Elizabeth Bulfinch Coolidge (1777-1837) with 1785 ed. King's Chapel Prayer Book

This first edition King’s Chapel Book of Common Prayer was printed by Peter Edes in Boston, part of a family dynasty of printers in Boston. 

The name inscribed on the preface of the 1785 prayer book, “Anna Eliza Bulfinch,” may have belonged to one of Dr. Thomas Bulfinch and Susan Apthorp Bulfinch’s daughters - Anna or Elizabeth- who were both baptized at King’s Chapel. Dr. Bulfinch married into the prominent King’s Chapel Apthorp family in 1759 and following the American Revolution played a critical role in Reverend James Freeman’s lay ordination and the adoption of the King’s Chapel prayer book. The Bulfinch family sat in pew number 6 in 1785, which is consistent with the “no. 6” also inscribed on the preface page. 

At this time, we believe that the prayer book likely belonged to Elizabeth Bulfinch (1777-1837) - perhaps “Anna Eliza” was a nickname for her - since the inside cover also has the name “Joseph Coolidge, January 21, King’s Chapel” inscribed. Joseph Coolidge, III (1773-1840) married Elizabeth Bulfinch at King’s Chapel on September 20, 1796. Originally members of Old South, Joseph Coolidge’s family became members of King’s Chapel in the 1780s when the congregation became Unitarian, so both Elizabeth and Joseph would have grown up together at King’s Chapel. 

​Perhaps Joseph Coolidge acquired this first edition of the King’s Chapel Unitarian prayer book after marrying Elizabeth Bulfinch? Did he just inscribe his name on this special prayer book that belonged to his wife? While we’ll likely never know the answer to these questions, perhaps we’ll uncover more clues about this specific prayer book or about the family history of the Bulfinches and Coolidges.