Robert "The Boston Bard" Stevenson Coffin

Robert Stevenson Coffin son of Rev Ebenezer and Mary Newhall Coffin was born in Brunswick Maine July 14 1794.2 He was educated in the public schools of Newbury and afterwards learned the trade of a printer in Newburyport In the war of 1812 he shipped as a seaman on board a vessel that was captured by an English frigate and the crew made prisoners After his release he found employment in a printing office in Boston and was subsequently assistant editor of a newspaper in Philadelphia His poetical contributions to the press were collected and published in 181 7 under the title of The Printer and several other Poems by RS Coffin and in 1818 The Miscellaneous Poems of the Boston Bard were printed in Philadelphia by JH Cunningham for the author In 1825 he published a brief sketch of his life and in 1826 a volume of poetry He returned to New England weak and impoverished by the intemperate use of intoxicating liquor In December 1 826 he had rooms at the residence of Major Gilman White opposite the head of Market street in Newburyport He died in Rowley Mass May 7 1827 Funeral services were held in St Paul's church Newburyport Rev James Morss officiating He was buried in the graveyard near the head of Marlborough street in the town of Newbury 5

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