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Life of Charles Coffin

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0359

  • Staff Only

This collection consists of research notes for and a copy of the Life of Charles Coffin. The book was written by Coffin's great granddaughter Margaret Coffin and entails the life story of Charles Coffin.

Dates

  • circa 1937

Conditions Governing Access

Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.

Conditions Governing Use

The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Abstract

This collection consists of notes used to write the book Life of Charles Coffin. The book was written by Coffin's great granddaughter Margaret Coffin and entails the life story of Charles Coffin.

Biographical/Historical Note

Charles Coffin was born on August 15, 1775 in Newburyport, Massachusetts, to Charles and Hepzibah Coffin. He graduated from Harvard College in July of 1793 and later received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Williams College. He was licensed to preach the Gospel on May 14, 1799 and became an ordained Evangelist on September 11, 1804. Coffin moved to the southeast in 1799 and became Vice-President of Greeneville College in 1801.

He married Susan Woodbridge Ayer of Maine on October 9, 1802 and the couple had twelve children. The family moved to Tennessee in 1805, where Coffin continued his work with Greeneville College (becoming President in 1810) before assuming the Presidency of East Tennessee University in 1827. To induce him to leave Greeneville College, the Trustees offered a generous annual salary of $1500 and a president's home. Coffin resigned in 1832, having concluded that public opinion in Tennessee was not sufficient to support a college. He died in Greeneville, Tennessee on June 3, 1853.

Acquisition Note

This collection was donated to Special Collections by Mr. and Mrs. Hector Coffin in 1966.

Repository Details

Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository

Contact:
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville TN 37996 USA
865-974-4480