Myers Y. Cooper: Difference between revisions
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'''Myers Young Cooper''' (November 25, 1873 – December 6, 1958) was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician and [[Businessperson|businessman]] from [[Ohio]]. Cooper was the [[List of Governors of Ohio|51st Governor of Ohio]]. |
'''Myers Young Cooper''' (November 25, 1873 – December 6, 1958) was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician and [[Businessperson|businessman]] from [[Ohio]]. Cooper was the [[List of Governors of Ohio|51st Governor of Ohio]]. |
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Born In [[St. Louisville, Ohio]], the youngest of eleven children, Cooper had a public school education, and attended the [[National Normal University]] in [[Lebanon, Ohio]] for three years. In 1893, at age 20, he joined his brothers in [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]] in a large real-estate and homebuilding business. On December 15, 1897, he married [[Martha Kinney Cooper|Martha Kinney]]. His business interests also included lumber, building supplies and banking.<ref>{{cite book |title=Cincinnati, the Queen City, 1788-1912 |volume=4 |first=Charles Frederic |last=Goss |author-link=Charles Frederic Goss|publisher=S J Clarke Publishing Company |location=Cincinnati |year=1912 |pages=466–469 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pBEWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA466}}</ref> After losing in 1926, he won election to the governorship in 1928, serving from 1929 to 1931. |
Born In [[St. Louisville, Ohio]], the youngest of eleven children, Cooper had a public school education, and attended the [[National Normal University]] in [[Lebanon, Ohio]] for three years. In 1893, at age 20, he joined his brothers in [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]] in a large real-estate and homebuilding business. On December 15, 1897, he married [[Martha Kinney Cooper|Martha Kinney]]. His business interests also included lumber, building supplies and banking.<ref>{{cite book |title=Cincinnati, the Queen City, 1788-1912 |volume=4 |first=Charles Frederic |last=Goss |author-link=Charles Frederic Goss|publisher=S J Clarke Publishing Company |location=Cincinnati |year=1912 |pages=466–469 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pBEWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA466}}</ref> After losing in 1926, he won election to the governorship in 1928, serving from 1929 to 1931. |
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The defining feature of his term was the beginning of the Great Depression in October 1929 which was exacerbated by a drought the following summer that pummeled the Ohio farm economy. Cooper largely echoed the Hoover Administration's calls for calm and efforts to speed up previously-planned public works spending<ref>{{Cite book|last=Walker|first=Harvey|title=Constructive Government in Ohio: The Administration of Myers Y. Cooper|publisher=The Ohio History Press|year=1948|location=Columbus, Ohio|pages=224}}</ref> which represented the conventional view of how to respond to sudden downturns. Local committees were created to aid in finding jobs of the unemployed but this effort largely proved ineffective as the crisis intensified. |
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Cooper was nominated without opposition in 1930, but lost to [[George White (Ohio politician)|George White]].<ref name="galbreath">{{cite book |title=Ohio, A four volume reference library on the History of a Great State | editor1-first=Simeon D. |editor1-last=Fess |editor1-link=Simeon D. Fess|volume=4 |year=1937 |publisher=Lewis Publishing Company |location=Chicago |page=434 |oclc=418516 }}</ref> Cooper's tepid response to the developing Great Depression led to a collapse in voter turnout - about 20 percent fewer votes were cast compared with the 1928 election. White won despite winning fewer votes than Democratic candidate Martin Davey collected two years previously.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Walker|first=Harvey|title=Constructive Government in Ohio: The Administration of Governor Myers Y. Cooper|publisher=The Ohio History Press|year=1948|location=Columbus, Ohio|pages=226}}</ref> Cooper unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor again in 1932, his last bid for office.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Walker|title=Constructive Government in Ohio|pages=232}}</ref> |
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In 1929 Cooper signed a one-cent increase in the state gas tax which was estimated to produce $8.5 million in additional funds for road and bridge work. His administration also authorized the start of construction on the State Office Building to house agencies scattered in rented space around Columbus. The building on Front Street is now home to the Ohio Supreme Court.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Walker|first=Harvey|title=Constructive Government in Ohio: The Administration of Myers Y. Cooper|publisher=The Ohio History Press|year=1948|location=Columbus, Ohio|pages=85, 149}}</ref> Cooper also faced a major crisis when a fire at the Ohio Penitentiary on April 21, 1930 killed 322 inmates. The fire led to legislative efforts to ease overcrowding and the establishment of a state parole board. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Ohio Penitentiary Fire|url=https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ohio_Penitentiary_Fire|url-status=live|access-date=6 October 2021|website=Ohio History Central}}</ref> |
