Representative Samuel Harrison Coon

Samuel Harrison Coon (April 15, 1903 – May 8, 1980) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represented Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District from 1953 to 1957. His congressional service, spanning two terms, took place during a significant period in American history in the early Cold War era, when domestic policy, agricultural issues, and international affairs were central concerns of the federal legislature.

Coon was born and raised in Boise, Idaho, where he attended local public schools. He went on to study at the University of Idaho in Moscow, from which he graduated in 1925. Following his graduation, he pursued various occupations in banking and agriculture, gaining experience in both the financial and farming sectors that would later inform his public service, particularly in a largely rural district.

By 1929, Coon had moved to northeastern Oregon, where he became the owner-operator of a cattle ranch near Keating, Oregon. He managed this ranch from 1929 to 1950, establishing himself as a working rancher and agricultural businessman. In 1937, he married Opal Kerfort. After two decades in ranching, he transitioned into the real estate business, engaging in that field from 1951 to 1952, a period that coincided with his early steps into elective office.

Coon’s formal political career began at the state level. In 1950, he was elected to represent Baker County in the Oregon State Senate. A member of the Republican Party, he served during the 1951 session of the Oregon Legislature. His brief but timely tenure in the state Senate helped position him for national office, as he built a reputation as a representative of eastern Oregon’s agricultural and rural interests.

Toward the end of his term in the Oregon State Senate, Coon successfully ran for election to Congress as a Republican from Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District. He took his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 3, 1953. During his service in Congress from January 3, 1953, to January 3, 1957, Coon participated in the legislative process at a time marked by the Eisenhower administration, the intensification of the Cold War, and ongoing debates over domestic economic policy. He represented the interests of his constituents in eastern Oregon, contributing to the work of the House over the course of two consecutive terms. He was narrowly re-elected after a challenge from Democrat Al Ullman, who later went on to defeat him in the 1956 election, ending Coon’s tenure in the House after his second term.

Following his congressional service, Coon continued his involvement in public affairs at the international level. From 1957 to 1959, he served as Deputy Director for the International Cooperation Administration in Lima, Peru, an agency that was part of the United States’ foreign assistance and development efforts during the Cold War. After completing this assignment, he took up residence in Laguna Hills, California. Samuel Harrison Coon died on May 8, 1980, and his ashes were distributed at sea.