DISTINGUISHED NANTUCKETERS . 127 



years, upon the opening of Vassar College, Miss 

 Mitchell was invited to fill the chair of mathematical 

 astronomy, whither she went, her father again accom- 

 panying her. 



Having the entire charge of the observatory con- 

 nected with Vassar College, giving lessons to classes 

 proper, only a few hours each day, she here leads a 

 life suited to her tastes, devoted to the welfare of the 

 college and in the interests of science. Being the 

 oldest resident, individually and professionally, she is 

 revered, not only by the students who come under her 

 instruction, but by the whole college and its faculty." 



Lucretia Mott. 



Lucretia Mott died at her residence near Philadel- 

 phia on the evening of Nov. 11, 1880, at the advanced 

 age of eighty-seven years ten months and eight days. 

 She was born at Nantucket, Jan. 3, A. D. 1793, in a 

 house which stood on the spot now occupied by the 

 residence of Capt. Obed Starbuck, on Fair Street. 

 Her father subsequently built the house now occupied 

 by Judge T. C. Defriez, next south of her birthplace, 

 in which her early childhood was passed. She was a 

 direct descendant of the first Tristram Coffin on the 

 paternal side, and of the first Peter Folger on the 

 maternal side, her father bearing the name of Thomas 

 Coffin, and her mother that of Anna (Folger) Coffin. 



In 1804, Lucretia then being only eleven years old, 

 her parents removed to Boston, Here for about two 

 years she attended the Boston schools, with great 

 advantage to herself. At the age of thirteen she 

 was sent to a Friends' boarding school, in Dutchess 



