Thomas M. Cooley Papers, 1850-1898

Summary

Creator:

Cooley, Thomas McIntyre, 1824-1898

Abstract:

Professor of Law and American History at the University of Michigan, Michigan Supreme Court Justice, and chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Papers include correspondence, diaries, lectures, notes and photographs.

Extent:

9 linear feet
1 oversize volume

Language:

English.

Call Number:

851316 Aa 2

Authors:

Finding aid prepared by: Bentley Historical Library Staff.

Background

Scope and Content:

The Thomas McIntyre Cooley papers document the life and career of an attorney, jurist, teacher, scholar, and public official. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence received. A comprehensive calendar of these letters has been compiled by Virginia Ehrlicher in her doctoral thesis Thomas McIntyre Cooley : a calendar of his papers, 1846-1898. This three volume calendar is an important tool in accessing names of correspondents and topics covered. The remainder of the collection includes diaries, speeches, scrapbooks, course notes from some of his classes taught at the University of Michigan, and a scattering of photographs.

Biographical / Historical:

Thomas McIntyre Cooley was born in Attica, N. Y. on January 6, 1824. In 1842, after having graduated from the Attica Academy, Cooley began the study of law in Palmyra, N. Y. He came to Adrian, Mich., in September, 1843 where he completed his law studies with the firm of Tiffany & Beaman. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1846. He briefly practice law in Tecumseh, then returned to Adrian in 1848 becoming member of the firm of Beaman, Beecher & Cooley. In 1855, he formed a partnership with Charles M. Croswell.

In 1857 Cooley was chosen by the Michigan legislature to compile the laws of the State. In January, 1858, he was appointed reporter of the Supreme Court, and while in that position edited and published eight volumes of reports. In 1859, with the establishment of the Law Department of the University of Michigan, Cooley was chosen, along with Judge J. V. Campbell and C. I. Walker, to be one of the three professors in the new department.

In 1864 Cooley was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court, and was re-elected in 1869 and in 1877, continuing in that position until his defeat in 1885. During this same period he continued his teaching and writing. In 1884, he resigned his professorship in the law department to accept the position of professor of American history and constitutional law in the Literary Department of the University of Michigan.

In the mid-1880s, Cooley became involved as an arbitrator in disputes involving the railroad. In 1887, President Cleveland appointed Cooley to the newly organized Interstate Commerce Commission, where he served as chairman. He served for four years resigning in September 1891. He died in Ann Arbor, Michigan, September 12, 1898.

Acquisition Information:

The collection was transferred from the William L. Clements Library (donor no. 1333 ).

Arrangement:

The Thomas M. Cooley papers are arranged in six series

1. Correspondence, 1846-1898
2. Biographical and estate material
3. Diaries
4. Miscellaneous Papers and Scrapbooks
5. University of Michigan
6. Photographs

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Selective Index to Correspondents

Alger, R. A. (Russell Alexander), 1836-1907.	1885-1886
Angell, Alexis C. (Alexis Caswell), 1857-1932.	1880-1891
Angell, James Burrill, 1829-1916.	1873-1902
Begole, Joshua Williams, 1815-1896.	1883
Blair, Austin, 1818-1894.	1861-1892
Champlin, John Wayne, 1831-1901.	[18 letters scattered throughout]
Chaney, Henry A.	[Throughout]
Christiancy, Isaac Peckham, 1812-1890.	[37 letters scattered throughout]
Clements, James.	[12 letters scattered throughout]
Clute, Lemuel	1882-1889
Cooley, Charles Horton, 1864-1929.	1900-1927
Cooley, Edgar Arthur.	1884-1897
Cooley, Eugene, 1849-1937.	1865-1912
Cullom, Shelby Moore, 1829-1914.	Feb. 22, 1886
Dabney, W. D.	1884-1895
Dickinson, Donald McDonald, 1846-1917.	1884-1895
Dunn, Jacob Piatt, 1855-1924.	[10 letters scattered throughout]
Ford, William F.	1881-1884
Gilman, Daniel Coit, 1831-1908.	[15 letters scattered throughout]
Hitchcock, Henry, 1829-1902.	[11 letters scattered throughout]
Hoar, George Frisbie, 1826-1904.	[3 letters scattered throughout]
Hopkins, Charles Clark, b. 1849.	1882-1889
Hubbard, Fred S.	1884-1895
Jerome, David Howell, 1829-1896.	[14 letters scattered throughout]
Kent, Charles A. (Charles Artemis), 1835-1917.	1881-1888
Kinne, Edward DeWitt, 1842-1921.	[13 letters scattered throughout]
Kirchner, Otto, 1846-1920.	[15 letters scattered throughout]
Lamont, Daniel Scott, 1851-1905.	[6 letters scattered throughout]
Marston, Isaac, 1839-1891.	[48 letters scattered throughout]
Meddaugh, Elijah Wood, 1833-1903.	1882-1889
Moseley, Edward Augustus, 1846-1911.	1884-1895
Moseley, Edward Augustus	1884-1895
O'Brien, Thomas James, 1842-1933.	1882-1889
Rogers, Henry Wade, 1853-1926.	1882-1894
Sawyer, Andrew Jackson, b. 1834.	[Throughout]
Schoonmaker, Augustus.	1884-1895
Seligman, Edwin Robert Anderson, 1861-1939.	[10 letters scattered throughout]
Underwood, W. A.	1882-1889
Van Zile, Philip T. (Philip Taylor), 1843-1917.	1882-1889
Walker, Aldace F., 1842-1901.	1884-1895
Washburn, William Drew, 1831-1912.	[8 letters scattered throughout]
White, Andrew Dickson, 1832-1918.	[7 letters scattered throughout, including letter of June 5, 1871, relating to co-education]

