By Gracelyn Barmore-Pooley, Glucksman Ireland House, New York University

© Gracelyn Barmore-Pooley, 2024. All rights reserved.

Although Lemuel Coffin was not Irish, he lived in Irishtown for a time, and certainly interacted with and lived alongside Irish immigrants. Coffin was from Maryland and had been a mariner since at least 1838 when he appears on the manifest of the Potomac, sailing from Vera Cruz, Mexico to New York.[1] In 1850 Coffin lived in Ward 5 in Brooklyn.[2] He was married to Elisabeth Coffin, and they had three children, Ann (5), Lemuel (4), and Henrietta (1). Also living with them was Henrietta Watts, Elisabeth’s mother, and Stephen Watts, presumably her brother. Stephen is listed as a seaman living at 37 Hudson Avenue in the 1850-1851 City Directory.[3]

“Lemuel Coffin” was still working as a seaman in 1853 when he was then living a few doors down at 33 Hudson Avenue.[4] In the 1855 New York State Census, the Coffin family still lived on Hudson Avenue. Lemuel, Elisabeth, Henrietta, and the two eldest children were counted as being “resident in the same city or town” for seven years, meaning they likely moved to Brooklyn permanently in 1848.[5] The Coffins lived in the same building as the Randall family, with American-born James married to Irish-born Mary and Irish-born John and Margaret Urie. Both James Randall and John Urie worked as ship carpenters, meaning all three male heads of household living at this Hudson Avenue building may have worked at the Navy Yard. They lived next door to Eneas Cannon and the rest of his family, who made their home at 45 Hudson Avenue in 1855.[6]

In the 1860 Federal Census, he is recorded as “Samuel,” and by then had moved to District 2 of Ward 11, south and east of Irishtown but still close to the Navy Yard. Coffin is listed in the Civil War Draft Registration Records, although it is not clear if he ever served or saw combat.[7] He was counted at his residence, 155 Gold Street, on July 1st, 1863 as a “sea captain”, although the City Directory that same year said he was a “seaman”. [8]  The Coffins moved a few blocks into neighboring Ward 4, according to the 1865 New York Census.[9] They now had five children. Stephen, their eldest son, became a silversmith and was employed in Brooklyn. Lemuel is again listed as a sea captain but without a specific place of work, potentially due to the transiency of sailor’s employment. Additionally, he is not listed as being employed by the Navy.

The Coffin family stayed in that part of Brooklyn for many years. In 1874, they lived at 173 Sands.[10] In the 1876 City Directory, he is listed as a shipmaster, at 76 Powers in Williamsburg.[11] When, in September 1875 Henrietta Watts passed away, she was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, an indication that the family’s religion was Protestant.[12] In 1878, Coffin still lived at 76 Powers and gave his occupation as a seaman.[13]

Coffin next appears in the 1900 Federal Census, living in Sailor’s Snug Harbor.[14] His occupation is listed as “mariner,” and he is also described as “widowed,” meaning Elisabeth died in the intervening period. There is an Elisabeth Cannon in the New York Death Index for King’s County in 1895, which suggests Lemuel lived for a few years on his own before moving to Sailors’ Snug Harbor.[15]

Sailors’ Snug Harbor was a charitable institution, established by the will of Robert Randall, and was one of the first almshouses in the United States to cater specifically for retired seamen.[16] It was located on the north shore of Staten Island, with New York City and Brooklyn a “short and inexpensive ferry ride” away.[17] The first thirty-seven mariners started living there on August 1, 1833.[18] Between 400 and 800 sailors lived there at a time; altogether, 40,000 “old mariners” retired there.[19] Lemuel Coffin was one of 1,000 residents in 1900.[20] Sailors’ Snug Harbor was an “elegantly landscaped home for destitute sailors from all ranks and classes.”[21] The hierarchy within the institution enforced by the director (Thomas Melville before Coffin’s time), recreated the strict social structure that existed on ships, and that the retired sailors were familiar with.[22]

Although all the sailors admitted to the Harbor were male, working-class women were hired as both temporary and full-time employees, ranging from seamstresses, laundresses, cooks, and the Matron.[23] Many of the women employed at the retirement home were Irish, with all but one of the laundresses and scrub-women in the 1900 census having been born in Ireland.[24] Living in the Matron’s Cottage, as many female employees did, ensured better living and working-conditions than those employed in factories, with its “bright” and “well-ventilated” quarters.[25] Lemuel Coffin and the rest of the sailors also enjoyed spacious living quarters, with large windows, beds and dressers, and the freedom to bring all your own possessions.[26] It is clear that the Harbor was in many ways a “snug” place to spend one’s sunset years after a lifetime at sea.

