There has been some confusion and a little debate over the nationality/language of John DeMerchant/Cuffman/Coffman. I would like to submit the following to you, so each of you can be your own judge. Based on the following I believe our ancestor is German.

The 1851 New Brunswick census for the Parish of Kent lists several DeMerchant families as origins "Dutch". (See story below)

1871 NB census for the District of Madawaska (in French) lists Mary Dionne origins as "Allmande". Mary DeMerchant/Dionne married cantin (Quentin) Dionne in 1815 and moved to the Madawaska region around 1828. Allmande is the French word for "German". It is my understanding that the French word for Dutch is "Hollandais" or similar spelling.

The German word for Merchant is Kauffmann. Many early Kauffmanns in the United States have had the spelling of the name changed to a Anglicised version such as Coffman/Cuffman/Caufman. In the English language the letter K and C are interchangeable in many situations.
 

I would like to submit the following few paragraphs from the book Merry Hearts Make Light Days. THE WAR OF 1812 JOURNAL OF LIEUTENANT JOHN LE COUTEUR, 104TH FOOT, edited by Donald E. Graves.

This is a excellent book about the War of 1812 and I highly recommend it. It is available at Chapters Book Store.

Chapter 11, "The close of a Hot and Unnatural War" Page 222 and 223.

24 February
Heard the American official news of peace!!!

25 February
Several American officers came over from Sackets Harbour (NY) with the news. We received them very well, gave them a dinner, and made our Band play "Yankee Doodle" on drinking to the President's health which gave them great pleasure.

This I heard from my brother officers for Colonel Moodie came to my quarters and asked me at what time I could start express for Montreal with the dispatches and news of Peace. "In Five Minutes" I said.
"Good. Well Johnny, you shall have a quarter of an hour. I'll go and send a sleigh for you and bring you the despatches." I was writing a long letter to my dear Mother, put it under cover, and wrote "the Ratification of Peace by Mr. Madison (President of USA) just arrived from Sackets harbour and I am sent express to Montreal with the news. Adieu, Le Couteur"

I saw the first shot holes in the sails and hull of the Belvidera Frigate when she came into Halifax on the 26th June 1812 and I witnessed the Second ingagement between our Sloop of War's boat and the Rovr of Salem the following week and now I am the bearer of the Blessed News of Peace at the close of a hot and unnatural war between two kindred people. Thank God!

I was provided with a Quater Master General's route and order to impress drivers, sleighs and horses wherever they were to be had and, hastily packing a change of uniform and half a dozen shirts in my portmanteau, with a hearty leaving taking for a week of my dear friends, the Robinsons. The sleigh soon came to the door and I, well enveloped in furs, started at speed. I had no great difficulty to obtain conveyance by day but, after midnight, it was une autre affaire.

When I got down among the Dutch settlers about 2 o'clock in the morning, my driver told me he did not know where to drive for a conveyance, the Inn to which we had gone having none and the horses were so jaded they could not proceed. He knew of a rich Dutch farmer who had famous cattle. "Drive there!"

It was a fine large farm I could see as I drove up the avenue to it. The watch dogs barked at me furiously. I shouted & knocked. At last the old farmer appeared at an upper window. "Vats all dat! Vat de teufel mak's you mak dat noise!" The old farmer was holding a light in rear of his right, wondering whether it might not be a Yankee inroad while all the younger branches, Male and female, were arming or in alarm.

"I want horses to take me on to Prescott! I am travelling with Government despatches express!"

"I got no horsen, vat de teufel, you come fraiten de hause vor? I got no horsen!"

"I must insist upon having horses, I am carring the news of Peace."

"Vat you say, vat you say?" was repeated by father, mother children. "Peace, Peace - Yes peace with America" "Oh I zall zee my two boys dat are in de Militia. Oh my boys, my boys! Horsen! Yees, you zall have de best horsen, mysell I will droive you! Yess, yes, my boys, thank god, PEACE!"

The whole family ran down half clad to get me a warm meal, Schiedam, horses, blessings. A superb pair of nearly thorough bred horses, a fine sleigh well lined with furs, to carry me sixteen miles in an hour and twenty minutes - good kind people to the messenger of Peace!
 

Editor Notes by Donald E. Graves
Page 225

Given the words used by the farmer, such as Teufel (or devil), it is likely that the family was German, not Dutch. It was common in North America at this time to refer to all Germans as "Dutch", a corruption of Deutsch, the Germans' own word for their nationality.

This information is subject to international COPYRIGHT laws. Unless otherwise noted, this material is the work of Norman A. DeMerchant. It can be used with permission, contact Norm...
 

Last modified May 24, 2005.