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Hooper, W. H. (William Henry), 1813-1882

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1813 - 1882

Biographical History

William Henry Hooper (1813-1882) was a pioneer, successful mercantile business man, and Utah congressman.

William Hooper was born on December 25, 1813 in Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland to Henry Hooper and Mary Noel Price. In 1835, he moved to Illinois where he engaged in merchant trading on the Mississippi River. He married Elects Jane Harris there in 1836. She had two duaghters before pasisng away in 1844. In 1850, Hooper trekked to Salt Lake City, Utah where he then married Mary Ann Knowlton on December 24, 1852. Together they had 9 children. Through his first few years in Utah he learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized a member in 1854.

William Henry Hooper was deeply involved in the politics of Utah and served the state through years of political service. He was the secretary of the Territory in 1857 and 1858, then was elected as a Democrat to Congress from 1859-1861. Hooper was then elected to the Senate in 1862 and reelected to Congress from 1865-1873. After finishing his last term, Hooper reentered the business force as superintendent of Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution from 1873-1877 and as its President from 1877-1882.

William Henry Hooper was also the President of the Deseret National Bank, from 1872 until his death on December 30, 1882 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Citation:
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, via WWW, Nov. 3, 2017 (HOOPER, William Henry; b. December 25, 1813 in Cambridge, Dorchester County, Md; moved to Illinois in 1835; traded on the Mississippi River; moved to Salt Lake City, Utah 1850; secretary of the Territory in 1857 and 1858; elected Democrat to Congress March 4, 1859-March 3, 1861; member of the State senate 1862; elected Congress 1865-1873; superintendent of Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution 1873-1877, president 1877-1882; president of the Deseret National Bank, Salt Lake City, from 1872-death; d. December 30, 1882 Salt Lake City, Utah)

Find a Grave, via WWW, Nov. 3, 2017 (William Henry Hooper, Sr; b. Dec. 25, 1813 in Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA to Henry Hooper and Mary Noel Price; Married Elects Jane Harris 1836; children May Daire Hooper, Wilhelmina Hooper; Married Mary Ann Knowlton, 24 Dec 1852, Salt Lake City, Utah; Children, William Henry Hooper, George R. Hooper, Mary Hooper, Harriet Hooper, Elizabeth Hooper, Annie Corrinne Hooper, Cora Ella Hooper, Sidney Knowlton Hooper, Alice Hooper; 1st wife died 1844 and both daughters died before 1866; d. Dec. 29, 1882 Salt Lake City, Utah; baptized 1854)