John Eliot Coit

John Eliot Coit (March 9, 1880 – June 4, 1976) was an American professor specializing in the horticultural fields of avocado, citrus and carob, and second curator of University of California Citrus Variety Collection

Early life John Eliot Coit was reared in Texas and North Carolina. and in that position was instrumental in selecting the site of the present Citrus Research Center and Experiment Station at Riverside.

From 1913 to 1917, Coit was Professor of Citriculture, University of California, Berkeley. Farm Advisor, Los Angeles County, 1917 to 1919. In 1919 he founded the "Coit Agricultural Service" and is today continuing in this line of service.

Among agricultural organizations, Coit has served as director of the Sierra Madre Lamanda Citrus Association, the California Avocado Association in 1915 and again from 1923 to 1947, and served as president three terms. In 1924 he helped organize the California Avocado Growers Association (now Calavo) and served as director until 1944. and "A peony check-list" including the leading varieties of peonies of which authentic descriptions can be found in horticultural literature... (Jan 1, 1907)

Awards Dr. Coit has received honorary awards including: Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science. Sigma Xi, Cornell University 1905, and is a member of Alpha Zeta and Gamma Alpha. He received the first Award of Honor from the California Avocado Society and was presented with a Special Award of Honor in 1956, and in 1963 was made director emeritus by the Board in appreciation of his many contributions to the industry.

The following from the 1939 Yearbook of the California Avocado Society, is a succinct statement of the service of John Eliot Coit to the avocado industry:

Personal life John Eliot Coit married Emilie A. Hanna in 1907 at Durham, North Carolina. They had three girls: Eleanor, Frances and Lucy. His first wife died August 10, 1924. In 1926 Coit was married to Luise Gait Viney of Pasadena. His second wife died on August 25, 1962.