History of Williamsburg, (Hampshire County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Darwin Rush James, representative, was born at Williamsburg, Mass., May 14, 1834; son of Lewis Lyman and Cerintha (Wells) James; grandson of Capt. Malachi James, and a descendant of Francis James, who came to Hingham, Mass., from Hingham, England, in 1638. He received his early education at a school in Amherst, Mass. In 1847 his parents removed with him to Williamsburg, N.Y. In 1850 he became clerk in a wholesale house in New York city, and in 1858 he engaged in the importation of spices, indigo and East India goods. The years 1868-69 he spent in travel, making the tour of the globe. He was Republican representative from the third congressional district of New York in the 48th and 49th congresses, 1883-87, in the latter congress making a national reputation by his successful opposition to the free-coinage bill. He declined the candidacy for a third term. He was for eighteen years secretary and for six years president of the New York board of trade and transportation; served for six years upon Brooklyn's board of park commissioners, and was appointed by President Harrison a member of the board of U.S. Indian commissioners, December, 1890, of which he was elected chairman. He actively engaged in various systematic efforts to disseminate Christian knowledge and to better the condition of the poor, serving as president of the Brooklyn Bureau of Charities. He was appointed in March, 1898, by Governor Black a member of the canal commission to investigate the expenditure of the nine million dollars voted by the people for the enlargement of the Erie canal.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James Henry Coffin, meteorologist, was born in Williamsburg, Mass., Sept. 6, 1806; son of Matthew and Betsey (Allen) Coffin, and fifth in the line of descent from Tristram Coffin, Jr., who came to America from Devonshire, England, in 1642. He was graduated at Amherst in 1828, and in 1829 he opened at Greenfield, Mass., a private school for boys. In 1830 he added a manual labor department, the first school of the kind in the United States. In 1832 it was chartered under the name of the "Fellenberg manual labour institution," which he conducted successfully until 1837, when he became principal of the academy at Ogdensburg, N.Y., and devoted his leisure to the study of astronomy and meteorology. In 1840 he went to Williams college as tutor and there he erected an observatory on Saddle mountain where he maintained, 4000 feet above sea level, a self-registering anemometer of his own invention. By means of this clockwork continuous observations were taken even during the three winter months when the ascent of the peak was impracticable. In 1872 he constructed for the Argentina astronomical observatory at C?rdoba, a duplicate of this instrument with improvements. He was principal of the Norwalk, Conn., academy, 1843-46, and held the chair of mathematics and astronomy in Lafayette college, 1846-73, serving the college as vice-president, 1849-53. He was married Dec. 5, 1833, to Aurelia Medici, daughter of the Rev. Ebenezer Jennings, of Dalton, Mass., and had two daughters and one son. His youngest daughter became the wife of the Rev. John C. Clyde, D.D. His son Selden Jennings Coffin, succeeded to his chair at Lafayette. Amherst conferred upon him the degree of M.A. in 1831, and Rutgers college that of LL. D. in 1859. He contributed frequently to scientific literature, was a member of National academy of sciences, and edited for the Smithsonian institution two large quarto volumes, giving the results of meteorological observations for 1854-59, besides various other publications of the institution. He published text books on Bookkeeping (1835); on Analytical Geometry (1849); on Conic Sections (1850); Solar and Lunar Eclipses (1845); and left incomplete The Winds of the Globe (1876). His life was written by John C. Clyde (1882). He died at Easton, Pa. Feb. 6, 1873.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Robert Allen Coffin, educator, was born in Williamsburg, Mass., Aug. 23, 1801; son of Matthew and Betsey (Allen) Coffin, and brother of James Henry Coffin. He was graduated at Amherst in 1825 and successfully conducted academies at New Ipswich, N. H., Warren, R. I., and New Bedford, Mass. He then settled in Conway, Mass., where he conducted a commercial school, and was an accountant. He was a member of the Massachusetts house of representatives. 1856-57. Amherst gave him the degree of M.A. in 1844. He published Compendium of Natural Philosophy (1844); and History of Conway (1867). He died in Conway, Mass., Sept. 4, 1878.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor