and Astro-Physics, and Proceedings of the Astronomical society from 1885 to 1892. He died in Brooklyn. N.Y., Aug. 2, 1893.
COAN, Titus, missionary, was born in
Killingworth. Conn., Feb. 1, 1801; son of Gaylord
and Tamza (Nettleton) Coan, grandson of Mulford
Coan. and a descendant of George Coan, the
first ancestor in America. His earlier years were
spent in teaching, with experiments in business
and in the militia's service as 1st lieutenant, but
resolving finally upon the ministry he went to
Auburn theological seminary in 1831. Thence
in 1833 he went to southern Patagonia with one
companion, Mr. Arms, 
to make explorations
with a view to the
establishment of a
mission. After a residence
of some months
among the ferocious
savages of the west
coast he narrowly
escaped with his life,
being rescued by a
passing vessel, and
landed in New London,
Conn., May 7,
1834. On Nov. 3, 1834,
he was married to
Fidelia Church of Churchville, N.Y., and embarked
with his bride on December 5, as missionary
to the Hawaiian islands. They reached Hilo,
July 21. 1835, and within three months after his
arrival Mr. Coan began preaching in the native
language, sometimes four times a day in as many
different places. His ardor and kindliness won
the deep affection of the natives; he was pastor,
physician, teacher, and counselor in one; and his
labors met with wonderful, perhaps unparalleled
success. From 1835 to 1882 he received more
than 13,000 persons into his church: each one of
this multitude only after personal examination
of a sufficiently long continued "probation" to
give him confidence in the reality of "conversion."
He preached regularly in the large native
church at Hilo, and to a congregation of
foreigners as well ; he visited at frequent intervals,
and on foot, all the villages and hamlets
throughout the districts of Hilo and Puna, a
coast line of 100 miles; he knew all of his people
personally, kept registers of them and examined,
instructed and disciplined the church members.
In his tireless labors he was ably seconded
by his wife. Fidelia Church Coan was a woman
of extraordinary devotion and charm, and to her
sacrifices no small part of Titus Coan's success
was due. Her strength gave way under the
strain of domestic and missionary labors combined,
and she died at Hilo, Sept. 29, 1872. In
1860 and again in 1867 Mr. Coan visited the missions
in the Marquesas islands; and in 1870, with
his wife, the devoted missionary made a visit to
the United States after a continuous absence of
thirty-six years, returning to Hilo to end his
days. In Hawaii "he saw a great population
turned from darkness to light, a great part of it
following his own blameless and loving Life for an
example, and very many living to old age steadfast
and zealous Christians." Titus Coan was not
only one of the greatest missionaries that the
world has known, but an ardent scientific observer.
The main part of the existing data on
the Hawaiian volcanoes came from his pen and
was published in the American Journal of Science
and elsewhere during many years. He wrote
Adventures in Patagonia (1880) ; Life in Hawaii
(1881); and made numerous contributions to
scientific and religious periodicals. His death
occurred at Hilo, Hawaii. Dec. 1, 1882.
COAN, Titus Munson, surgeon and editor, was born in Hilo, Hawaii. Sept. 27, 1836; the eldest son of Titus and Fidelia (Church) Coan. Educated at Punahou and the Royal school in Honolulu, he was at Yale college, 1856-57, graduated at Williams college in 1859, and took his medical degree at the New York college of physicians and surgeons in 1861. In that and the following year he served in the New York hospitals; then in the civil war as acting assistant surgeon in the U.S. army in 1863, and was commissioned as acting assistant surgeon in the U.S. navy, serving 1863-65. He was attached to the West gulf squadron under Farragut and took part in the battle of Mobile Bay and other engagements. In December, 1865, he resigned from the navy, resuming the practice of medicine in New York city. He became known by many critical and medical essays published in the leading magazines. He was one of the founders of the Author's guild for the promotion of the interests of literary people and a member of the leading literary and social clubs. In 1880 he founded the New York bureau of revision, of which he became the director. His published works include Ounces of Prevention (1885), and a Universal Gazetteer, published with Webster's International Dictionary (1885). He edited Topics of the Times (6 vols., 1883).
COATES, Benjamin, philanthropist, was born in Philadelphia. Pa., Feb. 16, 1808; eldest son of George Morrison and Rebecca (Hornor) Coates and a brother of George Morrison Coates, merchant. He engaged in the dry goods business and subsequently in partnership with his brother, in the wool business in Philadelphia, in which, and by inheritance, he acquired a fortune. He was for a time a special partner in the book publishing firm of Porter & Coates. He was one of
