Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/322

 COFFIN

COFFIN

Devonshire, England, about the middle of the seventeenth century, and settled on Nantucket Island, of which he became owner of one tenth and was chief magistrate. Owen's preparatory education was acquired at a Friends" boarding school, at Sharon, Conn., academy, and at Kin- derhook academy. He was graduated at Union college in 1837 and was admitted to the bar in 1840, practising at Carmel, N.Y., 1840—45; at Poughkeepsie, 1845-51 ; and at Peekskill from 1851. In 1857 he was made trustee of the Peek- skill military academy and in 1859 was chosen president of the board of trustees. He was elected surrogate of AVestchester county, N.Y.. in 1870, and served from Jan. 1, 1871, to Jan. 1, 1895. He was married, June 15, 1842, to Belinda Emott Maison, who died in 1856. His second wife was Harriet Cooley, daughter of Samuel Bancroft Barlow, M.D., of New York city. Their son Samuel Barlow Coffin, was graduated from Union college in 1885, was admitted to the bar in 1888, and practised in Hudson, N.Y. Union college conferred upon Surrogate Coffin the de- gree of LL.D. in 1889. Many of his opinions were published in RedfieWs and Demarest's surrogate court reports.

COFFIN, Owen Vincent, governor of Connect- icut, was born in Union Vale, Dutchess county, N.Y., June 20, 1836; son of Alexander Hamilton and Jane (Vincent) Coffin; grandson of Robert and Magdalena (BentleyJ Coffin, and of German and Mary (Fowler) Vincent ; and a lineal descendant on his father's side of Tris- tram Coffin, gov- ernor of Nantucket, and of James Vande- burgh, a colonel in the American army and a friend of Washington. On his mother's side he descended from Capt. Israel Vale, who jTyy /7), yf) A'/?'^ participated as cap-

^^7iu4^2^:^J*^«^^^^^^ tain in the battle of K.^ White Plains and

other battles of the Revolution. He was edu- cated in the common schools, at Cortland acad- emy. Homer, and at the seminary at Char- lotteville, N.Y. He taught a district school with success for a while, but gave it uj) for mercan- tile business in New York city, residing in Brook- lyn, N.Y. He was a member of the U.S. Christian commission and president of the Brookh-n Y.M. C.A., 1862-64. In 1864 he removed to Middle- town, Conn., where he was an active executive officer of the Farmers' and Mechanics' savings bank, 1864-78. His health then became impaired

and he did not re-enter active business life till 1884, when he accepted the presidency of the Middlesex mutual fire assurance company. He was made president of the Middlesex county agri- cultural society in 1875, director and vice-presi- dent of the First national bank of Middletown ; a director, secretary and trea.surer of the Air Line railroad company-, and president of the Y.M.C. A. He was maj-or of Middletown, 1872-73 ; state sen- ator, 1887-88 and 1889-90; and governor of Con- necticut, 1895-97, having been elected on the Republican ticket by the largest majoritj' and plurality given to a candidate for that office in the state up to that time. He was married June 24, 1858, to Ellen Elizabeth Coe. Their son, Sew- ard Vincent, was graduated from Wesleyan uni- versity in 1889, and married Delia M. Brown in 1891, and their grandson, Vincent Brown Coffin, born in 1897, was in the tenth generation in direct line bearing the family name, in America. Gov- ernor Coffin received the degree of LL.D. froni Wesleyan university in 1896.

COFFIN, Peter, juri.st, was born in Devon- shire, England, in 1630; son of Tristram Coffin (born 1609, died 1681), the ancestor of all in the United States bearing the name of Coffin. [See life of Tristram Coffin (1881) by Allen Coffin.] Peter removed to Dover, N.H., about 1650, and there became a successful merchant. He was. deputy to the general court in Boston in 1672, 1673 and 1679. In 1689, when Dover was destroyed by the Indians, he and his family were captured but escaped and the next year removed to Exeter. He was chief justice of the superior court, 1697— 98, and associate justice, 1699-1712. He was married to Abigail, daughter of Edward Star- buck. He died in Exeter, N.H., March 21, 1715.

COFFIN, Robert Allen, educator, was born in Williamsburg. Mass., Aug. 23, 1801; son of Matthew and Betsey (AUen) Coffin, and brother of James Henry Coffin. He was graduated at Amherst in 1825 and successfully conducted academies at New Ipswich, N.H., Warren, R.I., and New Bedford, Mass. He then settled in Con- way, Mass., where he conducted a commercial school, and was an accountant. He was a mem- ber of the Massachusetts house of representatives, 1856-57. Amherst gave him the degree of M.A. in 1844. He published Compendium of Xaturnl Philosophy (1844); and History of Conimy (1867). He died in Conway, Mass., Sept. 4, 1878

COFFIN, Robert Barry, author, was born in Hudson, N.Y., July 21, 1826; grandson of Alex- ander Coffin, one of the original proprietors of Hudson, N.Y., and seventh in descent from Tristram Coffin, colonisi/, proprietor of Nan- tucket Robert was educated at Poughkeepsie collegiate institute, became a book-keeper in a