The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-09-17
The Late Judge Cooley.

Dor few days ago, was one of the ablest
lawyers and jurists of his time. and a
striking example of what may he ac-
cenIplIshed by man who has the
ability and the determination to sue
coed.
His parents were Of good New England
stock, but they moved West, and the
lad had to contend with many difficult
ties before he could obtain an edUca
ton, He was not alone in his struggle,
for the Cooley homestead was blessed
with the good. old-fashioned ia niv of
pioneer DAYS, and the embryo Judge
had fourteen brothers and sisters to
keep him company. The common
school; were not up to the grade Of the
present day .lbut they We're the best
that young Cooley had until lie WAS II
years old. when he attended four terms
of private school taught by classical
teachers, after which lie branched out
into school teaching for himself. To be
simply district teacher was not sutii-
cient for the ambitious youth. SO he
spent his leisure in studying law.
When he was about 10 lie started for
Chicago, but by the time he reached
Adrian, Mich, his funds gave out and
in that way Illinois lost a brilliant citiz-
en-, for in Adrian the little god drew his
birdbOlt and in 1916 Mr.. Cooley became
: ! 4 I.
ing just received his lawyers degree at
the Adrian bar. 1t was youthful mar
mage, but it could scarcely have been
happier or a wiser one, and the young
couple prospered. Mrs. Cooley was
Miss Mary Elizabeth Horton, daughter
o David Horton, of Adrian.
AT the time of his marriage Mr.. Cooley
seemed also to have welded his life to
the little town to which his poverty and
not his will had at first consented. He
became deputy county clerk as well as
an attorneys clerk. He Identified him
self with law firm; he was elected Cir
cult Court commissioner and recorder
for the city of Adrian; he purchased
farm and managed it, and he edited a
Once he went to Toledo and into the
real estate business, but he soon re-
turned to the place Of bis chosen home
! By this time his talent was becoming
| compile the general statutes of Mchi-
gan. This was not an easy matter since
| the statutory law was in dire confusion.
| But after Il years hard work the young
| lawyer presented a classification Of the
written law as 1t has been followed ever
since. In 1888 he was appointed re-
| porter of the Supreme court, and &C
cording to his policy Ofdoirg well every
| thing that WAS worth doing at all his
records were unsurpassed. Indeed, it
| is stated that the eight volumes of re-
| ports that bear his name are equal to
any law productions ever published.
and have won him wide recognition in
other states as one of the few reporters
who never mis.tated or misrepresented
the court, and whose syllabi may be
safely accepted as correct statements of
facts and law"
Later he became professor of law in
Ann Arhor university and finally Cir
cult Judge.
In 1864 Judge Cooley took his seat on
the Supreme bench and retained it UNI
| til 1888, 1t the same period writing sew
eral books, contributing much to peri
| odlcais and making many public ad-
| dresses.
When the Interstate Commerce COM
mission WAS organized he accepted the
! Craftsmanship at the solicitation of Pres
| Jdent Cleveland and held the position
| until ill-health compelled him to resign
in 1891.
OF all the published works probably
| the most famous is his Constitutional
| Limitations" which WAS brought out in
| 1868. In 1870 appeared his edition of
| Blackstone, in 1874 his edition of >tory's
Commentaries, in 1876 his book on
Taxation, in 1879 his work on ''Torts,"
| ii 1850 his :" Manual of Constitutional
| Law, and in 1859 his "ilistory of Mich
gan was published in the American
Commonwealth series. Besides these a
great deal of his best literary WORT nav
be found scattered through law court
reports and magazines and reviews from
1876 In 1885. The Century Magazine,
the North American Review, the Forum.
the International Review ami the vari-
| Gus law Journals have been among those
to which the Judge has been a contri-
butor
Some Of his judicial decisions are IA
| nous. In the People vs. Salem he saved
the municipalities OF the state from fin
ancial rum and disaster bv Deciding that
the majority could not. under the power
Of loan and taxation, vote away the
property Of the minority in aid of rail
roads. In ryIk Commissioners vs.. lie
troit he defended the rights of local
scli-goycGnmeut, and greatly restricted
the assumed powers ofthe legislature.
Is far the political side Of his career.
his colleagues on the Interstate Com
merce commission salI that Judge
Cooley did r that body what Marshall
did for the constitution, in determine
ing It's meaning and the fitness of its
scope.
The Presidents Visit