Histories

Robert Coe was clearly a strong leader with a restless spirit. He was among the lay leaders in the establishment of several new towns in New England and on Long Island, most especially of Stamford, Hempstead, Newtown and Jamaica. At least the first two of these moves were made in conjunction with a prominent Puritan minister, and may have reflected a desire in those early days of New England settlement to find just the right level of interaction between church and state, and just the right amount of rigidity, or lack thereof, in these institutions. Coe's frequent appearance as magistrate, and even as ambassador to the Dutch, is further evidence of his leadership qualities and the trust placed in him by his fellow townsmen.

The Great Migration, III:132.