Nathaniel Coffin
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Coffin was a surveyor and political figure in Lower Canada
and a militia officer in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766, the son of John Coffin, and left there with his family in 1775 at the start of the American Revolution
. He joined the British Army
in 1783. Coffin later returned to Quebec where he was appointed a surveyor in 1790.
In 1796, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Bedford County. Coffin was named a justice of the peace for Montreal district later that year. He served with the militia during the War of 1812
. Coffin was named deputy adjutant general of the Upper Canadian militia in 1814 and adjutant general in 1815. He was replaced by James FitzGibbon
as adjutant general at the start of the Upper Canada Rebellion
.
His brother Thomas
also served in the legislative assembly.
Coffin was friends with the Edinburgh
-born New England
bookseller and publisher John Mein
.
He died in Toronto
in 1846.
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
and a militia officer in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766, the son of John Coffin, and left there with his family in 1775 at the start of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1783. Coffin later returned to Quebec where he was appointed a surveyor in 1790.
In 1796, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
for Bedford County. Coffin was named a justice of the peace for Montreal district later that year. He served with the militia during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Coffin was named deputy adjutant general of the Upper Canadian militia in 1814 and adjutant general in 1815. He was replaced by James FitzGibbon
James FitzGibbon
James FitzGibbon was a British soldier and hero of the War of 1812.Born to Garrett FitzGibbon and Mary Widenham in Glin, County Limerick, Ireland, he enlisted in the Knight of Glin's Yeomanry Corps at age 15...
as adjutant general at the start of the Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
.
His brother Thomas
Thomas Coffin (Pre-confederation Canadian politician)
Thomas Coffin was a businessman, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Boston in 1762, the son of John Coffin, and came to the town of Quebec with his family in 1775. He became a merchant in Montreal...
also served in the legislative assembly.
Coffin was friends with the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
-born New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
bookseller and publisher John Mein
John Mein (publisher)
John Mein was a Boston, Massachusetts, bookseller and publisher in the time before the American Revolution...
.
He died in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1846.