Nathan Goff Jr. | |
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| United States Senator fromWest Virginia | |
| In office April 1, 1913 – March 3, 1919 | |
| Preceded by | Clarence Wayland Watson |
| Succeeded by | Davis Elkins |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit | |
| In office March 17, 1892 – March 31, 1913 | |
| Appointed by | Benjamin Harrison |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 26 Stat. 826 |
| Succeeded by | Charles Albert Woods |
| Judge of theUnited States Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit | |
| In office March 17, 1892 – December 31, 1911 | |
| Appointed by | Benjamin Harrison |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 26 Stat. 826 |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWest Virginia's1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Wilson |
| Succeeded by | John O. Pendleton |
| 28thUnited States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office January 7, 1881 – March 4, 1881 | |
| President | Rutherford B. Hayes |
| Preceded by | Richard W. Thompson |
| Succeeded by | William H. Hunt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nathan Goff Jr. (1843-02-09)February 9, 1843 |
| Died | April 24, 1920(1920-04-24) (aged 77) Clarksburg, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Resting place | Odd Fellows Cemetery Clarksburg, West Virginia |
| Party | Republican |
| Children | Guy D. Goff |
| Relatives | Louise Goff Reece (granddaughter) |
| Residence(s) | Clarksburg, West Virginia |
| Alma mater | New York University School of Law (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–around 1864 |
| Rank |  Major |
| Unit | 3rd West Virginia Infantry Regiment 4th West Virginia Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Nathan Goff Jr. (February 9, 1843 – April 23, 1920) was aUnited States representative fromWest Virginia, aUnion Army officer, the 28thUnited States Secretary of the Navy during the administration of PresidentRutherford B. Hayes, aUnited States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and of theUnited States Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit and aUnited States senator from West Virginia.
Born on February 9, 1843, at his family's estateWaldomore inClarksburg,Harrison County,Virginia (nowWest Virginia),[1] to Waldo Goff, who had five times won election to represent Harrison County in the Virginia House of Delegates. Goff attended the Northwestern Academy in Clarksburg andGeorgetown University inWashington, D.C.[2] He received aBachelor of Laws in 1866 fromNew York University School of Law.[1]
Although his family owned several slaves, they favored the Union. During theAmerican Civil War, Goff joined theUnion Army in 1861; enlisting in the3rd West Virginia Infantry Regiment.[2] He later became a major in the4th West Virginia Cavalry Regiment.[2]
Goff became editor of theClarksburg Telegraph beginning in 1866.[1] Admitted to the bar, he began his private legal practice in Clarksburg from 1866 to 1867.[1] He won election to theWest Virginia House of Delegates from 1867 to 1868.[1]
Goff then became theUnited States Attorney for the District of West Virginia from 1868 to 1881, and from 1881 to 1882.[1] He served as the 28thUnited States Secretary of the Navy in 1881.[1]
However, Goff failed to win election to Congress as a Republican candidate in 1870 and 1874.[2] He was also the Republican candidate forGovernor of West Virginia in 1876 and 1888, but voters instead elected the Democrat.[2]
Goff was elected as aRepublican fromWest Virginia's 1st congressional district to theUnited States House of Representatives of the48th,49th and50th United States Congresses, serving from March 4, 1883, to March 3, 1889.[2] He was not a candidate for renomination.[2] Following his departure from Congress, Goff resumed private practice in Clarksburg from 1889 to 1892.[1]
Goff was nominated by PresidentBenjamin Harrison on December 16, 1891, to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and theUnited States Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit, to a new joint seat authorized by 26 Stat. 826.[1] He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on March 17, 1892, and received his commission the same day.[1] On December 31, 1911, the Circuit Courts were abolished and he thereafter served only on the Court of Appeals.[1] His service terminated on March 31, 1913, due to his resignation.[1]
In 1913, Goff was nominated for theUnited States Senate by state delegateRoy Earl Parrish. He was elected by the state legislature over DemocratClarence W. Watson, receiving 60 votes to Watson's 43.[3] Though his Senate term commenced March 4, 1913, he did not immediately take his seat, preferring to remain on the federal bench, and served from April 1, 1913, to March 3, 1919.[2] He was not a candidate for reelection in 1918, the first time under theSeventeenth Amendment that the seat was filled by popular vote.[2] He was Chairman of the Committee on Conservation of Natural Resources for the65th United States Congress and Chairman of the Committee on Industrial Expositions for the 65th United States Congress.[2]
Goff died on April 23, 1920, in Clarksburg.[1] He was interred in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Clarksburg.[2] He was the last surviving member of the Hayes Cabinet.
Goff was the father of West VirginiaUnited States SenatorGuy D. Goff and grandfather ofUnited States Representative fromTennesseeLouise Goff Reece.[2]
Goff's home at Clarksburg, theNathan Goff Jr. House, was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1976. It was delisted in 1994, after demolition in 1993.[4]
TheWorld War IIdestroyerUSS Goff was named in his honor.[citation needed]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.TheWest Virginia & Regional History Center atWest Virginia University houses the papers of Nathan Goff Jr. in three collections,A&M 213,A&M 953, andA&M 1940
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of West Virginia 1876 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of West Virginia 1888 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | 28thUnited States Secretary of the Navy 1881 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | United States Representative fromWest Virginia's 1st congressional district 1883–1889 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Seat established by 26 Stat. 826 | Judge of theUnited States Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit 1892–1911 | Succeeded by Seat abolished |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 1892–1913 | Succeeded by | |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | United States Senator (Class 2) from West Virginia 1913–1919 Served alongside:William E. Chilton,Howard Sutherland | Succeeded by |
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