Dr. Edmund Coffin was born 19 March 1708 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Coffin (1669-1749) and Sarah Brocklebank (1668-1750) and died 29 January 1789 Kittery, York County, Maine of unspecified causes. He married Shuah Bartlett (1715-1803) 15 November 1732 in Kittery, York County, Maine.
Biography
Edmund Coffin was a physician who settled in Kittery (now Eliot) in 1730 and moved to Shapleigh early." page 77, Early families of Shapleigh and Acton by Frederick R. Boyle
Dr. Edmund Coffin was born in Newbury, Mass., March 19, 1708. He was the sixth son of Hon. Nathaniel Coffin. He removed from Newbury to Kittery, [now Eliot,] about 1730, and commenced practice as a Physician. His residence was near the house of Mr. Sylvester Bartlett. He was buried in its close vicinity, and his tombstone may yet be seen. He married Shuah Barllett, November 15, 1732. She was born January 1, 1716."
"My father, [James W. Bartlett,] says that the Dr. lived in the house which stood near the foot of our garden; and that his grave is in the burying ground in Uncle Sylvester Bartlett's field opposite this house."
Capt. Nathan Bartlett, in his will, makes mention of Dr. Coffin's land as South of his own.
Dr. and Mrs. Shuah Coffin were recorded members of the earliest church in Eliot,—the Rev. John Rogers minister.
Without doubt the first physician to settle in the upper parish of Kittery, now Eliot, was Dr. Edmund Coffin. Born in Newbury, Mass., March 19, 1708; the sixth son of the Hon. Nathaniel Coffin. He removed from Newbury to Eliot, about 1730; and commenced practice as a physician. He married Shuah Bartlett, the daughter of Capt. Nathan and Shuah (Heard) Bartlett. The marriage intention was entered " Sept. ye nth, 1732."
Dr. Coffin's house stood near the home of Mr. James W. Bartlett, at the foot of the garden; and his grave is in the old burying ground in the field of Mr. C. Edward Bartlett. His gravestone may yet be seen. He had thirteen children, the youngest born in 1759.
In Coffin's history of Newbury, page 210, is a letter, written by Dr. Coffin, of Eliot, to his father; and on page 337, is another communication.
In the Berwick town records, 1730, we find the following: 'Voted that three pounds be granted to Dr. Edmund Coffin, for the prime cost of his medicines, in doctoring Ebenezer Beltwood in his long and lingering sickness, when on his deathbed."
Marriage and Family
It is a matter of record that Dr. Edmund Coffin married Shuah Bartlett, daughter of Capt. Nathan and Mrs. Shuah (Heard) Bartlett, November 15, 1732. Both were of Kittery (now Eliot.) Their marriage intentions were announced and entered "September ye 11th, 1732."
Two sons of Dr. Coffin,—Nathan and Nathaniel,—were patriots of the Revolution, and proved their zeal by actual service. Nathan was Sergeant, Capt. T. Fernald's Co. 30th Foot Reg. United Colonies; enlisted May 3, 1775. He was then twenty-six years old.
Nathaniel was First Lieut. Capt. John Shapleigh's Co. Coast Guards, at Kittery Point, in 1775; and in Capt. Hubbard's Co. Coast Guards, January to November, 1776. —See July Old Eliot, pp. 106, 119.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Edmund Coffin (1732-1734) | |||
| Edward Coffin (1733-1735) | |||
| Phebe Coffin (1734-1832) | |||
| Edmund Coffin (1736-1748) | |||
| Nathaniel Coffin (1738-1823) | |||
| Sarah Coffin (1740-1774) | |||
| Jane Coffin (1742-) | |||
| James Coffin (1745-1830) | 22 July 1745 Kittery, York County, Maine, United States | 26 November 1830 Saco, York County, Maine, United States | Martha McLellan (1745-1825) |
| Mary Coffin (1747-) | |||
| Nathan Coffin (1749-1791) | |||
| Enoch Coffin (1751-1761) | |||
| John Coffin (1753-) | |||
| Shuah Coffin (1756-) | |||
| Apphia Coffin (1759-) | |||
| John Coffin (1766-1843) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| John Coffin (1694-1762) | 1 January 1694 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts | 30 September 1762 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts | Judith Greenleaf (1692-1772) |
| Enoch Coffin (1696-1728) | |||
| Baby Coffin (1697-1697) | |||
| Apphia Coffin (1698-1715) | |||
| Samuel Coffin (1700-1727) | |||
| Joseph Coffin (1702-1773) | |||
| Jane Coffin (1705-1783) | |||
| Edmund Coffin (1708-1789) | 19 March 1708 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts | 29 January 1789 Kittery, York County, Maine | Shuah Bartlett (1715-1803) |
| Moses Coffin (1711-1793) | |||
Vital Records
Old Coffin Home Gravestones
- Location: Shapleigh, York County, Maine, USA
- Plot: 68 23rd Street Loop west side of road 1500' from Rt. 11
- GPS: N43.32.363 W70.51.501 +/- 26'
References
- Genealogy of the Early Generations of the Coffin Family of New England - 1870 work by Silvanus Jenkins Macy (Author), Nathaniel Wheeler Coffin (Author), William S. Appleton (Author) - This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
- Edmund Coffin - disambiguation
- Coffin Family of Boston - Boston Brahmin
- Coffin in Essex County, Massachusetts
- Old Eliot (formerly Kittery ME): A Monthly Magazine of the History and Biography, Volume 2, p. 71
- Dr Edmund Coffin at Find A Grave #115668086
- Dr Edmund Coffin - GENI
- Dr Edmund Coffin - WikiTree
- COFFIN GATHERINGS: Five Generations of Descendants of Tristram Coffin of Newbury and Nantucket, By W. S. Appleton. Boston: Press of David Clapp & Son, 1896, p 5. [An outgrowth of the anniversary meeting of the Coffin family at Nantucket in 1881.]