Nathan Goff
Appointed by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892 and confirmed by voice vote, Nathan Goff was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He earned a law degree from New York University School of Law in 1866. He previously served on the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit. Sources ↓
- Lived
- 1843–1920
- Appointed by
- Benjamin Harrison, 1892
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Education
- New York Law 1866
- Succeeded by
- Charles Albert Woods
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | U.S. Circuit Courts for the Fourth Circuit | B. Harrison (R) | Voice vote |
| 1892 | Fourth Circuit | B. Harrison (R) | Voice vote |
Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own. A voice vote means the chamber approved aloud. No senator-by-senator tally is recorded.
Confirmation vote
Voice vote
The Senate approved this confirmation aloud, with no senator-by-senator tally recorded. Recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989.
Education
| New York University School of Law | LL.B. | 1866 |
Before the bench
Professional career before and outside the federal bench, as recorded by the Federal Judicial Center.
| U.S. Army | 1861-1865 |
| Editor, Clarksburg [West Virginia] Telegraph | 1866- |
| Private practice, Clarksburg, West Virginia | 1866-1867, 1889-1892 |
| State representative, West Virginia | 1867-1868 |
| U.S. attorney for the District of West Virginia | 1868-1881, 1881-1882 |
| Secretary of the Navy | 1881 |
| U.S. representative from West Virginia | 1883-1889 |
| U.S. senator from West Virginia | 1913-1918 |
Questions & answers
- Who appointed Nathan Goff?
- President Benjamin Harrison appointed Nathan Goff to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in 1892.
- Was Nathan Goff appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?
- Nathan Goff was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
- What was Nathan Goff's confirmation vote?
- Nathan Goff was confirmed by voice vote on March 17, 1892. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
- Which court was Nathan Goff on?
- Nathan Goff was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Sources
Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.
- FJC Biographical Directory
- Wikidata
- Portrait: Mathew Benjamin Brady / Levin Corbin Handy (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
How we source & reconcile data → Data & Sources
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21 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Data as of 2026-09-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).