New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
First Republican To Be Chief Executive of Tennessee IN
Three Decades Had Obstacles to Overcome IN
Building His Career which Would Have
Daunted the Boldest Men.

while reading law Hooper served as road
overseer in Cooke County. This was the
first public Office he ever held. In Cooke
County it was generally understood thdt
a person who could do nothing else would
make good road overseer. IL was -the
duty OF such an official to see that the
property owners and voters OF the count?
vent on 10 the highways two or three days
each year and with pick and shower
worked" the roads. Sometimes they maze
them more Dassable. sometimes more I'M
passable. But Hooper made a good road
oyerseer and as a result OF the knowledge
OF highways and their Improvement gained
while he was a boy and served as road
overseer OF his county he has already pro-
posed a plan. which every one In the state
says is feasible, for the building Of great
highway from the northeast corner OF the
state to the southwest corner
Soon young Hooper completed his law
course and was admitted TO the bar. when
he was barely twenty-one years old. lie
came to be looked upon as one OF the
leaders OF the Republican party in munic-
ipal and county politics, and has become
one of the best lawyers in the state,
Shortly after he was twenty-one years
old he entered the race for the lower
house Of the state Legislature. His oppo-
nent was one Of the oldest and shrewdest
politicians In the county. but hooper
a bov OF twenty nty-one-defeated him at the
game OF politics and he was sent to the
LEGISLATURE by a handsome majority.
older men who served with him during his
first term declare that that little Hooper
boy from the mountains opposed everything
the oldtimers proposed.
Rut he pleased his constituents so well
they returned him for another term. lnat
was the last elective office 10 which lie
aspired until he ran for Governor. lie re-
turned to Newport and resumed the prac-
tice Of Law.
Ben Hooper wanted 10 make money lie
decided that the practice of law was NIL
ing his Golfers too slowly. and he Dor
roved money and invested in real estate
in Newport. Soon he sold the property
for twice the amount paid for 1t, and WIN
tnat. supplemented with sum borrowed
he purchased property I'm Oklahoma CITY,
and later in Alabama and Texas. AS result
of "tradin' in land" as Cooke County
folks say. Ben Hooper has accumulated
fortune OF more than $4,000, every cent
of which he has made himself. Recently
he gave $4,000 toward the establishment
Of an orphanage by one Of the Knoxville
Baptist churches, in which children such
as he was may be cared fof
But Cupid began to play with Ben
Hooper's heart soon after he was gradu-
ated from college He decided he was
desperateIy in love with pretty young
girl. member OF a prominent Last
tennessee family. lie sought her hand'
The girl was in love with young Hooper.
TOO. But her parents knew something OF
his antecedents-at least, they thought the!
did-and they asked the young man aooH'
his parentage lie told them that what ne
was he had become by his own ehorts'
that he could not boast OF his parehtaGe'
and that he had never known who MS
mother was but that he should not nave
n suffer for the sins Of his parents. rms
did not satisfy the parents OF the pretty
Girl who had crossed Ben's path ana they
told him their daughter was 100 good for
him" and they would not consent 10 the
marriage