Coffin was still at Sailors’ Snug Harbor in the 1910 Census, listed as a “retired sailor.”[27] In the intervening ten years, he may have worked, as some inmates were expected to, or made baskets and mats as a source of income.[28] Coffin died in 1913, still at Sailor’s Snug, and was buried in the Harbor’s cemetery.[29] His death was noted in the Norwich Bulletin, presumably because of his longevity.[30] Lemuel Coffin lived for 101 days, five months, and twenty-two days. Some of that time, he spent living in Irishtown, surrounded by Irish immigrants, voices, and storefronts. He ended his days among fellow sailors, taken care of by Irish immigrants in the Matrons Residence.[31]

[1] E. Coffin, M237, Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Immigration Lists, 1820-1850 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2003; E. Coffin, Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

[2] Lemuel E. Coffin, Household 1031, Family 2397, King’s County (Brooklyn City), Ward 5, p. 271. Ancestry.com. United States, Federal Census, 1850 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009.

[3] Lemuel Coffin, Hearne’s Brooklyn City Directory for 1850-1851, (Brooklyn: Henry R. & William J. Hearne), p. 83. Google Books.

[4] Lemuel Coffin, Hearne’s Brooklyn Directory for 1853-1854, (Brooklyn: Henry R. & William J. Hearne), p. 109. Google Books.

[5] Clemuel Coffin, Dwelling 61, Families 265-267, King’s County (Brooklyn City), Ward 5, ED 1, p. 14. Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1855 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

[6] Enese Canon [sic, Eneas J Cannon], Household 60, Families 261-164, King’s County (Brooklyn City), Ward 5, ED 1, p. 14. Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1855 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

[7] Lemuel Coffin, No. 65 Entry 172. Anceestry.com. U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

[8] Lemuel E. Coffin, Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1863. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[9] Saml Coffin, House 66, King’s County (Brooklyn City), Ward 4, p. 10. Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1865 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

[10] Lemuel Coffin, Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1874. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[11] Lemuel Coffin, Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1876. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[12] Henrietta Watts, Sept. 1875, Green-Wood Cemetery, King’s County (Brooklyn). Ancestry.com. U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

[13] Lemuel Coffin, Brooklyn, New York, City Directory, 1878. Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[14] Lemuel E. Coffin, House 8, Richmond, New York, Ward 1, p. 9. Ancestry.com. United States, Federal Census, 1900 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[15] Elisabeth Coffin, 8 April 1895. Ancestry.com. New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

[16] Sherene Baugher, “Landscapes of Power: Middle Class and Lower-Class Power Dynamics in a New York Charitable Institution.” International journal of historical archaeology 14, no. 4 (2010), 476.

[17] Baugher, “Landscapes of Power,” 479.

[18] Letter to the Editor, “Gerald J. Barry, Snug Harbor History,” New York Times (New York), June 17, 1999. ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

[19] Baugher, “Landscapes of Power,” 476; Letter to the Editor, “Gerald J. Barry, Snug Harbor History,” New York Times (New York), June 17, 1999. ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

[20] Sherene Baugher, “Sailors’ Snug Harbor: A Landscape of Gender and Power.” In Archaeology and Preservation of Gendered Landscapes. (New York, NY: Springer New York), 2010, 169.

[21] Baugher, “Landscapes of Power,” 476.

[22] Baugher, “Sailors’ Snug Harbor,” 170.

[23] Baugher, “Sailors’ Snug Harbor,” 174.

[24] Annie McCarthy, House 8, Richmond, New York, Ward 1, p. 8. Ancestry.com. United States, Federal Census, 1900 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[25] Baugher, “Sailors’ Snug Harbor,” 175.

[26] Ibid, 178.

[27] Samuel E. Coffin, District 1337, Richmond, New York, Ward 1, p. 3a. Ancestry.com. United States, Federal Census, 1910 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

[28] Baugher, “Landscapes of Power,” 492.

[29] Lemuel Coffin, 10 Dec 1913, Sailors Snug Harbor Cemetery, Richmond County (New Brighton). Ancestry.com. U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

[30] “Condensed Telegrams,” Norwich Bulletin, (Norwich, Connecticut), December 12, 1913, p. 1.  ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

[31] Lemuel E. Coffin, House 8, Richmond, New York, Ward 1, p. 9. Ancestry.com. United States, Federal Census, 1900 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.