Quay, Matthew Stanley, 1833-1904

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1833-09-30
Death 1904-05-28

Biographical notes:

U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.

From the description of Papers of Matthew Stanley Quay, 1776-1949 (bulk 1890-1904). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 74665072

American soldier and politician.

From the description of Petition signed : [Pittsburgh?], addressed to President Grant, 1869 Mar. 10. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270615946

Republican Senator Matthew Stanley Quay was born on September 30, 1833 in Dillsburg, York County, Pennsylvania, the son of Anderson B. Quay, a Presbyterian preacher. M. S. Quay was educated at Beaver and Indiana academies and graduated from Jefferson College in 1850. He subsequently studied law in Pittsburgh with the Penny and Sterrett law firm; James P. Sterrett later became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In 1855, 1856 and 1859, Quay was the prothonotary of Beaver County. He resigned in 1861 to serve in the Civil War and rose to the rank of Colonel, receiving a Congressional Medal of Honor. In 1864, Quay became a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and served as Secretary and Chairman of the Republican State Committee; he later went on to become Chairman of the National Republican Committee. M. S. Quay was elected as Pennsylvania State Treasurer in 1885 and U.S. Senator (Republican) in 1887. In 1893, Senator Quay insisted on blocking passage of the Wilson bill until it was amended to protect (Pennsylvania) manufacturing interests. He served as Senator until his death in 1904. M. S. Quay coined the phrase, "It is all over but the shouting."

From the description of Papers of Matthew Stanley Quay, 1836-1927. (University of Pittsburgh). WorldCat record id: 30418712

Biographical Note

1833, Sept. 30 Born, Dillsburg, Pa. 1850 Graduated Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pa. 1854 Admitted to bar and began law practice, Beaver County, Pa. 1855, Oct. 10 Married Agnes Barclay 1856 1859 Prothonotary of Beaver County 1861 1865 Washington, D. C. Washington, D. C. District of Columbia Military state agent, Washington, D. C. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Private secretary to Gov. Andrew G. Curtin of Pennsylvania Lieutenant, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves Colonel, 134th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers Lieutenant colonel and assistant commissary general, Militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Major and chief, Department of Transportation and Telegraph, staff of Governor Curtin Military secretary to Governor Curtin 1865 1867 Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives 1867 1872 Owned and edited the Beaver Radical 1872 1882 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1878 1879 Philadelphia, Pa. Philadelphia Recorder of the city of Philadelphia, Pa. Chairman of the Republican state committee 1885 Selected as member of Republican National Committee 1885 1887 Pennsylvania state treasurer 1887 Elected, United States Senate 1888 Fredericksburg, Va. Fredericksburg Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery at Fredericksburg, Va., during the Civil War Chairman, Republican National Committee, during presidential campaign of Benjamin Harrison 1893 Reelected, United States Senate 1895 Named chairman, Pennsylvania Republican central committee 1896 Candidate for president Member, executive committee, Republican National Committee 1898, Nov. Indicted for conspiracy to misuse state funds 1899, Jan. Failed to be reelected to United States Senate because of deadlock in Pennsylvania legislature 1899, Apr. 21 Acquitted of misuse of state funds; appointed United States Senator, ad interim 1900, Apr. 24 Denied seat in United States Senate by resolution of that body 1901 Reelected, United States Senate 1904, May 28 Died, Beaver, Pa.

From the guide to the Matthew Stanley Quay Papers, 1776-1949, (bulk 1890-1904), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

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Subjects:

  • Fredericksburg, Battle of, Fredericksburg, Va., 1862
  • Legislators
  • Presidents
  • Presidents

Occupations:

  • Senators, U.S. Congress

Places:

  • Pennsylvania (as recorded)
  • Pennsylvania (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Virginia (as recorded)
  • Pennsylvania (as recorded)
  • Virginia (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)

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