In 1929 Cooper signed a one-cent increase in the state gas tax which was estimated to produce $8.5 million in additional funds for road and bridge work. His administration also authorized the start of construction on the State Office Building to house agencies scattered in rented space around Columbus. The building on Front Street is now home to the Ohio Supreme Court.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Walker|first=Harvey|title=Constructive Government in Ohio: The Administration of Myers Y. Cooper|publisher=The Ohio History Press|year=1948|location=Columbus, Ohio|pages=85, 149}}</ref> Cooper also faced a major crisis when a fire at the Ohio Penitentiary on April 21, 1930 killed 322 inmates. The fire led to legislative efforts to ease overcrowding and the establishment of a state parole board. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Ohio Penitentiary Fire|url=https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ohio_Penitentiary_Fire|url-status=live|access-date=6 October 2021|website=Ohio History Central}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 22:31, 6 October 2021
Myers Y. Cooper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 51st Governor of Ohio | |
| In office January 14, 1929 – January 12, 1931 | |
| Lieutenant | John T. Brown |
| Preceded by | A. Victor Donahey |
| Succeeded by | George White |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 25, 1873 St. Louisville, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | December 6, 1958 (aged 85) Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Resting place | Spring Grove Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | National Normal University |
Myers Young Cooper (November 25, 1873 – December 6, 1958) was a Republican politician and businessman from Ohio. Cooper was the 51st Governor of Ohio.
Born In St. Louisville, Ohio, the youngest of eleven children, Cooper had a public school education, and attended the National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio for three years. In 1893, at age 20, he joined his brothers in Cincinnati in a large real-estate and homebuilding business. On December 15, 1897, he married Martha Kinney. His business interests also included lumber, building supplies and banking.[1] After losing in 1926, he won election to the governorship in 1928, serving from 1929 to 1931.
The defining feature of his term was the beginning of the Great Depression in October 1929 which was exacerbated by a drought the following summer that pummeled the Ohio farm economy. Cooper largely echoed the Hoover Administration's calls for calm and efforts to speed up previously-planned public works spending[2] which represented the conventional view of how to respond to sudden downturns. Local committees were created to aid in finding jobs of the unemployed but this effort largely proved ineffective as the crisis intensified.
Cooper was nominated without opposition in 1930, but lost to George White.[3] Cooper's tepid response to the developing Great Depression led to a collapse in voter turnout - about 20 percent fewer votes were cast compared with the 1928 election. White won despite winning fewer votes than Democratic candidate Martin Davey collected two years previously.[4] Cooper unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor again in 1932, his last bid for office.[5]
In 1929 Cooper signed a one-cent increase in the state gas tax which was estimated to produce $8.5 million in additional funds for road and bridge work. His administration also authorized the start of construction on the State Office Building to house agencies scattered in rented space around Columbus. The building on Front Street is now home to the Ohio Supreme Court.[6] Cooper also faced a major crisis when a fire at the Ohio Penitentiary on April 21, 1930 killed 322 inmates. The fire led to legislative efforts to ease overcrowding and the establishment of a state parole board. [7]
In mid-to-late 1920s, Cooper was associated with South Florida real estate developer and politician George E. Merrick. Cooper was involved with Merrick's Village Project developments in Coral Gables that would later impact and inspire the architecture of Cincinnati homes in the 1930s-50s. [8]
His former home is now the grounds for Clark Montessori High School.
References
- ^ Goss, Charles Frederic (1912). Cincinnati, the Queen City, 1788-1912. Vol. 4. Cincinnati: S J Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 466–469.
- ^ Walker, Harvey (1948). Constructive Government in Ohio: The Administration of Myers Y. Cooper. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio History Press. p. 224.
- ^ Fess, Simeon D., ed. (1937). Ohio, A four volume reference library on the History of a Great State. Vol. 4. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. p. 434. OCLC 418516.
- ^ Walker, Harvey (1948). Constructive Government in Ohio: The Administration of Governor Myers Y. Cooper. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio History Press. p. 226.
- ^ Walker. Constructive Government in Ohio. p. 232.
- ^ Walker, Harvey (1948). Constructive Government in Ohio: The Administration of Myers Y. Cooper. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio History Press. pp. 85, 149.
- ^ "Ohio Penitentiary Fire". Ohio History Central. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "The Seven Villages". 29 October 2015.
External links
- Myers Y. Cooper at Find a Grave
- "The Myers Y. Cooper Company - Real Estate Investment Developers since 1895". Retrieved 2012-01-14.
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