William Prentice Cooper
William Prentice Cooper (September 27, 1870 – July 3, 1961) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives.
William Prentice Cooper | |
---|---|
59th Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives | |
In office 1915–1917 | |
Preceded by | William M. Stanton |
Succeeded by | Clyde Shropshire |
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 16th district | |
In office 1915–1917 | |
Preceded by | A. A. Stone |
Succeeded by | J. R. Hart |
Personal details | |
Born | William Prentice Cooper September 27, 1870 Henderson, Kentucky, U.S. |
Died | July 3, 1961 90) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | (aged
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Argentine Shofner (m. 1894) |
Children | Prentice |
Relatives | Jim Cooper, John Cooper (grandsons) |
Education | Vanderbilt University |
Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
Early life
William Prentice Cooper was born on September 27, 1870. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1890, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.[1]
Career
Cooper was a lawyer.[1] He served as the Mayor of Shelbyville, Tennessee from 1905 to 1907.[2] He also served as the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1915 to 1917.[1][2]
Cooper served on the board of trustees of the University of Tennessee from 1915 to 1958.[2]
Personal life
Cooper married Argentine Shofner.[3] Their son, Prentice Cooper, served as the 39th Governor of Tennessee from 1939 to 1945.[2][3] They resided at the Gov. Prentice Cooper House in Shelbyville, built in 1904 for them, and based on the design of a house he owned in Henderson, Kentucky.[4] His wife inherited the Absalom Lowe Landis House, also known as Beech Hall, in Normandy, Tennessee, where the Coopers summered.[5]
Death and legacy
Cooper died on July 3, 1961.[2] His grandson, Jim Cooper, was a member of the United States House of Representatives who retired from his seat in 2022.[6]
References
- Maxwell, W. J. (1918). General catalogue of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. p. 564. Retrieved January 7, 2016 – via Internet Archive.
- "W.P. Cooper Dies At 90". The Kansas City Times. Kansas City, Missouri. July 4, 1961. p. 7. Retrieved January 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- Onofrio, Jan (2000). Tennessee Biographical Dictionary. Somerset Publishers. ISBN 9780403097005. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
- "National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form: Gov. Prentice Cooper House". National Park Service. United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
- "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Absalom Lowe Landis House". National Park Service. United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
- "REP. JIM COOPER OF TENNESSEE IS WED TO MARTHA BRYAN HAYS, ORNITHOLOGIST". The New York Times. April 7, 1985. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
External links