Robert S. Cooley Biography


	This biography appears on pages 752, 753 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" 	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and 
	was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ROBERT S. COOLEY. 

	Robert S. Cooley, a prominent attorney of Yankton, who since 1891 
has practiced his profession here, was born in Friendship Mill, 
Maryland, June 17, 1863. He is a son of Robert and Margaret (Shermer) 
Cooley, in whose family were nine children, of whom our subject is the 
fifth in order of birth. The father was likewise a native of Maryland 
and there spent much of his life but later removed to Nebraska. 

	Robert S. Cooley acquired his early education in the public 
schools of his native state and after his arrival in South Dakota 
continued his studies in the public schools here and later completed 
the high-school course. Deciding upon the profession of law, he entered 
Yankton College for a preliminary course and worked his way through 
this institution by acting as general utility man. He was of a studious 
nature and worked hard to complete his college course, to the end that 
in 1889 he graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree. Following his 
graduation he read law in the office of Judge R. B. Trip and in 1891 
was admitted to practice at the South Dakota bar. He has remained in 
active practice to the present time but on account of ill health he has 
for the past few years confined his attention mainly to office 
practice. He ever has at heart the best interests of his clients and 
has thereby won the confidence of all with whom he has business 
relations. 

	Mr. Cooley was married on the 17th of December, 1904, to Miss 
Nell Boyle, who was born in Ohio and there reared to the age of fifteen 
years, when she came to South Dakota and has here since resided. Where 
national issues are involved Mr. Cooley gives stalwart support to the 
democratic party but at local elections votes independently. He was at 
one time appointed to the office of deputy county clerk and in this 
connection discharged his duties faithfully and well. His religious 
faith is indicated by his membership in the Episcopal church. 
Throughout his residence in Yankton he has ever enjoyed in the highest 
degree the respect and confidence of his fellow men and his worth as a 
man and a citizen as well as a lawyer is widely acknowledged.