| | 1 | Name: | Thomas Coombe | | | Year Elected: | | | | Residency: | Resident | | | Living? : |
Deceased
| | | Birth Date: | 1720 | | | Death Date: | 9/29/1799 | | | | | | |
Thomas Coombe, Sr. (c. 1720–29 September 1799) was a Philadelphia city official and a member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1768. Little is known about Coombe’s early life, but much of his adult life was spent working in the service of the city, namely as the Health Officer of Philadelphia and in various positions as a collector of special duties. The income provided by these positions allowed him to live comfortably and to contribute to local institutions such as the Pennsylvania Hospital and the College Philadelphia. An enthusiastic amateur scientist, Coombe was an early and active member of the APS, serving on a number of committees, including the committee convened to observe the Transit of Venus, and publishing his own meteorological journal in a volume of APS Transactions. To further his learning he amassed a large library and acquired a number of scientific instruments including a microscope and achromatic refracting telescope. Although he was sympathetic towards England during the American Revolution, he endured no patriot reprisals because of his political discretion and advanced years. When the British occupation of Philadelphia ended in 1778, Coombe relocated to his farm, Auburn, in Chestnut Hill where he lived out his remaining years. Deteriorating mental health seems to have kept him from returning to Philadelphia society and to the APS. His son Thomas Coombe, Jr., was an APS member. (PI) | |
| 2 | Name: | Thomas Coombe | | | Year Elected: | 1773 | | | Residency: | Resident | | | Living? : |
Deceased
| | | Birth Date: | 10/21/1747 | | | Death Date: | 8/15/1822 | | | | | | |
Thomas Coombe, Jr. (21 October 1747–15 August 1822) was an Anglican priest, a poet, and a member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1773. The son of APS Member Thomas Coombe, Sr., Coombe, Jr. was born in Philadelphia. He attended the College of Philadelphia and was the valedictorian of his graduating class. As a student, he displayed writerly promise which he developed throughout his life; as a clergyman, his sermons were recognized for their craft and persuasiveness. In 1768, Coombe, Jr. traveled to London, seeking the priesthood. During this visit, he stayed at the home of family friend Benjamin Franklin. Coombe, Jr. was ordained in 1771 and returned to Philadelphia to continue his ministry the following year. He came to be known as a moving and memorable preacher, and several of his sermons were published and distributed throughout the colonies. In one popular 1775 sermon, he expressed support for the colonial cause; however, at the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, Coombe refused to break his ordination vows of fidelity to the British government by pronouncing his support of the Declaration of Independence. He was arrested for this refusal in 1777 and managed to avoid imprisonment in Virginia by claiming he was in poor health. When the British army arrived in the colonies, Coombe, Jr. was given permission to sail for England, where he lived out the rest of his life. While living abroad, he continued his ministry as a priest and chaplain, he published a book of poetry, and he continued his education, obtaining a Doctor of Divinity degree from Trinity College in 1781. Coombe, Jr. was married twice and, upon his death in 1822, left his wife and his four surviving children a sizable fortune. (DNB) | |
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