Nathaniel Coffin (April 20, 1744 – October 21, 1826) was an 18th- and 19th-century American

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

. He became president of the Maine Medical Society, and was recognized as the most eminent physician in what became the

State of Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

Life and career

Coffin was born in 1744, in

Newburyport Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The m ...

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in New England which became one of the thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III and Mary II, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of Eng ...

, to Dr. Nathaniel Coffin and Patience Hale. His father was a descendant of English immigrant Tristram Coffin, who arrived on American shores in 1642. Coffin Jr. studied medicine under his father, and in 1763 left to work for two years in England, at

Guy's Hospital Guy's Hospital is an NHS hospital founded by philanthropist Thomas Guy in 1721, located in the borough of Southwark in central London. It is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and one of the institutions that comprise the Kin ...

and

St Thomas' Hospital St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS teaching hospital in Central London, England. Administratively part of the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, together with Guy's Hospital, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospita ...

in London. Coffin's father died in 1766, at which point Nathaniel Jr. inherited his practice, in what at the time was known as Falmouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay (today's

Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...

). In 1769, he married Eleanor Foster, of Charlestown, Province of Massachusetts Bay, with whom he had seven children. The Coffinses daughter, Eleanor, had commissioned portraits of her parents in 1820, undertaken in

oil-on-panel A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel of wood, either a single piece or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, panel painting was the normal method, when not pain ...

Gilbert Stuart Gilbert Stuart ( Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter born in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists. His best-k ...

. Another daughter, Martha, married Richard Crowninshield Derby. In 1775, Coffin and two others boarded HMS ''Canceaux'''','' the sloop of Captain Henry Mowat, in an unsuccessful attempt to dissuade his planned

burning of Falmouth The Burning of Falmouth (October 18, 1775) was an attack by a fleet of Royal Navy vessels on the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts (site of the modern city of Portland, Maine, and not to be confused with the modern towns of Falmouth, Massachus ...

. In 1803, Coffin had built the Washington Hall Hotel in today's Monument Square, Portland. It stood for the next 162 years, having closed in 1900. Coffin and four other Maine physicians petitioned the council of the

Massachusetts Medical Society The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is the oldest continuously operating state medical association in the United States. Incorporated on November 1, 1781, by an act of the Massachusetts General Court, the MMS is a non-profit organization t ...

to permit a District of Maine Medical Society, with the intent of meetings behind held in Portland. It was granted, and Coffin became the Society's president. He was a member of Portland's First Parish Church.

Death

Coffin died in 1826, aged 82. His wife preceded him in death. They were both interred in Portland's Eastern Cemetery.

Legacy

In his obituary in the ''

Boston Daily Advertiser The ''Boston Daily Advertiser'' (est. March 1813) was the first daily newspaper in Boston, and for many years the only daily paper in Boston. History The ''Advertiser'' was established in early March 1813. It was published by William W. Clapp ...

'' (but provided by the ''Portland Advertiser'') on October 26, 1826, Coffin was described as "the most ancient and eminent physician in

hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...

state".''Boston Daily Advertiser'', October 26, 1826

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coffin, Nathaniel 1744 births 1826 deaths Physicians from Maine 18th-century American physicians 19th-century American physicians People from Portland, Maine People from Newburyport, Massachusetts