I found a George Coats on the 1871 Census who might be Dorcas' father
George COATS, age 21, Private, aboard Royal Navy Vessel At Sea "Cossack", born Georgeham Devon c1850. (The ages on the sheet have been written over to make them clearer - there is a bit of a shadow beside the 21 so it may have been age 27 or 29 originally)
ref RG10/5780/10 page 12
In 1861, at the Crown Inn, Ilfracombe Devon, there is this family
COATS, George, head, age 61, Innkeeper, Maltster & Mason, born Georgeham, Devon
COATS, Ann, wife, age 61, born Devon "Berynarbor"??
COATS, George, unmarried, age 18, apprentice ships carpenter, born Ilfracombe
COATS, Joseph, unmarried, age 16, apprentice blacksmith, born Ilfracombe
ISAAC, Mathew, married, age 47, visitor, carver, born Exeter
PRO ref RG9/1492/37 page 4
In 1851, the family was also at the Crown Inn with older siblings
COATS, George, head age 51, Landlord
COATS, Ann, age 48, Landlord's wife
Thomas, son, age 19, shipwright's apprentice
Ann, dau. age 17, scholar
John, son, age 14, scholar
Kezia, dau age 11, scholar
George, son, age 9, scholar
Joseph, son, age 6, scholar
All children born Ilfracombe Devon
PRO ref HO107/1893/54 page 11
Hope this helps
Heather
After all that I found that there were at least two George Coats registered in Devon early 1840s. Also at least one of them is on the 1901 census with a wife Mary so the above may well not be your man. Guess it will depend on what Dorcas's marriage certificate states for her father's name and if the marriage below was for her parents.
