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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, May 23, 2021, pg. 12 There’s an old cemetery joke that goes something like this: "How many coffins are buried in this cemetery?" The answer of course, is "All of them." Not in Riverside Cemetery in Albion, however. The answer here in Albion is "two." (2). That’s right, just two. Thomas Edward Coffin and his wife Laura are interred in Block 93, Lot 7, and Graves 1 and 2, respectively. Each year just before Memorial Day in this column we feature a Civil War veteran, and Mr. Coffin is this year’s choice. He was born on June 16, 1838 in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the son of Alexander H. and Eliza (Worth) Coffin. (By the way, there are over 300 Coffins buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery there). Thomas married Laura Aldrich on April 17, 1864 in Adrian, Michigan. On June 14, 1861, Thomas enlisted as a Private in Company D of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Co, from Arcola, Douglas County, Illinois. This outfit saw action in the Siege of Corinth, the Battles of Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, and others. One of its notable commanders was Ulysses S. Grant. Thomas was discharged on May 23, 1863, and on June 30, 1863, was granted a pension as an invalid, although we don’t have the details about that. He moved to Lenawee County, Michigan (where his wife was from) where he engaged in the trade of a carpenter. He is listed living in Clinton, Michigan in 1891. The couple had numerous children. What brought the Thomas Coffin family to Albion? Two of his sons, Eugene A. and Edward I. attended Albion College in the early 1890s and are listed in the 1891 College "Symplegades." yearbook. Eugene attended the College Preparatory School, while Edward was a student at the College’s Commercial Department (Business School). The latter subsequently became a carpenter here and lived at 305 Mechanic St. with his family in the 1890s. Thomas Coffin no doubt moved his family here to be close to his sons during his retirement years. He is first listed in the 1894-94 Albion City Directory. In lieu of a photograph of our subject this week, we present a photograph of Thomas Coffin’s military tombstone in Riverside Cemetery. He apparently favored his middle name, because the stone states, "Edw’d Coffin Co. D 21 Ill. INF." His wife Laura, who died in 1907, is buried beside him, but her grave is unmarked. A Post No. 210 (Albion) of the Grand Army of the Republic flag holder (not shown here) is placed next to Thomas’ tombstone.  Thomas Coffin’s Military Tombstone in Riverside Cemetery
All text copyright, 2024 © all rights reserved Frank Passic
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