Joshua Coit Papers (Library of Congress)

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Outline view: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms006043
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Joshua Coit

An Register of His Papers in the Library of Congress

Prepared by Laura J. Kells

Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.

2004

Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html

Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 2006

Finding aid URL: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms006043

Title: Papers of Joshua Coit
Span Dates: 1792-1798
ID No.: MSS84978
Creator: Coit, Joshua, 1758-1798
Extent: 70 items; 1 container; .2 linear feet
Language: Collection material in English
Repository: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Abstract: Lawyer, state legislator, and U.S. representative. Letters from Coit to his wife Nancy, to his son Robert, and to Charles Bulkeley, all of New London, Connecticut. Most were written in Philadelphia while Coit served as a representative in the United States Congress from 1793 to 1798. Many of the letters are accompanied by typed transcripts.

Selected Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.

Names:
Coit, Joshua, 1758-1798
Buckeley, Charles, b. 1724--Correspondence
Coit, Nancy, 1763-1844--Correspondence
Coit, Robert, 1785-1874--Correspondence
Griswold, Roger, 1762-1812
Lyon, Matthew, 1749-1822
Washington, George, 1732-1799
Washington, Martha, 1731-1802
United States. Congress. House--Elections

Subjects:
Boys--Education--United States
Family--United States
Fathers and sons--United States
Federal government--United States
Housekeeping--Connecticut--New London
Letter writing--United States
Levees--Virginia--Mount Vernon
Sons--United States--Conduct of life
XYZ Affair, 1797-1798
Connecticut--Politics and government--1775-1865
Great Britain--Foreign relations--United States
New London (Conn.)--Social life and customs--18th century
United States--Foreign relations--1789-1809
United States--Foreign relations--Great Britain
United States--Politics and government--1789-1809
United States--Religion

Occupations:
Lawyers
Legislators--Connecticut
Representatives, U.S. Congress--New York (State)

Administrative Information

Provenance:

The papers of Joshua Coit, lawyer, state legislator, and U.S. representative, were purchased by the Library of Congress in 2003.

Copyright Status:

The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Joshua Coit is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).

Preferred Citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, Joshua Coit Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Biographical Note

Date	Event
1758, Oct.7	Born, New London, Conn.
1776	Graduated Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass.
1779	Admitted to bar, commenced law practice, New London, Conn.
1784-1785	Member, Connecticut House of Representatives, Hartford, Conn.
1785	Married Ann Boradill Hallam (Nancy)
1789-1790	Member, Connecticut House of Representatives, Hartford, Conn.
1792-1793	Member, Connecticut House of Representatives, Hartford, Conn.; speaker of the house in 1793
1793-1798	Member, United States House of Representatives, Philadelphia, Pa.
1798, Sept. 5	Died, New London, Conn.

Scope and Content Note

The Joshua Coit Papers span the years 1792-1798 and consist of letters from Coit to his wife, Nancy, his oldest son, Robert, and to Charles Bulkeley. Almost all of the letters were written during the period of Coit's service in the United States House of Representatives, 1793-1798, as a Federalist representative from Connecticut. The letters are most numerous for the years 1794 and 1798. Many of the letters are accompanied by typed transcripts, and two exist in transcript only.

All but two of the letters are to Coit's wife and son. Letters to his wife describe his feelings on family, religion, and politics and the burdens caused by his absence. Included in his correspondence from 1794 are details of a dinner with President George Washington and levees for Martha Washington and Coit's views on the prospect of war with Great Britain. In 1798 he remarked on an altercation between fellow representatives Roger Griswold and Matthew Lyon. Following the XYZ Affair and as a result of his efforts to prevent war with France, Coit wrote in June 1798 that he felt he would not be reelected to Congress. Coit died of yellow fever a few months later. His letters to his son include fatherly instruction and advice and focus on the importance of good behavior and helping with household chores, schooling, and proper letter writing.