John E. Coffee

John E. Coffee (* December 3, 1782 in Prince Edward County, Virginia; † September 25, 1836 in Jacksonville, Georgia) was an American general and congressman of the state of Georgia. He is often confused with General John R. Coffee, his first cousin.

Born in Georgia Coffee moved with his father in 1800 on a plantation near Powelton in Hancock County. In 1807 he was Farmer in Telfair County. As a general in the militia of Georgia, he organized the construction of a road through Georgia to bring ammunition by the State in the Florida territory and to fight the Indians during the Creek War. The road ran from Jacksonville to Tallahassee, Florida and is referred to as Old Coffee Road.

In the years 1819-1827 Coffee was a member of the Senate of Georgia. As a candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party, he was elected to the 23th and 24th Congress of the United States. He was on 4 March 1833 to his death on September 25, 1836 Member of the House of Representatives. On 3 October 1836 he was elected to the 25th Congress; the news of his death was there not arrived yet.

Coffee died on his plantation near Jacksonville and was initially buried there. His remains were reburied in 1921 in the cemetery of McRae, Georgia.

Commemoration

In addition to Old Coffee Road were named in Georgia and the General Coffee State Park after him the Coffee County.