11948

*1851 Washington, DC, USA
+1916

Listed in 1880 Census of Washington, see ERS 10044.

His father-in-law TJC 11641's obituary reads in part: Mr. and Mrs. Coffey’s daughter, Mrs. John Chew, died abroad while Mr. Chew was secretary to the American legation at Vienna.

11637 <2:1

*1811 11 04 VA, USA
+1873 08 03 Washington, DC, USA

Brief biography listed in Appleton's 1886 Encyclopedia, is mentioned elsewhere for his roles as aide to Seward (was present at signing of Alaskan treaty in 1867, painted by Emanuel Leutze, an excerpt of which is shown above) and wartime special messenger for Lincoln.

1834 07: Joined State Department (according to sworn testimony, p. 117 of Congressional Globe, 40th Congress, 2nd Session at memory.loc.gov)

1844 03 02: Is mentioned in National Intelligencer as an Assistant Marshal on horseback at the funeral for the late Secretary of State, the Hon. Abel P. Upshur, killed when a gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded during a demonstration.

1861 04 06: Carried a famous message (which survives, and can be viewed at memory.loc.gov) from Lincoln to Governor Pickens at Charleston.

1866 07: Promoted to Chief Clerk of the State Department.

1868 04 04: Testified before Senate in impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson (memory.loc.gov).

1880: widow listed in Washington, DC, USA census.

Should investigate Seward papers at U of Rochester.

Library of Congress has some correspondence with Hamilton Fish as part of the latter's archives (LC mm 78020602).

According to family lore, when his brother was captured in the Civil War, RSC negotiated his release into house arrest at RSC's home.

10043 <71:6

*1815 03 24 Washington, DC, USA?
+1899 02 23 Washington, DC, USA

Listed in 1880 Census of Washington, DC, USA as widowed, living with sons Robert, John and Walter, sister Louisa and servants Kittie Walker, Caroline Green and Elenora Buckner.

A portrait of her, painted by Charles Bird King, is in the online collection of the Smithsonian, their object #DC990444

Some sources spell her middle name Ringgold.

JJC 10005 had her birth year as 1818.

Buried at Chapel Hill, Lot 538, Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, DC.

10044 <71:6

*1864 10 31 PA, USA
+1892 07 22 Vienna, AUT

Her father TJC 11641's obituary reads in part: Mr. and Mrs. Coffey’s daughter, Mrs. John Chew, died abroad while Mr. Chew was secretary to the American legation at Vienna.

11638 <2:1

*1824 12 05
+1897 01 11

Find-A-Grave gives interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, DC, USA, and reproduces an obituary from the Washington Evening Star of 1897-01-12:

Although he had lived a rather retired life for a number of years past Mr. Coffey had filled several positions of importance and honor in earlier life. He was a native of Huntingdon, Pa., and as a young man studied law in the office of Judge Bates. When the latter was made Attorney General under President Lincoln, Mr. Coffey was made his assistant and a number of years had charge of the interests of the government in all cases before the United States Supreme Court. When Governor Curtin was appointed minister to Russia Mr. Coffey, one of his intimate friends, was made secretary of the legation, but he resigned later to travel with his family through Europe, Mr. Coffey spent a considerable amount of his time traveling abroad, but always kept his home in this city, where the family held a prominent place in society.

The grave gives wife Mary Kerr Coffey 1828-04-09 to 1913-01-24, son Harry Kerr Coffey 1855-12-01 to 1889-08-18, and LHC 11638.

11641