Member Biography

Titian James Coffey 

Seal
Sessions Office Position District Party
1857       25 Republican
1858       25 Republican
1859       21 Republican

Biography

12/05/1824 - 01/11/1897


Titian James Coffey (R25) Armstrong, Clarion and Indiana Counties 1857-1859 (R21) Armstrong and Indiana Counties 1859

Early Life:

Titian James Coffey, born December 5, 1824, Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania; son of Doctor James and Margaretta McConnell Coffee; studied law, office of Judge Edward Bates; admitted, Saint Louis, Missouri bar, 1845; returned to Pennsylvania; attorney; married, Mary Kerr, children, Harry Kerr Coffey, Lilian Kerr Coffey Chew; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1857-1859, not a candidate for reelection, 1859; appointed Assistant Attorney-General of the United States, 1861-1864; appointed, Attorney General, in charge of the Government case before, Supreme Court, 1864-1866; private practice; appointed, president, Ulysses S. Grant, Secretary of Legation, Saint Petersburg, Russia 1869- resigned, 1870; traveled extensively in Europe, returned, United States, resumed work, Supreme Court, Washington, 1873; died, January 11, 1897 (aged 72), Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia; interment, Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 25th district, Armstrong, Clarion and Indiana Counties, 1857-1858.

Elected, Republican, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 21st district, Armstrong and Indiana Counties, 1859, not a candidate for reelection, 1859.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Appointed, Attorney General, in charge of the Government case before, Supreme Court, 1864-1866.

Appointed, President Ulysses S. Grant, Secretary of Legation, Saint Petersburg, Russia 1869- resigned, 1870.

Legacy:

First cousin, Brevet Brigadier General, Henry Lloyd “Harry” White, Pennsylvania State Senate, 21th district, Armstrong and Indiana Counties, 1862-1863, 22nd district, Cambria Indiana and Jefferson Counties, 1866-1871, 24th district, Indiana and Westmoreland Counties, 1872-1874. 

Henry Lloyd White  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Judge Edward Bates, represented Missouri, United States House of Representatives, United States Attorney General, under President Abraham Lincoln.

Cited:

Cox, Harold "Senate Members "C"Wilkes University Election Statistics ProjectWilkes University.

The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) January 12, 1897, page 3. 

Titian James Coffey (1824-1897) - Find a Grave Memorial