Ira Clifton Copley

Ira Clifton Copley

Ira Clifton Copley (born October 25, 1864 in Galesburg , Illinois , †  November 1, 1947 in Aurora , Illinois) was an American newspaper publisher and politician . Between 1911 and 1923 he represented the state of Illinois in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Ira Copley was the nephew of Congressman Richard H. Whiting (1826–1888). As early as 1867, he came to Aurora with his parents, where he attended public schools and Jennings Seminary . He then studied until 1887 at Yale University . This was followed by a law degree at the Union College of Law in Chicago until 1889 . However, it is not known whether he ever worked as a lawyer. Instead, he got into the gas and electricity business. He campaigned for gas lighting in Aurora around 1868 and later promoted electric street lighting. Copley was president of several gas and electrical companies and was also involved in building electric trams. Then he turned to the newspaper business and politics. Between 1905 and 1913 he owned and edited various newspapers in Illinois. Politically, he joined the Republican Party .

In the 1910 congressional election , Copley was elected to the Eleventh constituency of Illinois in the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , where he succeeded Howard M. Snapp on March 4, 1911 . After five re-elections, he was able to complete six legislative terms in Congress by March 3, 1923 . Between 1915 and 1917 he represented the Progressive Party there . Then he returned to the Republicans. World War I fell during his time in Congress . In addition, the 18th and 19th amendments to the Constitution were ratified in 1919 and 1920 . It was about the ban on trade in alcoholic beverages and the nationwide introduction of women's suffrage . The 16th and 17th amendments were ratified as early as 1913 . This involved the direct election of US Senators and nationwide income tax.

In 1922, Ira Copley declined to run again for Congress. After the end of his time in the US House of Representatives, he worked again in the newspaper industry. He expanded his operating radius considerably. In addition to Illinois, he also worked as a journalist in southern California . In the end, he published more than twelve daily newspapers, including the State Journal Register , which still appears in Springfield today . He died in Aurora on November 1, 1947.

Web links

• Ira Clifton Copley in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Ira Clifton Copley in the database of Find a Grave (English)