Daniel Cotherman was born 6 January 1794 in Union County Pennsylvania. Daniel married Catherine Frederick. Both died and are buried in New Harleton Cemetery, Union Co PA.

His son, Reuben E. Cotherman, was born in PA 20 April 1835, migrated to Wisconsin, then to IL. Reuben married first to Isabel who died 7 March 1864 in Greene Co WI. He then married Mathilda J. Winkelbeck. Reuben died March 21, 1915 and Mathilda died 5 January 1916 - both are buried in the Dakota Cemetery, Stephenson Co.

He operated a flour mill in Monroe Wisconsin. The family moved to Rock Run Township, Stephenson County IL in 1871. Reuben's son Wilmot was born in 1859 in Monroe WI.

He taught in Ogle and Stephenson counties for over 20 years and also farmed. In 1903 he moved to Ridott, IL and ran the H.A. Hillmer Co. elevator until 1905. He then farmed for three years at Dakota where he ran the E.A. Brown elevator and also worked as a carpenter. His son Charles Oglesby Cotherman was born March 5, 1883.

At this point German was still the "mother speech" of the family. Charles' son was the Rev. Jesse Dixon Cotherman, the father of Richard, Mary Suzanne, and Linda LaVonne, the mother of Thomas Nathaniel.