JAMES HENRY COFFIN. 



1806-1873. 



FROM Sir Richard Coffin, Knight, who accompanied Wil- 

 liam the Conqueror to England in 1066, springs the genealog- 

 ical tree that bears the name of Tristram Coffin, who came to 

 America from Devonshire in 1642. Six years later he erected 

 " the Coffin house," still standing, at Newbury, Mass., and in 

 1660 he, with nine others, bought the island of Nantucket from 

 the Indians. His American descendants have been engaged, 

 to a large extent, in navigation. Of these, and fifth in the line 

 of descent from Tristram, is the subject of this sketch. 



James Henry Coffin was born in Williamsburg, Mass., on 

 the 6th day of September, 1806. He was therefore sixty-six 

 years old at the time of his decease, which occurred February 6, 

 1873, at Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., where he had for over 

 twenty-six years -filled the professorship of Mathematics and 

 Astronomy. From the full and faithful Life of Prof. Coffin, 

 by his son-in-law, Rev. John C. Clyde, D. D., we learn that he 

 was the third among the six children of Matthew Coffin and 

 Betsey Allen, both natives of Martha's Vineyard. His father's 

 occupation being that of a country broker, led him to travel 

 in New England, buying the bills of banks and presenting them 

 for redemption in coin at the place of issue. He frequently 

 had occasion to handle large sums of money, but being reputed 

 a superior marksman and well armed, was never molested on 

 his long journeys. He carried his specie in nail kegs. Among 

 the many commercial reverses that marked the close of the 

 second war with England were numerous bank failures. Four 

 banks in western Massachusetts closed in one week, and Mr. 

 Coffin was left with fourteen thousand dollars in the bills of 

 these institutions on his hands, which proved a total loss. He 

 died in 1820 without having repaired his lost fortunes. 



At the death of their father the older children were scat- 



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