On August 28, 1777, Cavendish's first settler, John Coffeen, sent the following letter.
This is my account barrack Room and Damages for the use of an Done by the party Stationed at my house in Cavendish by Genl. Starke under the command of Mr. Wm. Heywood Maj'r as they had the whole of my house and about three thousand Boardes which were all much damaged and also other things in the whole to the value at least 6-10-6 Lawfull money as Good as the Money is now.
On September 28, 1179 We. Heywood Maj'r submitted the following to the State of New Hampshire, Charlestown.
These certify that a party of men Under my Command were stationed at J. Coffeen's by Genl. Starke as above mentioned, and made use of sd, Coffeen's house also for the use of ye Soldiers about four weeks.
The Coffeen homestead, located on what is today the Cavendish/Reading Road, was in close proximity to the Crown Point Rd. According to the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) records, He had growing 20 acres of grain, 25 acres grass and a young orchard. 300 N.E. troops who were stationed on his farm while working on the road to Crow Point, destroyed his orchard and did much damage. He had procured materials for building a large barn and house, the boards for which he had drawn from NH. After the surrender of Crown Point and Ticonderoga the militia returned through this town. They arrived at Capt. Coffeen's during a severe storm. The house was immediately filled to overflowing. Those who could not get in built fires with the boards that Capt. Coffeen had gotten with so much trouble. They stripped the house of nearly everything it contained and turned their horses into the grain. They justified themselves be declaring that the enemy would do it themselves within 48 hours. Capt. Coffeen's hoses and prospects being blasted, he sent his family off to Rindge [NH] for during the remainder of the summer his far maws a common and his house a camp for the vagrant soldiery, several of whom died under its roof.
Coffeen was never reimbursed for the damage done to his property by the Revolutionary War soldiers.
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