Quay, Matthew Stanley, 1833-1904

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)