Peleg Coffin Jr.

Peleg Coffin Jr. (November 3, 1756 – March 6, 1805) was an American financier, insurer, and politician from Nantucket and Boston, Massachusetts.

Peleg Coffin Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 Serving with Shearjashub Bourne (General ticket)
Preceded by	Elbridge Gerry
Succeeded by	Samuel Lyman
Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
In office 1797–1801
Governor	Increase Sumner Moses Gill Governor's Council Caleb Strong
Preceded by	Thomas Davis
Succeeded by	Jonathan Jackson
Member of the Massachusetts Senate Nantucket District
In office 1795-1796 [1]
Member of the Massachusetts Senate Nantucket District
In office 1790[1]–1792[1]
Preceded by	Isaac Coffin[1]
Member of the Massachusetts Senate Nantucket District
In office 1785[1]–1786[1]
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Nantucket District
In office 1783 [1] – 1784 [1]
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives[1]
In office 1789
Personal details
Born	(1756-11-03)November 3, 1756 Nantucket, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died	March 6, 1805(1805-03-06) (aged 48) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Resting place	Mount Auburn Cemetery
Nationality	American

Early life

Coffin was born in Nantucket in the Province of Massachusetts Bay to a whaling family; his parents were Peleg and Elizabeth (Hussey) Coffin. Coffin's father was lost at sea a month after he was born. This early background led him to found and head the New England Marine Insurance Company.

Public service

Coffin served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1783–1784, and in 1789, and in the Massachusetts Senate from 1785 to 1787, 1789 to 1792, and 1795 to 1796.^[1] He was elected to represent Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives in the 3rd United States Congress from March 4, 1793, to March 3, 1795, representing the 3rd district; he previously was an unsuccessful candidate for the 6th district in 1791.^[2] Coffin was the Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts from 1797 to 1801.