he deeded to (great) gr.s. Pomfret Whitehouse. He d. 7 Aug. 1680, leaving will proved 7 Sept. fol., not extant. Only kn. ch. Elizabeth, came with mo.; m. Dea. John Dam(2).
NOTE: There is no Great Migration sketch for this man, so he was likely not at Monhegan in 1624.
——
The name Pomfret comes from Pontefract. The name means 'broken bridge' and is part French, part Latin. Pontefract was the name of a famous castle and town in Yorkshire built by Ilbert de Lacy, one of Willliam the Conqueror's barons, who was given lands in Yorkshire as a reward for assisting William in conquering England.

In 1090 the name Pontefract was in the records. In 1190 it occurs under the spelling Pumfrate, reflecting the Nornam/French pronunciation. Shakespeare referred to "bloody Pomfret" castle in 'Richard II' (Richard was imprisoned and murdered here). Pontefract Castle was enormous. It was besieged many times during the Civil War, and the township suffered greatly. It was finally surrendered in 1649 and the local townsfolk demanded it be torn down. The ruins of the castle stand today.

Many Yorkshire people carry the name Pomfret. Ilbert de Lacy was also given lands in Lancashire, in the Blackburn area, and many Pomfrets live there, too. It is possible they took this name as a surname during the Middle Ages when surnames became customary, e.g. John of Pomfret would become simply John Pomfret.

Daniel married Mary FORT about 1822 in Jefferson, Schoharie, New York. Mary (daughter of Peter Isaac FORT and Catharine DILLENBACH) was born on 27 Feb 1795 in Palatine, Montgomery, New York; died on 5 Oct 1855 in Nininger, Dakota, Minnesota; was buried in Spring Lake Methodist Church Cemetery, Nininger, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Also Known As: COUNTRYMAN, CONDERMAN
• DAR#: A026478
• Military Event: French-Indian Wars, Militia, American Revolution - NY, Capt Diefendorf, Cols Clyde, Herkimer: Lt
• Served American Revolution?: Y
• Military Flag: Y
• Census: 1790, Canajoharie, Montgomery, New York

Notes:

