James Coffin

1639 - 1720  (80 years)

• Name	James Coffin  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28]
  Birth	12 Aug 1639	Brixton, Devon, England   [8, 20, 29]
  Baptism	11 Sep 1639	Brixton, Devon, England   [29]
  Gender	Male
  Christening	11 Sep 1639	Brixton, Devon, England   [29]
  FSID	9VWJ-WHJ  [30, 31]
  Burial	1720	Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts, United States   [2]
  	Tower Hill Cemetery Tower Hill Cemetery
  Death	28 Jul 1720	Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States   [2]
  Person ID	I45633	footsteps | Bunker, Capet, Rollo
  Last Modified	30 Jul 2025

  
  

  Father	Tristram Coffin,   b. 1605, Brixton, Devon, England d. 2 Oct 1681, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States (Age 76 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Dionis Stevens,   b. 1610, Brixton, Devon, England d. 16 Sep 1684, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States (Age 74 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	1630	Torbay, Devon, England
  Family ID	F6790	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Severance,   b. 5 Jun 1645, Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States d. 28 Jul 1720, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States (Age 75 years)
  Marriage	3 Dec 1663	Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States
  Children	+ 1. Abigail Coffin,   b. 1666, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States d. Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States  [Father: unknown]  [Mother: unknown] + 2. Deborah Coffin,   b. 15 Jul 1676, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States d. 8 Oct 1767, Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States (Age 91 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F25128	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	30 Jul 2025

  
  

• Notes

  The Honorable James Coffin was elected by the town of Nantucket to be the first representative to the Great and General Court under the royal charter granted by William and Mary in 1691. He held this honor twenty years and during those years also served the town as selectman and in other offices. For many years he was Judge of Probate and the first records of that office begin with his administration. He had fourteen children and from them came many who held high offices, among them being Nathaniel Coffin, the King's Cashier of Customs in Boston at the time of the Tea Party; Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin and his brother General John Coffin; Benjamin Coffin, the honored schoolmaster on Nantucket for forty-six years (1731-1777); the distinguished abolitionist, Lucretia Coffin Mott. (Research):from yearSOUR: SOUR @S46@ PAGE "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997M-R9Q4-6?cc=2061550&wc=Q4D7-HZ3%3A353350101%2C353350102%2C353353001 : 20 May 2014), Dukes > Edgartown > Town records 1657-1827 > image 15 of 528; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston. _LINK https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997M-R9Q4-6 NOTE https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997M-R9Q4-6 SOUR: SOUR @S50@ PAGE "Family Group Records Collection, Archives Section, 1942-1969," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QT-BFH?cc=2060211&wc=WWNV-NBN%3A352085901%2C353125801 : 20 May 2014), C > Coffin, Alexander (1790) - Coffman, John S. (1848) > image 868 of 1154; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, compiler, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE @N291@ _LINK https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QT-BFH NOTE https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QT-BFH

  
  

• Sources

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Sat Mar 09 15:49:08 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffin and Mary Stevens, 10 December 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHN4-SJM [S290] Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", FamilySearch (https://www./ark:/61903/1:1:Q29G-L6BB : Fri Mar 08 05:22:16 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffyn and Mary Severans, 03 Oct 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29G-L6BB [S291] Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927, "Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927", FamilySearch (https://www./ark:/61903/1:1:FHYG-JL2 : Thu May 23 01:38:27 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffyn and Mary Severans, 3 Oct 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHYG-JL2 [S291] Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927, "Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927", FamilySearch (https://www./ark:/61903/1:1:FCZW-HMN : Thu May 23 01:49:13 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffin and Mary Severance, 3 Dec 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCZW-HMN [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PB9 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin, 1640. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PB9 [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-YV8 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Jonathan Coffin, 1692. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-YV8 [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PB7 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for James Coffin, 1664. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PB7 [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PSZ : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Benjamin Coffin, 1683. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PSZ [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-RFJ : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Dinah Coffin, 1674. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-RFJ [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-YQZ : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Joseph Coffin, 1679. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-YQZ [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-FJB : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Abigail Coffin, 1666. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-FJB [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", , FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-V99 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for John Coffin, 1672. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-V99 [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-X4J : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Ebenezer Coffin, 1678. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-X4J [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-FB6 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Deborah Coffin, 1676. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-FB6 [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", , FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-JM4 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Elizabeth Coffin, 1675. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-JM4 [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", , FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-6J9 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Mary Coffin, 1665. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-6J9 [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", , FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PB9 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin, 1640. [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", , FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-PB7 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for James Coffin, 1664. [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", , FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDC-RFJ : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Dinah Coffin, 1674. [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-V99 : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for John Coffin, 1672. [S315] Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", , FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/1:1:VQDZ-X4J : 15 January 2020), James Coffin in entry for Ebenezer Coffin, 1678. [S291] Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927, "Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927", FamilySearch (https://www./ark:/61903/1:1:FHYG-JL2 : Thu May 23 01:38:27 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffyn and Mary Severans, 3 Oct 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHYG-JLK [S291] Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927, "Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927", FamilySearch (https://www./ark:/61903/1:1:FCZW-HMN : Thu May 23 01:49:13 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffin and Mary Severance, 3 Dec 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCZW-HMF [S290] Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", FamilySearch (https://www./ark:/61903/1:1:FHN4-SJM : Sat Mar 09 15:49:08 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffin and Mary Stevens, 10 December 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHN4-SN1 [S290] Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", FamilySearch (https://www./ark:/61903/1:1:Q29G-L6BB : Fri Mar 08 05:22:16 UTC 2024), Entry for James Coffyn and Mary Severans, 03 Oct 1663. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29G-L61M [S376] England, Devon Bishop's Transcripts, 1558-1887, "England, Devon Bishop's Transcripts, 1558-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G94Y-9WXH?cc=2515875&wc=QZ1P-1KN%3A1589444410 : 16 February 2016), 004392618 > image 29 of 288; Devon Record Office, Exeter. 1639 September 11 th James the sonne of Tristram Coffyn & Dionise his wife [S290] Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997M-R9Q4-6?cc=2061550&wc=Q4D7-HZ3%3A353350101%2C353350102%2C353353001 : 20 May 2014), Dukes > Edgartown > Town records 1657-1827 > image 15 of 528; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997M-R9Q4-6 [S342] Family Group Records Collection, Archives Section, 1942-1969, "Family Group Records Collection, Archives Section, 1942-1969," images, FamilySearch (https:///ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QT-BFH?cc=2060211&wc=WWNV-NBN%3A352085901%2C353125801 : 20 May 2014), C > Coffin, Alexander (1790) - Coffman, John S. (1848) > image 868 of 1154; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, compiler, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Tristram Coffin (1605-1681) married Dionis Stevens and had children according to research before 1944