George A. Cooke
Encyclopedia
George A. Cooke was a member of the Illinois General Assembly
1902-1909 and a judge
of the Illinois Supreme Court 1909-1918, serving as chief justice
1913-1914.
in 1869. Both of Cooke's parents died when he was 11 years old, and he was sent to live in Mercer County, Illinois
. He was educated at Knox College, graduating in 1892.
Cooke was admitted to the bar of Illinois
in 1895 and established a law practice in Aledo, Illinois
. In 1902, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
, representing the 33rd District. He served two terms.
Upon the death of Justice Guy C. Scott of the Illinois Supreme Court in 1909, Cooke ran for and won election to the Fourth District of the Illinois Supreme Court. Cooke served out the remainder of Justice Scott's term and then won re-election to a full term in 1912. He served as chief justice
of the court for two consecutive terms in 1913 and 1914.
In 1918, Cooke left the bench to become chief counsel of the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, a position he held for the next twenty years until his death.
Cooke was married to Sarah Blee. Together, they had four children. He died in his home on December 6, 1938.
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
1902-1909 and a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Illinois Supreme Court 1909-1918, serving as chief justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
1913-1914.
Biography
George A. Cooke was born in New Athens, OhioNew Athens, Ohio
New Athens is a village in Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The population was 342 at the 2000 census.During Morgan's Raid, a decisive Union victory in the Civil War in 1863, Confederate Brid. Gen...
in 1869. Both of Cooke's parents died when he was 11 years old, and he was sent to live in Mercer County, Illinois
Mercer County, Illinois
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 16,434, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 16,957 in 2000. Its county seat is Aledo...
. He was educated at Knox College, graduating in 1892.
Cooke was admitted to the bar of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in 1895 and established a law practice in Aledo, Illinois
Aledo, Illinois
Aledo is a city in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,613 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mercer County.-Geography:Aledo is located at ....
. In 1902, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
, representing the 33rd District. He served two terms.
Upon the death of Justice Guy C. Scott of the Illinois Supreme Court in 1909, Cooke ran for and won election to the Fourth District of the Illinois Supreme Court. Cooke served out the remainder of Justice Scott's term and then won re-election to a full term in 1912. He served as chief justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the court for two consecutive terms in 1913 and 1914.
In 1918, Cooke left the bench to become chief counsel of the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, a position he held for the next twenty years until his death.
Cooke was married to Sarah Blee. Together, they had four children. He died in his home on December 6, 1938.