Captain Nathaniel Coit

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Coit-82

Nathaniel Coit (1659 - 1743)

Capt. Nathaniel "Nathanael, Nathanaell, Nathanel" Coit aka Cotte, Coitt, Coyt
Born 13 Apr 1659 in Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusettsmap
ANCESTORS ancestors
Son of John Coit Jr. and Mary (Stevens) Fitch
Brother of John Coit, Mary (Coit) Ellery, Abigail (Coit) Millett and Job Coit
Husband of Elizabeth (Davis) Coit — married 16 Feb 1687 (to 11 Feb 1700) in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts Baymap
Husband of Abigail (Sargent) Coit — married 17 Feb 1702 (to 8 Jan 1710) in Gloucester, Massachusettsmap
Husband of Hannah (Howard) Coit — married after 30 Nov 1711 in Gloucester, Essex County, Province of Massachusetts Baymap
DESCENDANTS descendants
Father of Mary (Coit) Allen, Job Coit, Martha (Coit) Davis, Abigail (Coit) Riggs and Stephen Coit
Died 10 Jan 1743 at age 83 in Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusettsmap
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Profile last modified 11 Dec 2022 | Created 22 May 2011
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Biography

Nathaniel Cotte was born 13 April 1659 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a son of John Cotte and his wife Mary. [1]

Nathaniel Coitt, husbandman, took the Oath of Fidelity in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1677.[2] [Is this an older man of the same name?]

Nathaniel Coit married Elizabeth Davis (a.k.a. Davies), his first wife, in Gloucester on 16 February 1686/7.[3] Their children were Mary, John, Abigail, Joshua and Martha.[4]

Nathaniel Coit married two more times:[4]

Second to Abigail Sargent, widow of William Stevens. Daughter Abigail II b. 1702 and Stephen.
His third marriage was to Hannah (Haward) Sargeant. She was the widow of John Sargeant. They registered their marriage intentions in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on 30 November 1711.[5] There were no children from this marriage.
On 27 April 1693, Nathanel Coit was recorded as a head of household in Gloucester who did not own a house and had no land. He did have two horses, one ox, and three cows.[6] He was living with Henry Walker, who was childless and died later that year, leaving the bulk of his property to Nathaniel. This being a very large estate, it made its possessor a man of influence. He was on the committee for procuring a minister, was selectman for six years; representative of the town in 1714, 1718 and 1719. His residence was near the head of Little River. In 1704, he was complained of to the General Court for not keeping open the cut made by Rev. Mr. Blynman (then in Coit's possession) between the waters of Massachusetts and Ipswich Bays. He re-opened it, being allowed a tax or toll on vessels passing through it, but it was closed again by a great storm in 1728.[4]

He bore the title of "Captain", but whether from service in the militia or on the sea (or both) is not known.[4]

He is buried in the Ancient Burying Ground (also called First Parish Burial Ground) in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where his gravestone was inscribed as follows:[7][8]

HERE LYES BURIED
THE BODY OF CAPT
NATHANIEL COIT
AGED 84 YEARS
WHO DIED JANry
ye 10th 1742/3
His death was without previous indisposition at the ripe age of 84.[4]

The name Coit has not existed in Gloucester since his death, although descendants of his daughters are numerous.[4]

Research Note

There are many choices for Nathaniel's first wife, Elizabeth. Elizabeth could be either Elizabeth, the daughter of Jacob Davis and Elizabeth (Bennett) Davis, born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on 27 : 4 m : 1667 (i.e., 27 June 1667) or Elizabeth, the daughter of James Davis and Elizabeth (Batchelder) Davis, born in Gloucester on 11 : 7 m : 1669 (i.e., 11 September 1669. She could also be Elizabeth (Bennett) Davis, as Jacob Davis died 1685, so she was the widow Elizabeth Davis.

Sources

↑ Felt, Rev. Joseph B. "Genealogical Items Relative to Gloucester, Massachusetts". The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 4 (1850), page 361, citing Essex Court Records.
↑ The Essex Genealogist. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) Vol. 20 (2000), page 200.
↑ New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Vol. 1, page 345: COIT, Nathaniel (1659-) & 1/wf Elizabeth DAVIS (-1700); 16 Feb 1686/7; Gloucester {Coit 19; Dawes-Gates 1:195, 282}.
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Chapman, F. W. The Coit family; or, The descendants of John Coit, who appears among the settlers of Salem, Mass., in 1638, at Gloucester in 1644, and at New London, Conn., in 1650. Hartford, Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1874. pages 19-20.
↑ Wheeler, Richard S. "Nathaniel Wharfe/Wharff of Gloucester," The Essex Genealogist. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) Vol. 14 (1994), page 206.
↑ The Essex Genealogist. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) Vol. 27 (2007), page 181.
↑ "Gloucester Inscriptions: Ancient Burying Ground." The Essex Antiquarian. Salem, MA: The Essex Antiquarian, 13 vols. 1897-1909. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006.) Vol. 9 (1905), page 4.
↑ Find A Grave, memorial page for Capt Nathaniel Coit (13 Apr 1659–10 Jan 1743), Find A Grave Memorial no. 61836635, citing First Parish Burial Ground, Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by John Glassford (contributor 47271570).
Essex, Massachusetts Probate Records, 1648-1840
U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930
Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
Massachusetts: Legislators of the General Court, 1691-1780 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002), (Orig. Pub. by Northeastern University Press , Boston, MA. John A. Schutz, Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court 1691–1780 A Biographical Dictionary, 1997.) page 1841, Nathaniel Coit: Gloucester HR 1704, 18, 19; elder; selectman 1701-04, 06, 07; ensign 1704, capt. 1718; M Elizabeth Davis (c1668-j1700) in 1687 and Abigail (Sargeant) Stevens (c1663-j1710) in j1702 and Hannah (Howard) Sargeant (c1660-c1749) in 1711, 6/2/0 ch; merchant or sea captain. No committees. Citing: Gloucester VR 2:139, 148, 3:96; 1874 Coit g 19-20; Salem VR 1:453; Torrey 167, 651, 709.