The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-04-24
The Coffin Family

a fund for Coburn Park, made pos
sible by the offer of Charles A. Cof-
fin of New York. has led to an in
creased interest in the Coffin family
which has been identified with Somer-
set County since 1900. We made
the best presentation we could on
this subject In our issue of last week.
Research of Somerset County sources
alone was possible. While the ac-
count told something of the family
in this part of the world in the past
one hundred twenty-four years, even
those details were rather meagre and
a wealth of interesting material has
since become available.
We have now determined with rea-
sonable certainty that Charles Albert
Coffin, above referred to, was born at
the Lord place, six miles below
Skowhegan on the Back Road to Wat
erville. The date was December 30,
1874 He was the son of Albert and
Anstrus (varneyl Coffin, descendant
of Tristram Coffin who came to this
country from England, settling at
Salisbury, Massachusetts,, in 1912.
Here he lived for eighteen years but
in 1860 removed TO the Island of
Nantucket off the coast of Massachu-
sets. The family name in England
seems to have been often spelled
"Coffyn.' Soon after becoming estab
lished in America, however, the more
recent spelling became universal
From Tristram and ms wife Dionis
Stevens the line of descent is traced
through their son Stephen and his
wife Mary Bunker daughter of
George; their son stephen and his
wife Experience Look; their son Zeph
aniah and his wife Miriam Macy; their
son Stephen and his wife Mary Bun
ker; their son Alpheus and his wife
Love Pitts; and their son Rev. Charles
Frederick and his wife Mary Folsom,
who were the grandparents of Mr..
Coffin.
Tristram Coffin was the first COVER
nor of Nantucket He was the father
of the Hon. James Coffin. the widely
known Mary Coffin Starbuck and of
Hon. Peter Coffin of Dover, y. II.
Lucretia Mott acknowledged to be
one of the greatest women that Am
erica has produced, was descend
ant of Tristram Coffin. Others of
his descendants we're Admiral Sir
Isaac Coffin and his brother General
John Coffin, a staunch loyalist, as
was Sir Isaac Coffin. both of whom
greatly distinguished themselves for
gallantry in the Revolutionary War.
Charles A. Coffin received an aca-
demic education in Maine and began
his business career with his uncle
Charles F. Coffin, of Lynn, Mass,
prominent member of the Society of
Friends. and for nearly twenty years
ives engaged In manufacturing and
financing. In 1882 he formed syn
dictate which purchased a controlling
interest in the Thomson-Houston
Electric Company, which at that time
was moved from New Britain, Conn,
to Lynn. Mr. Coffin became the exec
utive head. His capacity for organi
cation soon resulted in rapid expan
sion of business. The Thomson
Houston concern acquired control of
the Excelsior, Schuyler, Van Depoele
railway, British and Bentlcy-knight
Electric companies. Later, the
Thomson Houston International Elec-
trio Company was organized. to han
die business in foreign countries. In
1892 a consolidation of the Thomson
Houston with the Edison General
Electric Company, the two leading
factors in the trade. was effected I'M
der the name of the General Elec-
.tric Company, of which Mr.. Coffin be-
came the head. This consolidation of
resources. engineering and inventive
talent had stimulating effect on the
industry as a whole. During the
thirty years that he was the head of
the organization, twenty years as
President and ten as chairman of its
board, the General Electric was the
main factor in an evolution which
made the past quarter of a century
known as tho age of electricity" In
all the avenues of progress and in
vention il has been a prime mover
and the impress of its creative energy
appears in every country where cleo
trical improvement has found a foot
ting. Its capitalization grew from
$35,000,000 in 1892 to 5000, 100000 in
1928; its volume of business from
$12,OOO,00O to $275,0 100000; the value
of its manufacturing plants from
$4,0O0,O00 to $157,000,000, and the
number of employees from 1000 to
$4,000. Among its many contribu
lions to scientific progress during Mr..
Collins management were the tur-
bine generator, machinery for the de-
velopment of electric energy from
water power, the electric propulsion
of ships, the introduction of electro
city for street railway transportation
and later for the propulsion of rail-
road trains and finally the remark
able development Of radio art It's
present main plant at Schenectady,
New York, is the largest in the world
devoted to the manufacture of cleo
trical appliances, and it has other
important manufacturing establish
ments at Lynn and Pittsfield, Mass,
Harrison, Watsessing and Newark,
New Jersey, Erie Pa, Cleveland, Ohio
and Fort Wayne, Ind, with 6malfer
auxiliary factories in many other
cities, AS the guiding force of this
vast organization during the period
of its greatest growth, Mr. Coffin and
hiq ahIa ocuoriotac did mnrn In direct