Summary From Goodspeed:
Democratic politician, born April 23, 1842. Moved to Lawrence County in 1869. Son of Charles Hector Coffin (b. April 24, 1804- June 19, 1854) Attended freshman and sophmore years at Tennessee University at Knoxville, junior year at Princeton, but was interrupted by the war. Enlisted as a private on the 10th of August 1861 in Captain Benjamin M. Branner's cavalry company, afterwards Company I, Second Tennessee Cavalry under Col. Henry M. Ashby. Mr. Coffin was in General Zollicoffer's command. He was captured at Lancaster Kentucky and was a prisoner at Camp Chase, Ohio for seven months and eight months at Fort Delaware. Exchanged at Savannah, Ga. on the 12th of November 1864.
Was a grocery merchant in Memphis. Moved to Clover Bend in 1869. Ran a mercantile until 1871 there. Edited the newspaper in Pocahontas and joined the bar in 1874. He then moved to Walnut Ridge. Served as state representative for Randolph County
Charles Coffin was a member of the General Assembly in 1874, and in 1878 elected prosecuting attorney of the Third District, serving until 1882. He was elected to the legislature to represent Lawrence County. He was appointed circuit judge at Batesville in 1910. In 1912, he was elected Mayor of Batesville. He was affiliated with Presbyterian Church. He died in Pine Bluff after an illness.He was campaigning for a senate run at the time. 1 He started his campaign for senate against James P. Clarke on Monday, November 24 1913 in Walnut Ridge3
Coffin was the Major General, Commander of the Arkansas Division of the United Confederate Veterans.4
He was the brother of James Park Coffin, and the uncle of Charles H. Coffin and Maxwell Coffin.
Sources
1: Pine Bluff Daily Graphic, (13 Jan 1914,)Coffin, Charles Judge, obituary.pdf
2. The Southern Standard (Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States of America) · 15 Jan 1914, Thu · Page 6 Coffin, Charles obituary 5.pdf
3. Daily Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas) · 20 Nov 1913, Thu · Page 2 Coffin, Charles senate campaign.pdf
4. Batesville Daily Guard (Batesville, Arkansas, United States of America) · 9 Feb 1912, Fri · Page 1 Confederate veterans organization officers.pdf
