John Cuff, Senior

The history of the Cuff/Cuffe family begins with John Cuff, Senior.  He was born about 1797 in Ireland, probably County Mayo,¹ but he did not remain there.  He moved to Manchester, Lancashire, England and eventually to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada with a possible stop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA¹.  The pattern of his movements is described in a biographical sketch of his son John Evers Cuff, but the genealogical evidence of these movements is somewhat less than definitive.

John Cuff, a chemist born in Ireland, his wife Catherine (also born in Ireland), and son John (age 7) appear in the 1841 Census for Manchester living in a place called Snow Hill in the Market Street District.  Young John’s age would place his birth date in 1834, which is four to six years earlier than birth dates reported for John Evers Cuff in his biography, death certificate, and obituary.

However, church and civil records suggest that this is the correct Cuff family.  On January 24, 1832, John Cuff married Catherine Ivers in the Parish Church of Manchester.²  Ivers is a common alternate spelling of Evers.  The baptismal records of the Parish Church of Manchester and civil birth registrations show that John and Catherine (consistently spelled Ivers) Cuff had five children: Mary, John, Elizabeth, Joseph and James.  John Evers Cuff also had children named Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, and James, which suggests that he named children after his siblings.  In addition, the two birth years given for John Evers Cuff (1838 and 1840) in various publications are the years when Joseph and James were born – coincidence or confusion?

A final piece of evidence adds further uncertainty.  The obituary of Catherine Cuff published in the St. Catharine’s Journal states that she became a Methodist at the age of 17³, which raises the question of why (or whether) her children were baptized in the Anglican Church.

John Jr. (John Evers) may have been the only child of John and Catherine Cuff who survived to adulthood.  The birth and death dates of the five children based on Manchester records were as follows:

Mary Cuff was baptized on October 21, 1832 in the Parish Church of Manchester.⁴  She died in 1837, and was buried in Manchester on May 5, 1837.⁵

John Evers Cuff was born in Manchester on March 5⁶ and baptized (as John Cuff) in the Parish Church on March 23, 1834.⁷  He died in St. Catharines, Lincoln Co., Ontario on May 17, 1912,⁶ aged 78.

Elizabeth Cuff was baptized on July 17, 1836 in the Parish Church of Manchester⁸ and was buried there on December 4, 1836.⁹ 

Joseph Cuff was born in Manchester on September 13, 1838.¹⁰  There are no church records of his baptism or burial.  However, he was not listed in the 1841 census of Manchester, and there is no evidence that he reached Canada.  He might have died before 1841.

James Cuff was born in Manchester on May 27, 1840¹¹ and baptized in the Parish Church on July 12, 1840.¹²  He died in Manchester on December 26, 1840 of “inflamation of the lungs.”¹³

During his time in Manchester, John Cuff worked as some type of pharmacist.  His occupation as shown on the various birth and baptismal records of his children was chemist, herbalist, botanist, and medical practitioner.  The civil birth registration of his son James describes John as a “vender of herbs and quack medicines.”  Combined with his later occupation of peddler (in St. Catharines), “vender of herbs and quack medicines” conjures the image of a man travelling in a medicine wagon selling snake oil.  However, given the number of his children who died and whom he was unable to save with his medicines, John may have been feeling that he was, indeed, a vender of quack medicines.  On the other hand, a clerk in the registration office might have considered an herbalist to be a quack.

According to the biographical sketch of John Evers Cuff, “In 1846 or 1847 the family emigrated to the United States, resided in Philadelphia until 1850, when they removed to St. Catharines, Ont.”¹  There is no record of the Cuff family in the 1850 US Census for Philadelphia, or at least there is no record of John, Sr.  However, the census of Pine Ward, Philadelphia shows a “Coff” family consisting of Catherine, age 46, born in Ireland; John, age 17, born in England; and Joseph, age 12, born in England.  The ages of the two boys are consistent with the ages that John and Joseph (if he survived) would have been in 1850, and Catherine is only two years older than she would have been based on her age in the 1841 census of Manchester.  The 1850 US census shows 17-year-old John as a “sail maker,” a very different occupation than the one John E. pursued in St. Catharines (printer).  If this is John Cuff, Senior’s family, it leaves some unanswered questions.  Where was John, Sr. on July 23, 1850 (the date of enumeration), and why was he not with his family?  What happened to Joseph?

