Thomas Coupe
American sailor
About Thomas Coupe
Lived 1818 – 1875 (aged 56–57). Thomas Coupe was an American sea captain and captain (nautical).
Captain Thomas Coupe (c. 1818 – December 27, 1875) was a ship's captain and early settler of Whidbey Island.
Thomas Coupe was born in New Brunswick, Canada and began going to sea at the age of 12. Coupe sailed the North American Atlantic Coast until the early 1850s. Coupe sailed to the Puget Sound area in 1852 on the sailing vessel Success, a ship in which he was half owner.
Under the Donation Land Claim Act, Coupe established a 320-acre claim in the central part of Whidbey Island upon which the present town of Coupeville now stands.
He is the only captain known to have sailed a square-rigged ship through Deception Pass. The town of Coupeville was named after him; there, he built a house in 1854, from Californian redwood.
Coupe had sons, Thomas Coupe and George M. Coupe.
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Important facts
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Thomas Coupe's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Thomas Coupe?
American sailor
When was Thomas Coupe born?
Thomas Coupe was born in 1818 in New Brunswick.
When did Thomas Coupe die?
Thomas Coupe died on 27 December 1875 in Whidbey Island.
What was Thomas Coupe's occupation?
Thomas Coupe was a sea captain and captain (nautical).
What nationality was Thomas Coupe?
Thomas Coupe was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Thomas Coupe. https://biography.guide/thomas-coupe/
MLA: "Thomas Coupe." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/thomas-coupe/.
Chicago: "Thomas Coupe." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/thomas-coupe/.
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