Alternative Form Available:

Cooley's diaries, 1887-1894, and his lectures on government are also available on microfilm.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Coeducation -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor.
Sculpture.

Formats:

Diaries.
Photographs.

Names:

Michigan. Supreme Court.
Republican Party (Mich.)
United States. Interstate Commerce Commission.
University of Michigan. Dept. of Political Science.
University of Michigan. Dept. of Law.
University of Michigan. President.
University of Michigan -- Students.
Cooley, Thomas McIntyre, 1824-1898.
Alger, R. A. (Russell Alexander), 1836-1907.
Angell, Alexis C. (Alexis Caswell), 1857-1932.
Angell, James Burrill, 1829-1916.
Begole, Joshua Williams, 1815-1896.
Blair, Austin, 1818-1894.
Campbell, James V. (James Valentine), 1823-1890.
Champlin, John Wayne, 1831-1901.
Chaney, Henry A.
Christiancy, G. C.
Christiancy, Isaac Peckham, 1812-1890.
Clements, James.
Clute, Lemuel.
Cooley, Charles Horton, 1864-1929.
Cooley, Edgar Arthur.
Cooley, Eugene, 1849-1937.
Cullom, Shelby Moore, 1829-1914.
Dabney, W. D.
Dickinson, Donald McDonald, 1846-1917.
Dunn, Jacob Piatt, 1855-1924.
Ford, William F.
Gilman, Daniel Coit, 1831-1908.
Hitchcock, Henry, 1829-1902.
Hoar, George Frisbie, 1826-1904.
Hopkins, Charles Clark, 1849-
Hubbard, Fred S.
Jerome, David Howell, 1829-1896.
Kent, Charles A. (Charles Artemis), 1835-1917.
Kinne, Edward DeWitt, 1842-1921.
Kirchner, Otto, 1846-1920.
Lamont, Daniel Scott, 1851-1905.
Marston, Isaac, 1839-1891.
Meddaugh, Elijah Wood, 1833-1903.
Morrison, William Ralls, 1825-1909.
Moseley, Edward Augustus, 1846-1911.
O'Brien, Thomas James, 1842-1933.
Rogers, Henry Wade, 1853-1926.
Sawyer, Andrew Jackson, 1834-
Schoonmaker, Augustus.
Seligman, Edwin Robert Anderson, 1861-1939.
Underwood, W. A.
Van Zile, Philip T. (Philip Taylor), 1843-1917.
Walker, Aldace F., 1842-1901.
Washburn, William Drew, 1831-1912.
White, Andrew Dickson, 1832-1918.
Adams, Henry Carter, 1851-1921.
Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908.
Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901.
Pryor, Roger Atkinson, 1828-1919.
Seward, William Henry, 1839-1920.
Tappan, Henry Philip, 1805-1881.

Places:

Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1845-1860.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1866-1876.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1877-1898.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1845-1861.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1865-1900.
Ann Arbor (Mich.)