The Cuff family arrived in St. Catharines sometime in the first half of the 1850s.  The setting of the city at that time would have been similar to the setting described two decades later in the Lacroix Canadian Guide:¹⁴

St. Catharines is a large flourishing town and port of entry on the Welland Canal, in the township of Grantham, county of Lincoln, and is the county seat.  In a few words, it may be described as a splendid park and garden as well as a fine town.  From its table land height, 120 feet above Lake Ontario, it overlooks in the valley vast and rich farms, large vegetable gardens and orchards, bearing apples, peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, &c., such as the western sun likes to dart its warm rays at and caress with fertility.  The Saratoga of Canada is beautiful in her sparkling green dress, and it is not astonishing that the élite from all parts come to pay her their tribute of admiration, and return every season to regain health from her mineral springs, whose waters are called the best curing media on the continent.

The earliest record of the Cuffs in Canada is the 1854 assessment roll for St. Catharines.¹⁵  At that time, John Cuff (age 53) was listed as the freeholder of a house on Niagara Street, and he owned a dog.  The assessment rolls usually do not list family members.  However, the 1860 assessment roll has a column listing the presence of individuals aged 21-60 years.  It does not show any people in this age group living with John Senior, who was shown as being 60.  At the 1861 census, John Sr. was “single” and living with John Jr., his wife, and three daughters.

According to an obituary in the St. Catharines Journal, Catherine, wife of John Cuff, Senior, died in St. Catharines on August 26, 1860.  Her obituary reads as follows:

[Died] In this town on Sunday, the 26^th inst. of Disease of the stomach, Catharine, beloved wife of Mr. John Cuff, Senr., aged 55 years.

Deceased was born in the town of Carroch- in-Suir¹⁶, Tipperary, Ireland.  At the early age of 17, she was convinced of sin by the powerful exhortations of the Rev. Gideon Ouseley,¹⁷ and soon afterwards became a member of the Wesleyan Church, from which time to the period of her death she evinced an unwavering attachment to its Divine teachings.  A desire to do good to her fellow creatures manifested itself throughout her daily intercourse, and her many virtues and unassuming piety won her the esteem of all who knew her.  Her last illness was borne with Christian fortitude, perfectly resigned to the will of the Almighty God.  Surrounded by sorrowing relatives, she yielded up her spirit to the glorious hope of a joyful resurrection.  Her remains were interred in the Cemetery on Monday last.

John Sr. did not pursue his occupation of chemist/herbalist in Canada.  According to the 1854-1861 St. Catharines assessment rolls, he worked as a laborer, and he had a taxable income of $50 to $75.  He was listed as a “pedlar” in both the 1861 census and the 1862 assessment roll.  In 1863 and 1864, John Senior’s occupation was listed as “gentleman.”

John Sr. died of “general debility” on December 18, 1885,1⁸ and was buried in Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines.  His obituaries praised his character but said nothing about his life:

A RIPE OLD AGE - Mr. John Cuff, father of Ald. Cuff, passed quietly over to the great majority Friday evening at the ripe old age of 88 years.  Deceased was well known throughout this section of the country, and was universally esteemed as a man of generous qualities and kindly disposition.  Up to a couple of years ago he was hale and hearty, but old age and its accompanying infirmities finally conquered, and of late he was confined to his house.

