Edward Coffee was given the title of General on account of his part in the campaigns against the Cherokee indians. He was born in 1793 and arrived in Rabun County, Georgia, about 1821, at age 28. His five brothers arrived with him or shortly thereafter. The first official notice taken of him appears in the minutes of the Inferior Court dated December 5, 1822. In this is shown that Edward and Winifred Coffee obtained Letters of Administration on the estate of John Coffee, late of said county, deceased. It was the custom of the Court to appoint the widow as one of the administrators of an estate. We have only this record to show that it was one of Edward Coffee's brothers who had died. The widow of John Coffee, Winifred, afterwards married Solomon Beck.

Edward served as a Justice of the Inferior Court for more than thirty years. He also served as Sheriff for a time. He was elected State Representative from Rabun County from 1831-1836. He was also elected Senator twice...1841-42, then again from 1855 until his death in 1858.