Thomas Chalkley Coffin (October 25, 1887 – June 8, 1934) was a United States Representative

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 from Idaho

Idaho

Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

. Coffin served as a Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 in the House from 1933 to 1934.

Born in Caldwell

Caldwell, Idaho

Caldwell is a city in and the county seat of Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be 43,281, as of July 2009.Caldwell is the home of the College of Idaho. It is considered part of the Boise metropolitan area....

, Idaho Territory

Idaho Territory

The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...

, he attended Yale University's Sheffield Scientific School

Sheffield Scientific School

Sheffield Scientific School was founded in 1847 as a school of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut for instruction in science and engineering. Originally named the Yale Scientific School, it was renamed in 1861 in honor of Joseph E. Sheffield, the railroad executive. The school was...

, where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall

St. Anthony Hall

St. Anthony Hall, also known as Saint Anthony Hall and The Order of St. Anthony, is a national college literary society also known as the Fraternity of Delta Psi at colleges in the United States of America. St...

, and was graduated from the law department of Yale University in 1910. Coffin represented the state's Second Congressional District

Idaho's 2nd congressional district

Idaho's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Idaho. The district encompasses Eastern Idaho and the Magic Valley region of the state and other outlying areas, as well as a small portion of the Boise Metropolitan Area, including two-thirds of the city of Boise...

. He defeated Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 incumbent Addison T. Smith

Addison T. Smith

Addison Taylor Smith was a United States Representative from Idaho. Smith served as a Republican in the House from 1913 to 1933....

 in 1932 but died midway through his term.

Coffin was struck by an automobile on a driveway in the south grounds of the U.S. Capitol, June 4, 1934, and died four days later at Providence Hospital, Washington, D.C.