John Coffee papers, circa 1940-1980

John Main Coffee (January 23, 1897-June 2, 1983) was a U.S. Representative from Washington State, 6th District, 1937-1946.

Born in Tacoma, Washington, Coffee attended the public schools. He attended University of Washington (in Seattle), earning an A.B. and LL.B., 1920; and Yale University, J.D., 1921. He was admitted to the bar in 1922 and commenced practice in Tacoma. Coffee served as Secretary to United States Senator C.C. Dill in 1923 and 1924; Secretary of the advisory board of the National Recovery Administration, 1933-1935; appraiser and examiner of Pierce County for the Washington State Inheritance Tax and Escheat Division, 1933-1936; and civil service commissioner for Tacoma, Washington, in 1936.

Coffee was a Democrat elected to the Seventy-fifth and to the four succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1937-January 3, 1947). He was a practicing attorney in Tacoma and Seattle, Washington. He was a resident of Tacoma, Washington, until his death in June 1983.