Robert Peter Tristram Coffin (1892 - 1955)

Born 18 Mar 1892 in Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Ruth Neal (Phillip) Coffin — married 22 Jun 1918 (to 5 Apr 1947) in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Died 20 Jan 1955 at age 62 in Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine, United States

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Biography

Robert Coffin is Notable.

Robert Peter Tristram was born in Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine and raised in East Harpswell, Robert passed away in Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine on 20 Jan 1955. and is buried in the Cranberry Horn cemetery in East Harpswell, Maine.^[1] Robert was the husband of Ruth Neal (Phillip) Coffin. Ruth passed away in East Harpswell , Cumberland, Maine on 5 Apr 1947. She is also buried in Cranberry Horn Cemetery East Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine.^[2][3]

Marriage

• m. Ruth Neal Phillip (dau. of Alexander M. Phillip and Mary A. (Rollins) Phillip in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts 22 Jun 1918^[4]

Education and Awards

Dr. Robert Peter Tristram Coffin, Phd. was a noted, scholar, poet, author and educator. He also illustrated some of his books.

• He earned his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in 1915
• Master of Arts from Princeton University in 1916.
• Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University
• Doctor of Literature from Oxford University.
• Pulitzer Prize for Poetry winner in 1936.

Career

• Served in the Army in WWI.
• Taught English at Wells College upon his return from service.
• Taught English as the Pierce Professor at Bowdoin College.
• He was co-founder with Carroll Towle of the Writer's Conference at the University of ew Hampshire in 1936, (modeled after his friend Robert Frost's Bread Loaf Writer's Conference.

Please Note - The above information in the Education and Awards section and Career section was extracted from his biography in wikipedia.com where there are very detailed sources. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_P._T._Coffin

Additional References of Interest

PoemHunter.com - biography and works https://www.poemhunter.com/robert-peter-tristram-coffin/

Sources

1. ↑ Name: Robert P Tristram Coffin Event Type: Burial Event Date: 1955 Event Place: East Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States Death Date: 20 Jan 1955 Cemetery: Cranberry Horn Digital Folder Number: 007586400 GS Film Number: 001316478 Digital Folder Number: 007586400 Image Number: 00175 Citing this Record "Maine, Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1980," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJP-RTD2 : 16 March 2018), Robert P Tristram Coffin, 1955; citing East Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States, Cranberry Horn Cemetery, Maine State Library, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,316,478.
2. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9FQ-H7VV?i=179&cc=2241461&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQVJP-RT6M
3. ↑ Robert Peter Tristram Coffin Birth: 18 Mar 1892 Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine, USA Death: 20 Jan 1955 (aged 62) Harpswell, Cumberland County, Maine, USA Burial: Cranberry Horn Cemetery, East Harpswell, Cumberland County, Maine, USA Memorial #: 58674856 Bio: Author, Poet. He is best known as the author of more than three dozen works of literature, poetry and history, including the book Strange Holiness, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1936. His early poetry was derivative of classical forms (e.g., sonnets) and in verbiage and subject archaic. His mature poetry is marked by clarity of subject and symbolism, scanning and usually rhyming lines, and New England locales, persons (particularly farmers, fishermen, young boys, and old ladies), themes, and sometimes vocabulary and accent-based rhymes. He also wrote romantic prose. There is a school in Brunswick, Maine, named after him. Coffin School opened in 1955, in his honor. Coffin dedicated his book "Captain Abby and Captain John" to fellow Bowdoin College alumnus L. Brooks Leavitt, "a fellow son of Maine." Coffin subsequently wrote his poem "Brooks Leavitt" as a eulogy to his old friend, which was read at Leavitt's funeral in Wilton, Maine. "Captain Abby and Captain John" is one of his most well-known works, and centers around the characters Abby and John Pennell, two 19th Century ship captains. A shipbuilding district in Brunswick, Maine, known as Pennellville provided the inspiration for the book, as well as Coffin's shared lineage with the Pennell family. Inscription: This is my country, bitter as the sea Pungent with the fir and bayberry. An island meadow, stonewalled, high, and lost, With August cranberries touched red by frost. A juniper upon a windy ledge, Splendor of granite on the world's bright edge. A lighthouse like a diamond, cut and sharp, And all the trees like strings upon a harp.I, made of clay inflamed with sun, Something solid still have done. I have kept the ancient law, I have written what I saw. Family Members Parents James William Coffin 1839-1908 Alice Mary Coombs Coffin 1858-1943 Spouse Ruth Phillip Coffin 1891-1947 Siblings Levon W. Coffin 1875-1917 Frank L Coffin 1898-1955 Alice E. Coffin Pennell 1900-1985 Arline C. Cunningham 1902-1929 Children Margaret Coffin Halvosa 1921-1973 Margaret Coffin Halvosa 1921-1973 Robert P. T. Coffin 1923-1981 Maintained by: Find a Grave Originally Created by: Maine 101 (47130320) Added: 15 Sep 2010 URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58674856 Citation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 05 May 2020), memorial page for Robert Peter Tristram Coffin (18 Mar 1892–20 Jan 1955), Find a Grave Memorial no. 58674856, citing Cranberry Horn Cemetery, East Harpswell, Cumberland County, Maine, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave.
4. ↑ Name: Robert P Coffin Event Type: Marriage Event Date: 22 Jun 1918 Event Place: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States Gender: Male Father's Name: James W Coffin Mother's Name: Alice M Coombs Spouse's Name: Ruth N Phillip Spouse's Gender: Female Spouse's Father's Name: Alexander M Phillip Spouse's Mother's Name: Mary A Rollins Certificate Number: 3367 Digital Folder Number: 004966599 Page: 259 Digital Folder Number: 004966599 Image Number: 00260 Citing this Record "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KB8M-J81 : 22 October 2019), Mary A Rollins in entry for Robert P Coffin and Ruth N Phillip, 22 Jun 1918; citing Marriage, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, certificate number 3367, page 259, State Archives, Boston.