Alexander Coffin Jr. (1764 - 1836)

Born 15 Nov 1764 in Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Hussey) Coffin — married 15 Apr 1784 in Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States

Husband of Mary (Dayton) Coffin — married 10 May 1816 in Hudson, Columbia, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Feb 1836 at age 71 in Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Robert Gardner [send private message]

Biography

Midshipman Alexander Coffin Jr. served with Continental Navy during the American Revolution.

Midshipman Alexander Coffin Jr. was a Prisoner of War during American Revolution.

Captain Alexander Coffin Jr. was a Prisoner of War during War of 1812.

Alexander was born in 1764 to parents Alexander and Eunice (Bunker) Coffin.^[1]

From 1781 to 1782, aged 17-18, he served as Midshipman on the frigate South Carolina, sailing from Amsterdam to Havana taking several British ship prizes during the American Revolution.^[2]

HMS Jersey.

Alexander was taken prisoner by the British Navy while serving on a merchant ship in 1782. He was sent to the prison ship HMS Jersey near New York. He described his experiences in detail in a pamphlet published in 1807:^[3]

“On my arrival on board the Old Jersey, I found there about 1,100 prisoners; many of them had been there from three to six months, but few lived over that time if they did not get away by some means or other. They were generally in the most deplorable situation, mere walking skeletons, without money, and scarcely clothes to cover their nakedness, and overrun with lice from head to feet."

He was released after a couple months...

"...they found means to procure my release, passing me for a Quaker, to which I confess I had no pretensions further than my mother being a member of that respectable society."

... but was recaptured a short time later and sent back to the same prison ship.

“It was just three months from my leaving the Old Jersey to my being again a prisoner on board of her, and on my return I found but very few of the men I had left three months before. Some had made their escape; some had been exchanged; but the greater part had taken up their abode under the surface of the hill, which you can see from your windows, where their bones are mouldering to dust, mingled with mother earth."

Interior of Jersey prison ship.

Alexander concludes...

“Thus, Sir, in some haste, without much attention to order or diction, I have given you part of the history of my life and sufferings, but I endeavored to bear them as became an American. And I must mention before I close, to the everlasting honor of those unfortunate Americans who were on board the Jersey, that notwithstanding the savage treatment they received, and death staring them in the face, every attempt which was made by the British to persuade them to enter their ships of war or in their army, was treated with the utmost contempt."

In 1784 Alexander married Lydia Hussey, daughter of Batchelder and Ann Hussey.^[4]

Alexander removed to New York about 1810.^[5]

He was likely on a merchant voyage when he was again taken prisoner by the British during the War of 1812.^[6]

He married Mary "Polly" (Dayton) Gelston widow of William and daughter of John Dayton of Rhode Island in 1816.^[7]

Alexander worked as a mariner and whaling Master.

Summary of Whaling Voyages

List of Capt. Alexander Coffin's whaling voyages serving as Master^[8] :

Ship	Port	Depart	Return	Destination	Oil Harvest
Lorenzo	New Bedford, MA	1820	1821	Pacific	—
Alliance	New Bedford, MA	1822	1824	Pacific	1400 bbl
Constitution	Nantucket, MA	1827	1830	Pacific	1915 bbl
Meteor	Hudson, NY	1832	1833	—	1500 bbl
James Munroe	Hudson, NY	1833	1834	Africa	1150 bbl
Edward	Hudson, NY	1835	1836	—	840 bbl

Note : Name in whaling database is Alexander Gardner Coffin. First served as Master at age 56 and completed final voyage at age 72.

Alexander passed away in 1836.^[9][10]

Research Notes

Alexander's birth date was given as the 15th during his Pension Application deposition in 1833. Other sources show the 16th or 17th.

From Find a Grave memorial :

Burial: Hudson City Cemetery, Hudson, Columbia County, New York, USA.

