Robert Emmet Cofer

Full Name: Robert Emmet Cofer
Date of birth: September 20, 1870
Date of death: February 15, 1944

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	4	Jan 12, 1909 - Sep 27, 1911	31st ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ 32nd ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾	Democrat	Gainesville / Cooke		Cooke, Grayson

(1) Cofer resigned 9/27/1911. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) 32nd Legislature - Roll Call of holdover Senators, 1/10/1911, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(3) Democrat; roster of members of the 31st Legislature with biographical and party information. "Year Book 1909," Number 13, May-June 1910, pp. 408-415. Bulletin (Texas Department of Agriculture), 1910.
(4) 31st Legislature - Roll Call of Senators-elect, oath of office administered, 1/12/1909, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 4
Jan 12, 1909 - Sep 27, 1911
Legislatures: 31st ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ 32nd ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Gainesville / Cooke
Counties in district: Cooke, Grayson

Biographical Information top

Biographical Sketches

Memorial, April 1944, p. 131. Resigned 1911 to become professor of law at The University of Texas. Texas Bar Journal.
Photo and biographical sketch, Robert E. Cofer, Volume IV, pp. 69-70. Born 9/20/1870 in Nashville, Tennessee; resigned from state Senate in 1913. Texas Under Many Flags, 1930.

Other Resources

Discussion of Cofer & Cofer law firm and involvement in the Chambers sisters' claim to land under Texas Capitol building, p. 89. Austin Lawyers: A Legacy of Leadership and Service, 2005.
Obituary, "Ex-Sen. Cofer Dies at Home," 2/15/1944, pp. 1, 2. Austin Statesman.
"Criticized Legislature in Commencement Address: R.E. Cofer Declares That Strong, Educated Christian Men Are Needed to Make Laws," 6/8/1909, p. 1. Notes Cofer's address to the State University, Austin, June 8. Brownwood Bulletin.
Robert Emmet Cofer, birth date 9/20/1870 in Tennessee; death date 2/15/1944 in Austin, Travis County, Texas; lawyer. FamilySearch Texas Deaths, 1890-1976.
Robert Emmet Cofer, birth date 9/20/1970, death date 2/15/1944, burial in Oakwood Cemetery Annex, Austin, Travis County. Find a Grave.
Died 2/15/1944, Austin Statesman, p. 1. Legislative Reference Library Card File.
In memoriam - Robert Emmet Cofer. State Senator from 1908 - 1911. Memorial Resolutions and Biographical Sketches - The University of Texas at Austin, Office of the General Faculty.
"Former State Senator Robert Cofer Dies," Austin, Feb. 15. 2/16/1944, p. 7. San Antonio Express.
Guide to the UT School of Law History Files at the Tarlton Law Library: includes several citations to materials re. Robert E. Cofer - "Cofer Incident 1920-21", speeches re. Cofer's "political activities." Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin, 2009.
"Academic Freedom, 1917." Winter 2004, p. 45. Describes University of Texas investigation of Robert E. Cofer for statement at county fair supporting Governor James Edward Ferguson's political opponent. UT Law Magazine.

Photographs

Photograph. R.E. Cofer, 32nd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. R.E. Cofer, 31st Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

31st session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber gallery, east wall. 3E.5). State Preservation Board.
32nd session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber gallery, east wall. 3E.5). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

32nd R.S. - 1911 Constitutional Amendments Engrossed Bills (Chair) Judiciary No. 2 Picture of Senate of the 32nd Legislature, Special (Chair) Public Debt, Claims and Accounts Public Health Public Lands and Land Office Representative Districts Treasurer's and Comptroller's Departments
31st R.S. - 1909 Agricultural Affairs Commerce and Manufactures Constitutional Amendments Federal Relations Judiciary No. 2 Privileges and Elections Public Buildings and Grounds (Chair) Rules State Affairs Towns and City Corporations Treasurer's and Comptroller's Departments

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