Military note: Tryon Co Militia
REVOLUNTIONARY WAR: 1778. Appointed 1st Lieutenant in Capt. Jacob Diefendorf's Co. Col. Clydes Reg, of Tryon Co. Militia, March 4 1780.
1783 promoted to Captain of Militia. Resigned in 1798 (pg. 116, 119 Countryman Genealogy)
——
Captain George died in 1809. leaving a will. He was a lieutenant from 1778 to 1788, when he was promoted to a Captain of Militia in 1798, when he resigned.
——
Capt George Countryman was married to Christina, daughter of Heinrich and Anna Rosina Diefendorf. Their home was situated in the Windecker-Conterman-Leyp patent, in what was long known as Dutchtown, in what was later the Town of Minden, Montgomery Co, NY, and is said to have been the only house, in all that populously settled section, which was not destroyed in the Tory-Indian Raid of 1780. For some time, it is said, the standing house was regarded as a monument of savage mercy. But after the war it appears the mystery was solved. One of the brothers of Captain George Countryman is said to have been a Tory, became a traitor to the American Cause and followed the Johnsons and Butlers into Canada. He left his family in Dutchtown and, at the time of the raid of 1780, fearing that his wife might have found a refuge in the home of his brother, George, his entreaties to have his brother’s house spared, prevailed. After the war, this brother sent word from Canada to Captain George Countryman informing him why his house had been spared and assuring him that had he known, at the time, how own wife was not in it he would have seen his house smoke like the rest. Capt Countryman replaced forbidding his brother ever to darken his door, since, he added, “You have not only been sales to your country but also you have been a traitor to your King.”
——
Following is a copy of the will of Capt. George Countryman, s/o Conrad Countryman : "In the name of God, Amen, I, George Conterman, of the town of Minden, county of Montgomery, and State of New York, being sickly in body, but of perfect mind and memory (thanks to God), calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do this day make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament, after recommending my soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian-like manner at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly affairs concerning my estate, wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life.
I give and bequeath to Christina, my beloved wife, her residence during her natural life in my dwelling house and to have the care of all my lands, to order and rent the same to whom she pleases, if my children should not manage well and do what is just and right, and further I give her the charge of all my personal estate during the time aforesaid.
2d, I give unto my son, Jacob, all and singular that farm or lot of land known and distinguished by being part of lot number twenty in a patent granted to Jacob Lansing and others, containing seventy-five acres.
3rd, I give untomy son, John George, all the remaining part of that farm or lot of land over which he has as yet no conveyance, containing by estimation seventy-five acres, being part of Lot 25 in a patent granted unto Jacob Lansing and others.
4th, I give and bequeath to my son, Daniel, all and singular, that farm or lot of land whereon I now live, being part of Lot No. 6, in a patent granted unto Hartman Windecker and others, together with all buildings and improvements there-on.
5th, I give unto my sons, John George and Daniel, the remainder of a lot of land situated in a patent granted unto Jacob Lansing and others, and known as being part of lot number 26, to be equally divided between them, my son, Jacob, having received his equal share already out of said lot by conveyance in my life time.
6th, It is my will that if it should happen that either of the three sons should die without leaving any lawful issue, that then his estate shall be inherited by the survivors.
7th, My daughters, Catharine, Anna. Delia. Christina, Magdaline, Elizabeth Margaret and Mary, shall have each of them the sum of 50 pounds to them, their heirs, executors or administrators or assigns by my three sons in the following manner, viz.: my son, Jacob, or his heirs, executors or administrators, to pay towards completing the amount of said monies the sum of 125 pounds; my son, John George, or his heirs or administrators, the sum of 125 pounds, and my son, Daniel, or his heirs, executors or administrators, the sum of 150 pounds; to be paid within the space of four or five years, or sooner, if their abilities will allow, or in case any of said daughters should be in great need or want of it.
8th, It is also my will that if any of them, my said daughters, should die without bodily issue, then her share or sum allotted be equally divided among the survivors.
9th, Concerning my personal estate, it is my will that my youngest daughter, Delia, whenever she marries, shall have as much in cattle or other effects as any of my other daughters had, to be taken out of my stock, and also my son, Daniel, is to have as much of my personal estate as shall be equal to what his brothers have received, and if any shall remain the same to be equally divided among my aforesaid daughters.
10th, My son, Daniel, shall yearly give some apples unto his brothers and sisters to such as have none, according to the quantity which the orchard on his farm shall any year produce, for the term of eight years. I do make and ordain my wife, Christina, to be my executrix, together with my beloved Abraham Coopman and my oldest son, Daniel, my executors of this, my last
will and testament, and do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and annul all and every former testaments, wills, regacies, bequests and executions by me in anywise before made and named willed and bequeathed, ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament.
In witness I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 28th day of April 1808.
(X) George Conderman.
Probate Mar 11 1809.

Census:
3 males 16 or over, 1 male under 16, 6 females

George married Christina Catharine Elizabeth DIEFENDORF about 1762 in Stone Arabia Church, Herkimer, New York. Christina (daughter of Johannes “Hans” DUBENDORFFER and Elizabeth KELLER) was born on 7 Jul 1744 in Albany, Albany, New York; died on 18 May 1810 in Ft Plain, Montgomery, New York; was buried in Geisenburg Cemetery, Minden, Montgomery, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Also Known As: Elizabeth Christina

Notes:

Christina Diefendorf was a sister of Captain Henry Diefendorf, who was killed at Oriskany.

Other Events:

• Census: 1810, Minden, Montgomery, New York
• Census: 1855, Stark, Herkimer, New York

Peter married Catharine DILLENBACH on 16 Oct 1792 in Minden, Montgomery, New York. Catharine (daughter of Martinus B. DILLENBACH and Catharine “Katarina” ROSNER) was born on 2 Feb 1773 in Stone Arabia, Montgomery, New York; died on 29 Jul 1847 in Stark, Herkimer, New York; was buried in Fort Cemetery, Herkimer, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Also Known As: Katherine, DILLENBACK

Notes:

married Reformed Dutch Church in Ft Plain