Henry T. Cooper Biography

	This biography appears on pages 1022-1023 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HENRY T. COOPER, cashier of the Whitewood Bank, and ex-treasurer 
of Lawrence county, also state senator for two consecutive terms, is a 
native of Warwickshire, England, where his birth occurred on the 22d day 
of June, 1850. He grew to manhood's estate and received his education in 
the country of his birth and after reaching his majority accepted the 
position of traveling salesman with a wholesale firm which he 
represented in various parts of England until 1879. Severing his 
connections with his house that year, he came to the United States and, 
proceeding direct to St. Paul, Minnesota, entered the employ of the 
Northwestern Transportation Company, which at that time was operating 
lines of stage coaches through various western states and territories. 
Shortly after engaging with this company, Mr. Cooper was placed in 
charge of the business at Bismarck, South Dakota, thence, in 1880, was 
transferred to Pierre, where he looked after the company's interests 
during the five years following. In 1885 he took charge of the office at 
Chadron, but when the railroad was finished to that town the transportation 
company moved its office to Rapid City, thence a little later to 
Sturgis, and finally, in the fall of 1887, to Whitewood, which place 
sprang into existence that year. Mr. Cooper continued with the company 
at the latter place until 1890, when its business was wound up by reason 
of the completion of the railroad to Deadwood. For some time thereafter 
he was engaged in various enterprises, among which was the running of 
transportation lines to a number of smaller towns beyond the reach of 
railway facilities, and later he constructed the water-works system at 
Whitewood, which for several months was operated under his personal 
management. In 1894 Mr. Cooper was elected treasurer of Lawrence county, 
and served as such for a period of two years, discharging his official 
functions in an able and satisfactory manner and proving not only a 
capable but a very obliging and popular public servant. He early 
manifested a strong predilection for politics and, espousing the 
principles of the Republican party, in due time became one of its ardent 
advocates and active workers in the Black Hills country. As a further 
recognition of his valuable services he was honored in 1898 by being 
elected a member of the state senate, in which capacity he served his 
district two terms, having been re-elected in the year 1900. 
Mr. Cooper, in 1898, became associated with the Whitewood Banking 
Company, and sincethat date he has been cashier of the bank, also one of 
its largest stockholders. He is a skillful accountant, capable and 
painstaking in the discharge of the duties of his position and has made 
a special study of financial questions, on all of which he is not only 
well informed, but is considered an authority. In addition to banking, 
he has large mining interests in different parts of the country, and as 
an all-round, wide-awake, enterprising business man, he occupies a 
prominent place among the leading men of the Black Hills. He still owns 
the water works at Whitewood and, with his other sources of income, has 
become quite well to do, being at this time classed with the financially 
solid and responsible men of his part of the state. 

	Mr. Cooper is a married man and the father of two children, Henry 
and Albert; his wife, formerly Miss Kate Grimshaw, is a native of 
Minnesota and her name was changed to the one she now bears on April 11, 
1888.