The Biographical Dictionary of America/Coan, Titus Munson

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).