Henry A. Cooper

Henry Allen Cooper (September 8, 1850 - March 1, 1931) was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.

Born in Spring Prairie, Wisconsin, Cooper moved with his parents to Burlington, Wisconsin, in 1851.He attended the common schools.He was graduated from Burlington High School in June 1869, from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, in 1873, and from Union College of Law (then the legal department of Northwestern University and of the old University of Chicago) in 1875.He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice at Burlington, Wisconsin.

Cooper was elected district attorney of Racine County in November 1880.He moved to the city of Racine in January 1881.He was reelected district attorney without opposition in 1882 and 1884.He served as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1884, 1908, and 1924.He served as member of the State senate 1887-1889 and author of the bill which became the law first establishing the Australian secret ballot system in the State of Wisconsin.He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1890 to the Fifty-second Congress.

Cooper was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third and to the twelve succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1893-March 3, 1919).He served as chairman of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors (Fifty-fifth Congress), Committee on Insular Affairs (Fifty-sixth through Sixtieth Congresses).He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1918 to the Sixty-sixth Congress. He was the author of the Philippine Organic Act (1902), the first organic law for the Philippines enacted by the United States Congress.

Cooper was again elected to the Sixty-seventh and to the four succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1921, until his death. Had been reelected to the Seventy-second Congress.He died in Washington, D.C., March 1, 1931.He was interred in Mound Cemetery, Racine, Wisconsin.

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