Smithsonian Institution Archives

James Henry Coffin Papers, 1848-1884

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU7060
Creators:
Coffin, James H. (James Henry), 1806-1873
Dates:
1848-1884
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
0.25 cu. ft. (1 half document box)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Introduction

Introduction
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These papers consist of correspondence concerning temperature, wind, and weather reports of the Hudson Bay region, 1848; resolutions of condolence to Coffin's son, Seldon J. Coffin, from students and alumni of Lafayette College after Coffin's death, 1873; newspaper articles; an illustration of James H. Coffin; and the original manuscript of Winds of the Northern Hemisphere. Additional correspondence of James Henry Coffin exists elsewhere in the Smithsonian Institution Archives, especially in the Joseph Henry Collection, Record Unit 7001, and Meteorological Project Records, Record Unit 60.

Historical Note

Historical Note
James Henry Coffin (1806-1873) was a mathematician and meteorologist who specialized in the study of wind velocity. Coffin graduated from Amherst College in 1828 and taught at various schools and colleges. Coffin began his meteorological studies in 1838. While at Williams College, 1840-1843, he installed an apparatus on Mount Greylock, New York, for automatically recording the direction and the velocity of the wind. From 1846 until his death, Coffin held a chair of mathematics and natural philosophy at Lafayette College. In 1846, he began his collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution in meteorology. Two of Coffin's studies, Winds of the Northern Hemisphere and Winds of the Globe were published by the Institution in 1853 and 1875, respectively.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7060, James Henry Coffin Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Coffin, James H. (James Henry), 1806-1873 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Coffin, Seldon J. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lafayette College (Easton, Pa.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Institution. Meteorological Project Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Amherst College Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Williams College Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Winds of the Northern Hemisphere Title Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Winds of the Globe Title Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Meteorology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
Contact us at osiaref@si.edu