Charles Merian Cooper (January 16, 1856 – November 14, 1923) was an American attorney and politician who served as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

from 1893 until 1897.

Early life and education

Cooper was born on January 16, 1856, in

Athens, Georgia Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the sta ...

. His father, Charles Phillip Cooper, served as a

United States Treasury Department The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States, where it serves as an executive department. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and ...

agent until the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

, when he was appointed to help organize the Confederate States Treasury Department. In 1864, he and his family moved to

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

in order to escape Union forces. Cooper studied law at Gainesville Academy, graduating in 1867. He was accepted into the

Florida Bar The Florida Bar is the integrated bar association for the state of Florida. It is the third largest such bar in the United States. Its duties include the regulation and discipline of attorneys. The Florida Bar is also responsible for the governi ...

in the same year, and began a private practice in St. Augustine, Florida.

Political career

In 1880, Cooper, a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, representing St. John's County. He served until 1884, when he was elected to the

Florida Senate The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted in ...

from St. John's County. On January 13, 1885, Cooper was appointed as the 15th

Florida Attorney General The Florida attorney general is an elected cabinet official in the U.S. state of Florida. The attorney general serves as the chief legal officer of the state and is head of the Florida Department of Legal Affairs. The office is one of Florida's t ...

by Governor Edward A. Perry. Cooper served until 1889 when his term expired. Later that year, he was one of three commissioners appointed to revise the state's statutes. In 1892, the Democratic U.S. Representative from Florida's 2nd district, Robert Bullock, did not seek reelection. Cooper successfully received the Democratic nomination and defeated his opponent,

Populist Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term develop ...

State Representative Austin S. Mann, with 76% of the vote. Cooper successfully sought reelection in 1894, defeating Populist Montholom Atkinson with 80% of the vote. The Republican Party did not nominate any candidates in either of the races. Cooper did not run for reelection in 1896 and returned to his private practice in Jacksonville.

Personal life

In 1880, Cooper married Rosa Leonardi. They had two children, Charles Philip and James Jackson Gignilliat.

Death

Cooper died in Jacksonville on November 14, 1923. He is buried in Jacksonville's St. Mary's Cemetery.

Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Charles Merian 1856 births 1923 deaths Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Democratic Party Florida state senators Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida Florida Attorneys General Politicians from Athens, Georgia People from Jacksonville, Florida 19th-century American politicians