George Coe (Michigan politician)

George Coe
11th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
In office1855–1859
Governor	Kinsley S. Bingham
Preceded by	George Griswold
Succeeded by	Edmund Burke Fairfield
Member of the Michigan Senate
In office1846–1847
Constituency	4th district (1846)3rd district (1847)
Member of the Michigan House of Representativesfrom the Branch County district
In office1849–1849 Serving with Oliver C. Comstock
Preceded by	Alvarado Brown and Benjamin F. Ferris
Succeeded by	Oliver D. Colvin and Roland Root
Personal details
Born	(1811-08-16)August 16, 1811 Rush, New York
Died	October 21, 1869(1869-10-21) (aged 58) Coldwater, Michigan
Resting place	Oak Grove CemeteryColdwater, Michigan
Party	WhigRepublican
Relatives	Descendants of Robert Coe

George Alonzo Coe (August 16, 1811 – October 21, 1869) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He served as the 11th lieutenant governor of Michigan.

Early life

Coe was born in Rush, New York and moved to Illinois at a young age. He was raised on his father's farm until the age of fourteen and then attended school and taught school.^[1] He studied law with Judge Pratt in Rochester, New York and began the practice of law in Coldwater, Michigan in 1839. In 1856, Coe became a law partner with future Congressman Charles Upson.^[2]

Political career

Coe held various political positions in Michigan, and was elected as a Whig candidate to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1840.^[3] In 1846 he was elected to the Michigan Senate to represent the 4th District, and in 1847 he was elected to the State Senate to represent the 3rd District. Coe was elected as the first Republican to serve as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan. He served as Lieutenant Governor from 1855 to 1859 under Michigan GovernorKinsley Bingham.^[4]

Coe was also a delegate to the 1856 Republican National Convention from Michigan, which nominated John C. Fremont for U. S. President, however Fremont lost to James Buchanan in the general election.^[5] Coe left office in 1859 at the age of fifty-eight, and resumed his legal practice.

He died in Coldwater, Michigan on October 21, 1869, ten years after leaving office.^[6] He is interred in Oak Grove Cemetery in Coldwater.

References

1. the University of Michigan (1888). EARLY HISTORY WITH BIOGRAPHIES OF STATE OFFICERS. the University of Michigan. p. 181. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
2. Hubbell, John T. and Geary, James W. (1995). Biographical Dictionary of the Union: Northern Leaders of the Civil War. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 548. ISBN 9780313209208. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
3. the University of Michigan (1888). EARLY HISTORY WITH BIOGRAPHIES OF STATE OFFICERS. the University of Michigan. p. 181. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
4. Collin, Rev. Henry P. (1906). A TWENTIETH CENTURY History and Biographical Record OF BRANCH COUNTY, MICHIGAN. REV. HENRY P. COLLIN, M. A. p. 216. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
5. Republican Party (Mich.) (1904). Proceedings at celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the Republican party: at Jackson, Michigan, July 6, 1904. Republican Party (Mich.). p. 74. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
6. The Society (1908). Historical Collections, Volume 14. The Society. Retrieved June 13, 2014.

Further reading

• Bingham, Stephen D. (2005) [1888]. "s.v. George Coe". Early history of Michigan, with biographies of state officers, members of Congress, judges and legislators. Pub. pursuant to act 59, 1887. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. p. 181. Retrieved July 26, 2007.

External links

• Michigan's Former Lt. Governors