Captain Seth Coffin, Sr

By the mid 1750's, Benjamin and Rebecca had nine children, five sons and four daughters. Of their sons, four of them, Elisha, Eliakim, Seth and Bartlett all became whalers. One son Eliakim died at sea in 1784 at the age of twenty-three. Another son, Bartlett married his brother, Eliakim's widow, Judith Macy. Elisha and Seth became sea Captains early in life. Elisha carried his trade to Nova Scotia and P.E.I., while Seth commanded whale ships off the Brazil Banks. In 1800, aboard the ship Minerva, Seth was involved in an incident that reflected the dangers of the whale trade. During a whale chase off the Brazil Banks, Captain Coffin's leg was crushed by a large sperm whale. Coffin quickly realized that his leg had to be removed or he would die. With no one on board with any knowledge of medical skills, Coffin commanded the most reliable mate on board to fetch a flensing spade and return to his quarters. Upon the mates return, Coffin took the spade and was reported to have said, "My leg has got to come off or I will die. I know how it

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should be done and will instruct you how to do it. If you flinch one bit, I'll send this instrument through you. Now begin". The mate began the procedure, carefully following his Captain's instructions. As the last bandage was properly administered completing the amputation, Coffin fainted followed shortly after by the mate. Seth Coffin later went on to live to the ripe old age of seventy-seven.

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