AT REST - The funeral of the late Mr. John Cuff, Sunday, was very largely attended.  In addition to the long line of carriages many came on foot to pay the last tribute of respect and regard to the deceased, who, in life was most highly esteemed for his many amiable qualities.  Of course, considering his extreme age, 88 years, his death was not unexpected, but come when and how it may there are always pangs of regret and sorrow at the dissolution of earthly ties.  The kindly old gentleman will be greatly missed, not only by his family but by all who knew him.  He had always a kindly smile and a cheering word for his friends and his gentle and peaceful ending was typical of his life.  The obsequies were conducted by Mr. McIntyre, Rev. Mr. Harris attending as clergyman, and the following gentlemen as pall bearers:  Geo. K. Patterson, Jas. Chase, E.S. Frieman, Geo. Paradice, Jas. Dunlop, John Vosburg.

Footnotes

[1] Mayor John E. Cuff (Newspaper clipping from St. Catharines, ON, late 1887 or early 1888. Copied from a scrapbook compiled by Emma Cuffe, currently (2002) in possession of Beverly Beyer, New York City, NY.

[2] Parish Church of Manchester (Manchester, Lancashire, England), Births, Marriages, Burials, "Marriages 1832,"  John Cuff and Catherine Ivers, Page 66, No. 198; digital images,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 9 Apr 2014).

[3] Death Notice:  Catharine Cuff.  St. Catharines Journal, 6 Sep 1860, p. 3.

[4] .... Parish Church of Manchester (Manchester, Lancashire, England), Births, Marriages, Burials, "Baptisms 1832,"  Mary Cuff Baptism, page 256; digital images,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 9 Apr 2014).

[5] Parish Church of Manchester (Manchester, Lancashire, England), Births, Marriages, Burials, "Burial Records 1837,"  Mary Cuff Burial; digital images,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 9 Apr 2014).

[6] Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations, Information Extracted for Genealogy - Death - John Evers Cuffe, Ontario Vital Records. Registration # 1912-05-01989.

[7] Parish Church of Manchester (Manchester, Lancashire, England), Births, Marriages, Burials, "Baptisms 1834,"  John Cuff Baptism, page 137; digital images,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 9 Apr 2014).

[8] Parish Church of Manchester (Manchester, Lancashire, England), Births, Marriages, Burials, "Baptisms 1836,"  Elizabeth Cuff Baptism, Page 412, No. 3295; digital images,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 9 Apr 2014).

[9] Parish Church of Manchester (Manchester, Lancashire, England), Births, Marriages, Burials, "Burials 1836,"  Elizabeth Cuff Burial, Page 473, No. 3781; digital images,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 9 Apr 2014).

[10] Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth - Joseph Cuff, Original registration 8 Oct 1838. Copy issued by the Manchester Register Office 27 Jun 2002.

[11] General Register Office, England, Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth - James Cuff, District of Manchester, Sub-district of Market Street, County of Lancaster, 1840. Registration year 1840, Vol. XX, Page 584 (possibly 284).

[12] Parish Church of Manchester (Manchester, Lancashire, England), Births, Marriages, Burials, "Baptisms 1840,"  James Cuff Baptism, Page 327, No. 2613; digital images,  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 9 Apr 2014).

[13] Certified Copy of an Entry of Death - James Cuff, Originally filed 28 Dec 1840.  Copy issued by the Manchester Record Office on 27 Jun 2002.

[14] From Lacroix, H.  1873.  Lacroix Canadian Guide and Book of Reference, First Edition.  Montreal: “Witness” Printing House.

[15] St. Catharines (Ontario) Assessor, Assessment Rolls, 1854-1899., Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958.  Assessment rolls 1854-1855, 1857, 1860-1865 - Family History Library FHL US/CAN Film [170226], 1863, 1864 - St. Paul's Ward.

[16] Actually Carrock-on-Suir

[17] Ouseley was a preacher renowned as Methodism’s “apostle to the Irish.”

[18] Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations, Information Extracted for Genealogy - Death, Ontario Vital Records. Registration # 1885-05-009599.