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Senate Years of Service: 1875-1877 Party: Democrat
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KEY, David McKendree, a Senator from Tennessee; born near Greeneville, Greene County, Tenn., January
27, 1824; attended the common schools; graduated from Hiawassee College in 1850; studied law;
admitted to the bar in 1850 and commenced practice in Kingston; moved to Chattanooga in 1853;
presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1856 and 1860; during the Civil War enlisted in the
Confederate Army and was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the Forty-third Tennessee Infantry;
member of the State constitutional convention in 1870; chancellor of the third chancery division
1870-1875; unsuccessful Democratic candidate for election to the Forty-third Congress; appointed as
a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Andrew Johnson
and served from August 18, 1875, to January 19, 1877; unsuccessful candidate for election to fill the
vacancy in 1876; Postmaster General in the Cabinet of President Rutherford Hayes 1877-1880;
appointed by President Hayes United States judge for the eastern and middle districts of Tennessee
1880-1894; died in Chattanooga, Tenn., February 3, 1900; interment in Forest Hill Cemetery.
BibliographyDictionary of American Biography;
Abshire, David. The South Rejects a Prophet: The Life of David Key. New York:
F.A. Praeger, 1967.
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