William B. Cooper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| William B. Cooper | |
 |
|
|
|
|
| January 19, 1841 – January 21, 1845 | |
| Preceded by | Cornelius P. Comegys |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Thomas Stockton |
|
|
|
| Born | December 16, 1771 Laurel, Delaware |
| Died | April 29, 1849 Laurel, Delaware |
| Residence | Laurel, Delaware |
| Political party | Federalist Whig |
| Spouse | Nancy Jones Jane Townsend Palmer |
| Profession | farmer |
| Religion | Methodist |
William Barkley Cooper (December 16, 1771 – April 29, 1849) was an American farmer and politician from Laurel, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, and later the Whig Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.
Contents |
[edit] Early Life and Family
Cooper was born December 16, 1771 in Laurel, Delaware, son of Isaac and Comfort Townsend Barkley Cooper. His grandfather, Barkley Townsend, came to Laurel in 1768 from Dorchester County, Maryland and at one time owned nearly the whole area. His father served in the Delaware General Assembly, was a member of the Delaware convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1787, and was a member of the 1792 Delaware Constitutional Convention. His brother, Thomas Cooper, also served in the Delaware General Assembly and was one of the U.S. Representatives from Delaware from 1813 until 1817.
William Cooper married Nancy Jones in 1795, and had one child, William T. After her death, he married Nelly Warren in 1816, and after her death, he married for the third time, Jane Townsend Palmer in 1828. There were no children by either of the later marriages. They lived at the southeast corner of 4th and King Street in Laurel and were members of the Methodist Church. He served in the Delaware militia of the 5th Company of the 9th Regiment as an ensign, and later was commissioned to the Troop of Horse of the 3red Brigade as captain.
[edit] Political career
Cooper was appointed a Justice of the Peace from 1797 until 1805 and was also Sheriff of Sussex County from 1800 until 1812. He served in the State House in the 1816 and 1817 sessions and then again in the 1835/36 session. In 1817 he was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Sussex County. He was elected Governor of Delaware in 1840 by defeating Warren Jefferson of Seaford, the Democratic candidate, and served as Governor from January 19, 1841 until January 21, 1845. Cooper is noted for complaining to the General Assembly that penal code is antiquated, requiring the Governor to issues an excessive number of pardons to properly administer justice according to the standards of the day.
Upon leaving office in 1841, Cooper, in his message,
“congratulates the State that her finances are free from embarrassment, and the surplus remained undiminished, while every demand which had been made on the Treasury had been promptly discharged. The currency, though reduced, was perfectly sound; the credit remained unimpaired, and no imputation or suspicion of fraud or public dishonor rested on the fair fame of the Commonwealth; while every consideration conspired to prove that the people of the State, as far as their condition was affected by the action of the State Government, were still preeminently prosperous and happy.” [1]
The 61st and 62nd Delaware General Assembly sat during Cooper’s term of office. The 61st General Assembly met in 1841/42 and the 62nd General Assembly met in 1843/44.
[edit] Death and Legacy
Cooper died April 29, 1849 at Laurel, Delaware, and is buried there at the Old Methodist Cemetery. He is remembered as “a man of great force of character; an educated man, being polished in manners with intellectual gifts of a high order and a fascinating conversationalist.” [2] Another reports that, "he was a high tempered man...and was in the habit of swearing very hard in his angry moments. When reproved, he said he couldn't help it." [3] His only son, William, went South during the Civil War and, according to some, served in the Confederate Army, and was held captive for a time at Fort Delaware, escaping in 1862.
There is thought to be a portrait of William B. Cooper.
[edit] Public offices
Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State Representatives had a one year term. After 1831, elections were held the first Tuesday after November 1st and the terms of State Representatives were increased to two years. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term
| Office | Type | Location | Elected | Took Office | Left Office | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheriff | Judiciary | Georgetown | 1800 | Sussex County | ||
| State Representative | Legislature | Dover | 1815 | January 2, 1816 | January 7, 1817 | |
| State Representative | Legislature | Dover | 1816 | January 7, 1817 | January 6, 1818 | |
| State Representative | Legislature | Dover | 1834 | January 6, 1835 | January 3, 1837 | |
| Governor | Executive | Dover | 1840 | January 19, 1841 | January 21, 1845 |
[edit] Election results
| Year | Office | Subject | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | Governor | William B. Cooper | Whig | 5,850 | 54% | Warren Jefferson | Democratic | 5,024 | 46% |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Scharf, John Thomas. History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols..
- ^ Conrad, Henry C.. History of the State of Delaware.
- ^ Martin, Roger A. A History of Delaware Through its Governors. , p. 185
[edit] References
- Sobel, Robert; J. Racino (1988). Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789-1978. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-930466-00-4.
- Rodney, Richard S. (1975). Collected Essays on Early Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Delaware.
- Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
- Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols.. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co..
- Martin, Roger A. (1984). History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
- Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
- Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, DE: Roger A. Martin.
[edit] External links
- Delaware’s Governors [1]
- Find a Grave [2]
- History of Delaware 1609-1888 [3]
- National Governors Association [4]
- The Political Graveyard [5]
[edit] Places with more information
- Historical Society of Delaware [6] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161
- University of Delaware Library [7] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965
