Richard Coke

Richard Coke (* March 13, 1829 near Williamsburg, Virginia, † May 14, 1897 in Waco, Texas) was an American farmer, lawyer, and the 16th Governor of Texas. Between 1877 and 1895 he represented this State as a Senator in the U.S. Congress

Coke was born as the son of John and Eliza Coke near Williamsburg. He finished in 1848 his law studies at the College of William & Mary in Virginia and received his license to practice law in the same year. In 1850 he moved to Waco, where he opened a law practice. In 1852 he married Eliza Hankins from Waco. The couple had four children, but all died before they reached the age of 30.

After 1861, Coke was a delegate in Austin. In 1862 he took over command of a company that was part of the 15th Infantry Regiment of Texas. During the war he served as a Captain and was in battle near Bayou Bourbeau, near Opelousas, Louisiana, wounded on 3 November 1863. After the war he returned to Waco.

In 1865 he was appointed District Judge in Texas and 1866 he was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. 1873 the Democrat was elected to succeed Edmund J. Davis to the governor and after his tenure as successor to Morgan Calvin Hamilton U.S. Senator. He was re-elected twice and served until March 3, 1895. His successor as governor was Richard B. Hubbard and his successor as U.S. Senator was Horace Chilton.

After an accident on the Brazos River in April 1897 he became seriously ill and died on May 14, 1897 in Waco. The Coke County was named after him.

681605
de