Royal S. Copeland
Encyclopedia
Royal Samuel Copeland was an American academic, homeopathic
physician, and politician
who held elected offices in both Michigan
(as a Republican
) and New York
(as a Democrat). He represented New York in the United States Senate
from 1923 until 1938.
to parents Roscoe P. Copeland and Frances J. (Holmes) Copeland, Royal Copeland graduated from the Michigan State Normal College
(now Eastern Michigan University
) with a bachelor's degree. In 1888, he taught school in Sylvan Township, Michigan. He graduated from the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor
with a degree in medicine in 1889. After graduate studies in Europe, Dr. Copeland practiced medicine in Bay City, Michigan
, from 1890 to 1895. Copeland was admitted to the Homeopathy Society of Michigan on May 21, 1890, and was made secretary of the society in October 1893. He was a professor of Ophthalmology and Otology in the University of Michigan Medical School's Homeopathic Department from 1895 until 1908.
, Copeland was active in municipal politics. He served as Republican
mayor of Ann Arbor from 1901 to 1903, as president of the Ann Arbor Board of Education from 1907 to 1908, and as president of the Ann Arbor Board of Park Commissioners.
to take a position as dean at the New York Flower Hospital and Medical College, a position he left in 1918 to serve as President of the New York Board of Health. He gained much positive public attention for keeping New Yorkers calm during the influenza outbreak of 1918.
In 1922, Copeland ran as a Democrat
for the U.S. Senate
, defeating first-term Republican
Senator William M. Calder
. Franklin D. Roosevelt
served as his honorary campaign manager for this election. Copeland was re-elected in 1928 over Republican challenger Alanson B. Houghton
, the U.S. Ambassador to Britain and a former U.S. Representative. Copeland was again re-elected in 1934, this time defeating future U.S. Congressman E. Harold Cluett
.
During his three terms in the U.S. Senate, Copeland served as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration from 1933 to 1936 and chairman of the Committee on Commerce from 1935 to 1938. In 1935-1936 Copeland served as Chairman of the highly controversial Copeland Committee
which gave a scathing review of air traffic safety and the operation of the Bureau of Air Commerce. Copeland served as primary author and sponsor of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
of 1938, an important consumers right law.
Copeland was close to the regular Democratic organization in New York, the boss-led Tammany Hall
. He was a conservative Democrat and not especially supportive of his fellow New Yorker, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal
policies. He was also a friend of Harry S. Truman
when they both served in the U.S. Senate. Copeland was known for his successful efforts to bring air conditioning to the Senate.
In 1937 he lost the Democratic
nomination for Mayor of New York City
to Judge Jeremiah T. Mahoney, and the Republican
nomination to incumbent Republican Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia
. Senator Copeland died in office on June 17, 1938 and was buried at Mahwah Cemetery in Mahwah, New Jersey
.
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Office
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Type
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Location
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Party
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Elected
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Took Office
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Left Office
|-
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Executive
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Ann Arbor, Michigan
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Republican
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| 1900
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| March 4, 1901
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| March 4, 1903
|-
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Legislature
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Washington, DC
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Democrat
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | 1922
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1923
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1929
|-
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Legislature
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Washington, DC
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Democrat
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | 1928
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1929
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1935
|-
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Legislature
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Washington, DC
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Democrat
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | 1934
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1935
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | June 17, 1938
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Office
!
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Subject
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Party
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Votes
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Portion
!
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Opponent
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Party
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Votes
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Portion
|-
|1922
|U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |1,276,667
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |49.5%
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |William M. Calder
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |995,421
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |38.6%
|-
|1928
|U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |2,084,273
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |46.7%
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Alanson B. Houghton
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |2,034,014
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |45.6%
|-
|1934
|U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |2,046,377
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |52.0%
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |E. Harold Cluett
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |1,363,440
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |34.7%
|-
|rowspan="2"|1937
|Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York City
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |c. 200,000
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |2/5
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Jeremiah T. Mahoney
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |c. 400,000
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |3/5
|-
|Republican nomination for Mayor of New York City
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 | 1/3
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Fiorello H. LaGuardia
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 | 2/3
|-
, international honor society in social sciences, which he served in various positions, Delta Kappa Epsilon
, the New York Athletic Club, the National Democratic Club, the Elks
, the Freemasons, the Knights Templar
, the Shriners
, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and the Sons of the American Revolution
.
