ABRAHAM⁶ TYLER COBURN (David⁵, Moses⁴, Moses³, Joseph², Edward¹) b. 1799 d. 1871 son of David⁵ and Elizabeth (Tyler) Coburn m. (1) 16 Sept. 1829 Hepzibah Pickard b. 1811 d. 23 June 1849 dau. of Thomas and Mary (Burpee) Pickard m. (2) 22 Mar. 1851 Sarah Burpee b. 28 May 1823 d. Oct. 1912 dau. of Isaac and Phoebe (Coburn) Burpee.

Abraham Tyler or A.T. as he appears to have been commonly called, was the eldest son in the family. He was obviously named after his grandfather Abraham Tyler of Boxford, Massachusetts.

On 8 Sept. 1823 David⁵ Coburn gave 24-year-old son A. T. approximately one-quarterof his land, a forty-five rod strip, full-length, off the east side of his farm. The subsequent sale of this land doubtless launched A. T. on his business career in Fredericton. The 1851 census describes him as a merchant proprietor, however reliable that designation is. Hisfather-in-law Thomas Pickard, a wealthy man who owned mills and steam boats, etc. is described as a merchant tenant, which makes the record suspect.

Abraham⁶ Tyler Coburn

On 16 Sept. 1829 A.T. (30) married Thomas Pickard’s daughter Hepzibah (19);the officiating clergyman was Rev. George McCawley. Hepzibah’s maternal grandfatherwas Squire David Burpee, whose diaries and accounts are an invaluable source of information on the early St. John River settlement. Hepzibah’s paternal grandfather was Humphrey Pickard, one of the earliest settlers in the lower St. John River and Keswick Ridge. Hepzibah’s father owned the riverboat Reindeer. It was powered by the first evercompound steam engine, the brain child of inventor Benjamin Tibbits, who built itfor Thomas. The engine was much more fuel efficient than engines in other steamers. Hepzibah’s brother Rev. Humphrey Pickard was the first principal of Mt. Allison Academy in Sackville, the forerunner of Mt. Allison University. Another brother Thomas was professor of mathematics in that same school.

In 1832 A.T. sold to his brother David⁶ for £5 one half of his interest in the undivided estate of his father David⁵. In 1836 he sold David⁶ the balance for £60.

The newspaper New Brunswick Courier of 30 June 1849 reported Died Fredericton 23 inst. age37 Hepzibah wife of A. T. Coburn of Fredericton and daughter of Thomas Pickard, left behind four daughters. She was a twenty year member of the Weslyan Church. Also in the same issue Died 26th inst. at residence of Thomas Pickard, Fredericton, Louisa daughter of Mrs. James Pickard and adopted daughter of the late Mrs. Coburn. The Courier also reported 18 August 1849 at Fredericton Died Amelia eldest daughter of A. T. Coburn aged 19. It was a very bad year for A. T. Coburn. He started that summer with a wife and four daughters. He ended it with only two daughters, Hepzibah 14 and Harriet 10. He was fifty years old.

On 12 March 1851 A.T. married Sarah Burpee 27, a first-cousin-once-removed and daughter of cousin Phoebe (Coburn) Burpee. There were no children from this marriage.

A.T., along with Harvey Garcelon were the first aldermen for St. Ann’s ward when Fredericton was made a city by decree of Queen Victoria in 1848. Fredericton was to have a cathedral and only cities have cathedrals. A.T. was also Sergeant-at Arms in the Legislative Assembly from October 1857 until his death in 1871.

Was Abraham Tyler Coburn held in such esteem that children were named after him? Abraham Tyler Jewett b. 1844 was very remotely related and Abraham Tyler Burtt b. 1838 was no known relation but they had his given name.

These were contemporaries of my grandfather Abraham Tyler’ Coburn b.1836 who was his nephew.

His business career included assistance in founding an early bank in Fredericton, the Commercial Bank.

A.T. was predeceased by all his children. His only surviving descendant was 16 year old grandson George Hayward Coburn, son of daughter Hepzibah. Daughter Harriet had died in childbirth in 1866.