John Coffey Hildt was born on July 25, 1882 in Baltimore, Maryland to George and Margaret Catherine (Thomas) Coffey. He attended Johns Hopkins University, where he earned his B.A. degree in 1903 and Doctor of Philosophy Degree in 1906. Also in 1906, Hildt joined the faculty of Smith College as an instructor of History. From 1910-1912 he worked at Mount Holyoke College as a lecturer in history. During World War I, Hildt held a number of positions in the military, including Captain in the Military Intelligence Division of the American General Staff, Major in the Officers' Reserve Corps, and Officer in charge of Military Information on the American Commission for Peace. While on the faculty at Smith, Hildt served as the associate editor of Smith College Studies in History, and taught a number of different courses on the cultural histories of Europe. Hildt was a member of the faculty at Smith until his death on February 4, 1938, after a brief illness and a lifelong battle against blindness at the age of 54.