Family Members

Parents

Alexander Coffin 1740-1839

Children

Maria H Coffin Craig 1791-1870

Lydia Gorham Coffin Weyman 1796-1824

Sources

1. ↑ The Barney Genealogical Record Online Database, Nantucket Historical Association, entry for Alexander Coffin Jr, Person ID I2453, https://genealogy.nha.org/getperson.php?personID=I2453&tree=barney (accessed 1 May 2023).
2. ↑ American Revolution Veteran Pension Application for Alexander Coffin, Jr, 1833, Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters, http://revwarapps.org/w8617.pdf (accessed 1 May 2023).
3. ↑ “The Destructive Operation of Foul Air, Tainted Provisions, Bad Water, and Personal Filthiness, Upon Human Constitutions, Exemplified in the Unparallelled Cruelty of the British to the American Captives at New York During the Revolutionary War, on Board their Prison and Hospital ships. By Captain Alexander Coffin, Junior, One of the Surviving Sufferers. In a Communication to Dr. Mitchell, dated September 4th, 1807”, AcessGenealogy website, https://accessgenealogy.com/america/the-narrative-of-captain-alexander-coffin.htm (accessed 1 May 2023).
4. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPC3-X3YC : 11 May 2022), Alexander Coffin and Lydia Hussey, 15 Apr 1784; citing Marriage, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009742.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1810", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XH29-R9F : Wed Apr 05 10:47:32 UTC 2023), Entry for Alexander Coffin, 1810, New York Ward 5, New York, New York.
6. ↑ "Prisoners of War, 1715-1947", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FWL-GJLG : 20 May 2022), Alexander Coffin, 1813.
7. ↑ American Revolution Veteran Pension Application for Alexander Coffin, Jr, 1833.
8. ↑ “The Whaling History”, database, New Bedford Whaling Museum, accessed 28 Apr 2023, entry for Alexander Coffin: WRI AM1096, https://whalinghistory.org/wriAM1096 .
9. ↑ "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FD1R-T2R : 13 May 2022), Alexander Coffin, 1 Feb 1836, Manhattan, New York County, New York.
10. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203400452/alexander-coffin: accessed 01 May 2023), memorial page for CPT Alexander Coffin Jr. (16 Nov 1764–2 Feb 1836), Find a Grave Memorial ID 203400452, citing Hudson City Cemetery, Hudson, Columbia County, New York, USA; Maintained by C D Bird (contributor 49157592).

• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-5XG : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Ann Coffin, 1788, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "United States Census, 1790", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XHKG-Q8L : Wed Mar 15 19:43:24 UTC 2023), Entry for Alexander Coffin, 1790, Sherburn, Nantucket, Massachusetts .
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-6VP : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Maria Coffin, 1791, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-6RP : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Alexander Coffin, 1793, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-VX8 : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Lydia Coffin, 1796, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-L49 : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Sally Coffin, 1799, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-F7W : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Harriet Coffin, 1807, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-G6V : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Frederick Coffin, 1809, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-6LK : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Mary Coffin, 1817, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-RHG : 15 January 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Caroline J. Coffin, 23 Apr 1819, citing Birth, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
• "United States Census, 1820", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XHL1-YM2 : Mon Mar 13 16:54:54 UTC 2023), Entry for Alexn Coffin, 1820, New York Ward 8, New York, New York.
• "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5M-C5F : 20 February 2021), Alexr Coffin, New York Ward 9, New York, New York, United States; citing 342, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 97; FHL microfilm 17,157.
• "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-P47K : accessed 1 May 2023), Alexander Coffin Jr, 04 Sep 1834; citing New York City, New York County, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 10; FHL microfilm 1,319,390.
• "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WD8-QRQ : 3 June 2020), Alexander Coffin in entry for Mary A. Pease, 1 Nov 1890; citing Death, Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,322,692.
• Coffin, Louis. The Coffin Family. (Nantucket Hist. Assoc., Nantucket, Mass., 1962) Page 199.