Zaccheus Coffin Family Sampler

Date: 1788 to 1798
Location: Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States
Surnames/tags: COFFIN JOY

Zaccheus Coffin Family Sampler (Family Record and Memorial - Painting)

A watercolor painting created by Phebe Folger depicting the family of Zaccheus Coffin, Jr. amongst flowers and vines. It includes the birth dates of Zaccheus and his wife, Thankful Joy, their marriage and the births of their children. The painting was created in Nantucket likely sometime between 1788 and Phebe's marriage in 1798.

The painting also provides details of Zaccheus' death "amongst the Turks." He was apparently captured on a sailing voyage by "Barbary Pirates" and held hostage in Algiers. He died in captivity. One of the many dangers faced by Nantucket mariners. The information may have been provided by other hostages who were subsequently released.

Information on Painting

• Zaccheus Coffin Born March 19th 1751
• Thankful Joy Born June 18th 1759

Children :

• Bethiah Coffin Born July 3rd 17– –
• Zaccheus Coffin Born May - - 178- -

Death

• Zaccheus Coffin Deceased December the 2nd 1788 after two years & five mo Captivity at Algiers

Note: Original birth records for Zaccheus and Thankful were 19 May 1751 and 18 Aug 1749, respectively. The discrepancy might be attributed to how the original records were transcribed. Prior to 1752, the Massachusetts Bay Colony followed the "Old Style" or Julian calendar-year which started with March as 1st month. So if Zaccheus' birth was recorded as 19th, 3rd mo, 1751, this would correspond with May. For Thankful, if her birth was originally recorded as the 6th month, it would be August. Many early Nantucket records come from the extensive compilation by William C. Folger (Phebe Folger's nephew). It's not always clear if his transcriptions were converted from "Old Style" to "New Style" dating. The difference of two months isn't critical for identifying individuals. The months used in the painting were used by the family.

The birth year of Thankful was more likely 1749 not 1759 based on the birth of her first child, Bethiah, who was born in 1771 (obscured in painting).

References

• Folger, Phebe, "Family Record and Memorial for Zaccheus Coffin and Thankful Joy," Nantucket Historical Association Collection, Accession number1927.0028.001, https://nantuckethistory.org:443/permalink/?key=1003_m1925 .
• Wikipedia contributors, "Barbary pirates," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barbary_pirates&oldid=1153452065 (accessed May 27, 2023).

See also :

• Dates, Calendars and Genealogy
• Old Style, New Style, or neither? https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1452521/old-style-new-style-or-neither .