Job Adams Cooper | |
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| 6th Governor of Colorado | |
| In office January 8, 1889 – January 13, 1891 | |
| Lieutenant | William Grover Smith |
| Preceded by | Alva Adams |
| Succeeded by | John L. Routt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1843-11-06)November 6, 1843 |
| Died | January 20, 1899(1899-01-20) (aged 55) |
| Party | Republican |
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Job Adams Cooper (November 6, 1843 – January 20, 1899) was a U.S.Republican Party politician. He served as thesixth governor of theState of Colorado from 1889 to 1891.
Job Adams Cooper was born inGreenville, Illinois, to Charles and Maria Hadley Cooper, one of seven children. He attendedKnox College inGalesburg, Illinois, but took a leave of absence to fight in theAmerican Civil War for theUnion Army.[1]
Cooper enlisted as a sergeant in the137th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was stationed inMemphis, Tennessee, during the Confederate raid on the city by troopers under the command of GeneralNathan Bedford Forrest. Following the war, he returned to complete his studies. Upon graduation from Knox College in 1867, he returned to his hometown of Greenville and was admitted to practice law inIllinois.
That same year, Cooper married Jane O. Barnes, the daughter of a prominent minister, and they had four children together. Leaving his family behind in 1872, he accompanied A. C. Phelps on a westward journey hoping to find entrepreneurial opportunities, and eventually settled inDenver, Colorado, where they started the law firm of Phelps and Cooper. In between 1872 and 1888, Cooper expanded his business interests to includeinsurance,banking,mining, and thecattle industry.
In 1888, Cooper was nominated for Governor, and went on to defeatRocky Mountain News editorThomas M. Patterson in the general election. Following his inauguration as the state's sixth Governor in January, 1889, he signed legislation that created thirteen new counties, including:Baca,Cheyenne,Kiowa,Kit Carson,Lincoln,Montezuma,Morgan,Otero,Phillips,Prowers,Rio Blanco,Sedgwick, andYuma. Furthermore, he opened a stateorphans home in Denver and a statereformatory inChaffee County.
Cooper declined to seek reelection in 1890, and returned to his law practice. He later formed a construction business and built Denver's Cooper Building. From 1893 to 1897, he served as president of the localchamber of commerce. He died at the age of 55 and is buried in Denver'sFairmount Cemetery.
Cooper had a daughter, Mary Louisa Cooper, wife of geologist and railroad official,Lucius Seymour Storrs. The Storrs had two children, Lucius Seymour Storrs Jr., andMargaret Storrs Grierson.[2]
| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Colorado 1888 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Colorado 1889–1891 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