At various times Copeland served as President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Michigan Homeopathic Society; President of the American Ophthalmological, Otological, and Laryngological Society; President American Institute of Homeopathy; Vice President of the American Public Health Association; Member of the National Board of Control of Epworth League
; President of the Michigan Epworth League; member of the Tuberculosis Commission of Michigan; trustee of Michigan State Tuberculosis Sanitarium; and he was elected three times to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
physician, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who held elected offices in both Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
(as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(as a Democrat). He represented New York in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1923 until 1938.
Early life and medical career
Born in Dexter, MichiganDexter, Michigan
Dexter is a village in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The majority of the village is in the northwest corner of Scio Township with a small portion in Webster Township. The population was 4,067 at the 2010 census...
to parents Roscoe P. Copeland and Frances J. (Holmes) Copeland, Royal Copeland graduated from the Michigan State Normal College
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
(now Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
) with a bachelor's degree. In 1888, he taught school in Sylvan Township, Michigan. He graduated from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
with a degree in medicine in 1889. After graduate studies in Europe, Dr. Copeland practiced medicine in Bay City, Michigan
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
, from 1890 to 1895. Copeland was admitted to the Homeopathy Society of Michigan on May 21, 1890, and was made secretary of the society in October 1893. He was a professor of Ophthalmology and Otology in the University of Michigan Medical School's Homeopathic Department from 1895 until 1908.
Political career in Michigan
During his time as a medical professor in Ann ArborAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, Copeland was active in municipal politics. He served as Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
mayor of Ann Arbor from 1901 to 1903, as president of the Ann Arbor Board of Education from 1907 to 1908, and as president of the Ann Arbor Board of Park Commissioners.
Political career in New York
On July 15, 1908, Copeland married Frances Spalding. The same year, Copeland moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to take a position as dean at the New York Flower Hospital and Medical College, a position he left in 1918 to serve as President of the New York Board of Health. He gained much positive public attention for keeping New Yorkers calm during the influenza outbreak of 1918.
In 1922, Copeland ran as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
for the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, defeating first-term Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Senator William M. Calder
William M. Calder
William Musgrave Calder I was an American politician from New York.-Biography:He was born in Brooklyn on March 3, 1869 to Alexander G. Calder. He trained as a carpenter, attended night classes at Cooper Union....
. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
served as his honorary campaign manager for this election. Copeland was re-elected in 1928 over Republican challenger Alanson B. Houghton
Alanson B. Houghton
Alanson Bigelow Houghton was an American businessman, politician, and diplomat who served as a Congressman and Ambassador. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Early life and business career:...
, the U.S. Ambassador to Britain and a former U.S. Representative. Copeland was again re-elected in 1934, this time defeating future U.S. Congressman E. Harold Cluett
E. Harold Cluett
Ernest Harold Cluett was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Troy, he attended the public schools and was graduated from The Albany Academy in Albany, New York, in 1892 and from Williams College, where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall, in 1896; he also studied at Oxford...
.
During his three terms in the U.S. Senate, Copeland served as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration from 1933 to 1936 and chairman of the Committee on Commerce from 1935 to 1938. In 1935-1936 Copeland served as Chairman of the highly controversial Copeland Committee
Copeland Committee
The Copeland Committee was organized to investigate air traffic safety and the operations of the Bureau of Air Commerce by Congress. There were a number of factors that prompted Congress to commission this report including the TWA airline crash outside of Kansas City on May 6, 1935 that killed five...
which gave a scathing review of air traffic safety and the operation of the Bureau of Air Commerce. Copeland served as primary author and sponsor of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act , is a set of laws passed by Congress in 1938 giving authority to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to oversee the safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics. A principal author of this law was Royal S. Copeland, a three-term U.S. Senator from...
of 1938, an important consumers right law.
Copeland was close to the regular Democratic organization in New York, the boss-led Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
. He was a conservative Democrat and not especially supportive of his fellow New Yorker, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
policies. He was also a friend of Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
when they both served in the U.S. Senate. Copeland was known for his successful efforts to bring air conditioning to the Senate.
