George W. Cooley

George W. Cooley (July 28, 1811 – October 26, 1869) was an American lawyer and politician who served as Commonwealth Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

George W. Cooley
Commonwealth Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts
In office September 5, 1854 – February 4, 1861
Preceded by	George P. Sanger
Succeeded by	George P. Sanger
Personal details
Born	July 28, 1811 Deerfield, Massachusetts
Died	October 26, 1869 (aged 58) Somerville, Massachusetts
Political party	Whig[1]
Occupation	Lawyer

Early life

Cooley was born on July 28, 1811, in Deerfield, Massachusetts.^[2] In 1835 he was admitted to the Maine bar. He later moved from Bangor, Maine, to Boston and on April 13, 1843, he was admitted to the Suffolk County bar.^[3] In 1854 he represented Boston in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.^[2]

District attorney

On September 5, 1854, he was appointed Commonwealth Attorney of Suffolk County to succeed George P. Sanger, who was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas.^[3] In 1860, Cooley was committed to the McLean Asylum for the Insane. On January 14, 1861, Massachusetts Attorney General Stephen Henry Phillips petitioned the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court at the behest of Governor John Albion Andrew for Cooley's removal on the grounds that he was unable to perform the duties of his office due to "derangement and enfeebling of the intellect".^[4] It was the first time in the history of the Commonwealth that the Attorney General had petitioned for the removal of a district attorney.^[5] As Cooley was confined to the asylum, the court appointed Benjamin Butler to serve as his guardian ad litem. On February 4, 1861, the Court removed Cooley from office.^[4]

Cooley died on October 26, 1869, at McLean Asylum.^[6]

References

1. "List of delegates selected by the Whigs of Maine". Annapolis Maryland Republican. November 5, 1839.
2. Poole's Annual Register of the Executive and Legislative Departments of the Government of Massachusetts. Dutton and Wentworth. 1854. p. 6.
3. Bench and Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Boston History Company. 1895. p. 434.
4. Commonwealth v. Cooley. 1865.
5. Thayer, Lucien H. (July 10, 1921). "Supreme Court Itself Will Be the Jury in Unique Tufts Case". The Boston Daily Globe.
6. "Advices from Boston". The Marysville Daily Appeal. October 29, 1869.