Biographical Sketch

Jeremiah Colburn (1815-1891) was born 12 January 1815 to Calvin Colburn and Catherine Sybil Lakin Colburn. He married Eliza Ann Blackman (1820-1897) in 1846. They had one son, Jeremiah Blackman Colburn (1849-1849). Colburn was employed as a clerk for Seth James Thomas and his hat business before succeeding him in 1840. In 1853, Colburn was appointed as an appraiser in the Boston Custom House, a position he held until 1861. For the next 30 years, Colburn spent much of his time engaging in his personal interests, which included collecting autographs, coins, medals, books, manuscripts, art, various other antiquities, and natural history. He was a founder of the Prince Society (1858); Boston Numismatic Society (1860), serving as its president from 1865 until his death; and Boston Antiquarian Club (1879), which later became the Bostonian Society (1881). He was also a life member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, where he served on numerous committees and the Board of Directors, as well as a committee to publish the American Journal of Numismatics. Other memberships included the Granite Club, No. 1 and Boston's Keystone Club, No. 1. Colburn was a longtime contributor to the Historical Magazine and published Bibliography of the Local History of Massachusetts. Jeremiah Colburn died 30 December 1891.