In 1937 he lost the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nomination for Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
to Judge Jeremiah T. Mahoney, and the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination to incumbent Republican Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia
Fiorello H. LaGuardia
Fiorello Henry LaGuardia was Mayor of New York for three terms from 1934 to 1945 as a liberal Republican. Previously he was elected to Congress in 1916 and 1918, and again from 1922 through 1930. Irascible, energetic and charismatic, he craved publicity and is acclaimed as one of the three or...
. Senator Copeland died in office on June 17, 1938 and was buried at Mahwah Cemetery in Mahwah, New Jersey
Mahwah, New Jersey
Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was...
.
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Office
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Type
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Location
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Party
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Elected
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Took Office
| bgcolor=#cccccc | Left Office
|-
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| 1900
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| March 4, 1901
| bgcolor=#EEEEAA| March 4, 1903
|-
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Washington, DC
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | 1922
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1923
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1929
|-
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Washington, DC
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | 1928
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1929
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1935
|-
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Washington, DC
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | 1934
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | March 4, 1935
| bgcolor=#FFFFAA | June 17, 1938
Election results
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Year!bgcolor=#cccccc |Office
!
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Subject
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Party
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Votes
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Portion
!
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Opponent
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Party
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Votes
!bgcolor=#cccccc |Portion
|-
|1922
|U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |1,276,667
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |49.5%
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |William M. Calder
William M. Calder
William Musgrave Calder I was an American politician from New York.-Biography:He was born in Brooklyn on March 3, 1869 to Alexander G. Calder. He trained as a carpenter, attended night classes at Cooper Union....
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |995,421
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |38.6%
|-
|1928
|U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |2,084,273
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |46.7%
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Alanson B. Houghton
Alanson B. Houghton
Alanson Bigelow Houghton was an American businessman, politician, and diplomat who served as a Congressman and Ambassador. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Early life and business career:...
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |2,034,014
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |45.6%
|-
|1934
|U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New York
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |2,046,377
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |52.0%
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |E. Harold Cluett
E. Harold Cluett
Ernest Harold Cluett was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Troy, he attended the public schools and was graduated from The Albany Academy in Albany, New York, in 1892 and from Williams College, where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall, in 1896; he also studied at Oxford...
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |1,363,440
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |34.7%
|-
|rowspan="2"|1937
|Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |c. 200,000
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |2/5
|
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Jeremiah T. Mahoney
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |c. 400,000
|bgcolor=#DDEEFF |3/5
|-
|Republican nomination for Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Royal S. Copeland
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 | 1/3
|
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Fiorello H. LaGuardia
Fiorello H. LaGuardia
Fiorello Henry LaGuardia was Mayor of New York for three terms from 1934 to 1945 as a liberal Republican. Previously he was elected to Congress in 1916 and 1918, and again from 1922 through 1930. Irascible, energetic and charismatic, he craved publicity and is acclaimed as one of the three or...
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 |
|bgcolor=#FFE8E8 | 2/3
|-
Honors and society memberships
Copeland was a member of several honor societies and fraternal organizations, including the Pi Gamma MuPi Gamma Mu
Pi Gamma Mu or ΠΓΜ is the oldest and preeminent honor society in the social sciences. It is also the only interdisciplinary social science honor society. It serves the various social science disciplines which seek to understand and explain human behavior and social relationships as well as their...
, international honor society in social sciences, which he served in various positions, Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
, the New York Athletic Club, the National Democratic Club, the Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, the Freemasons, the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
, the Shriners
Shriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and the Sons of the American Revolution
Sons of the American Revolution
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a Louisville, Kentucky-based fraternal organization in the United States...
.
At various times Copeland served as President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Michigan Homeopathic Society; President of the American Ophthalmological, Otological, and Laryngological Society; President American Institute of Homeopathy; Vice President of the American Public Health Association; Member of the National Board of Control of Epworth League
Epworth League
The Epworth League is a Methodist young adult association for individuals ages 18-35. It traces back to the founding of the organization by the United Methodist Church's predecessor denomination, the Methodist Episcopal church, formed in 1889 at Cleveland, Ohio, by the combination of five young...
; President of the Michigan Epworth League; member of the Tuberculosis Commission of Michigan; trustee of Michigan State Tuberculosis Sanitarium; and he was elected three times to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
See also
- "Biographical Materials" folder, Copeland Papers, Michigan Historical Collection, Bentley Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Mayors of Ann Arbor page at PoliticalGraveyard.com