Nathan Goff Jr.

Nathan Goff Jr.
United States Senator from West Virginia
In office April 1, 1913 – March 3, 1919
Preceded by	Clarence Wayland Watson
Succeeded by	Davis Elkins
Judge of the United 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 the United 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 the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia's 1st district
In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889
Preceded by	Benjamin Wilson
Succeeded by	John O. Pendleton
28th United 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 Clarksburg, Virginia (now West Virginia)
Died	April 24, 1920(1920-04-24) (aged 77) Clarksburg, West Virginia
Resting place	Odd Fellows Cemetery Clarksburg, West Virginia
Political party	Republican
Children	Guy D. Goff
Parent	Waldo Goff (father)
Relatives	Louise Goff Reece
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 a United States representative from West Virginia, a Union Army officer, the 28th United States Secretary of the Navy during the administration of President Rutherford B. Hayes, a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and of the United States Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit and a United States senator from West Virginia.

Born on February 9, 1843, at his family's estate Waldomore in Clarksburg, Harrison County, Virginia (now West 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 and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.^[2] He received a Bachelor of Laws in 1866 from New York University School of Law.^[1]

Although his family owned several slaves, they favored the Union. During the American Civil War, Goff joined the Union Army in 1861; enlisting in the 3rd West Virginia Infantry Regiment.^[2] He later became a major in the 4th West Virginia Cavalry Regiment.^[2]

Goff became editor of the Clarksburg 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 the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1867 to 1868.^[1]

Goff then became the United States Attorney for the District of West Virginia from 1868 to 1881, and from 1881 to 1882.^[1] He served as the 28th United 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 for Governor of West Virginia in 1876 and 1888, but voters instead elected the Democrat.^[2]

Goff was elected as a Republican from West Virginia's 1st congressional district to the United States House of Representatives of the 48th, 49th and 50th 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 President Benjamin Harrison on December 16, 1891, to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit, to a new joint seat authorized by 26 Stat. 826.^[1] He was confirmed by the United 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 the United States Senate by state delegate Roy Earl Parrish. He was elected by the state legislature over Democrat Clarence 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 the Seventeenth Amendment that the seat was filled by popular vote.^[2] He was Chairman of the Committee on Conservation of Natural Resources for the 65th 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 Virginia United States Senator Guy D. Goff and grandfather of United States Representative from Tennessee Louise Goff Reece.^[2]

Goff's home at Clarksburg, the Nathan Goff Jr. House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It was delisted in 1994, after demolition in 1993.^[4]

The World War II destroyer USS Goff was named in his honor.^{[citation needed]}

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

• United States Congress. "Nathan Goff Jr. (id: G000255)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Nathan Goff at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• McKinney, Gordon (1978). Southern mountain Republicans, 1865-1900 : politics and the Appalachian community. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-1300-1.
• Smith, G. Wayne (1953). "Nathan Goff, Jr., In the Civil War*". Retrieved 4 July 2017.

The West Virginia & Regional History Center at West Virginia University houses the papers of Nathan Goff Jr. in three collections, A&M 213, A&M 953, and A&M 1940

• USS Goff (DD-247), Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Archived 2005-04-10 at the Wayback Machine Naval Historical Center. Accessed March 24, 2024.