“C” is for Cooper, Thomas (1759-1839)

“C” is for Cooper, Thomas (1759-1839). Educator, scientist. A native of England, Cooper attended Oxford. Discouraged by England's conservative reaction to the French Revolution, he immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1794 where he was active in politics.  In 1811Cooper returned to teaching chemistry and worked at several schools before arriving at South Carolina College in 1820. In South Carolina he completed his philosophical journey and became an ardent proponent of states’ rights. He became the second president of the South Carolina College in 1820 and taught courses in chemistry, mineralogy, and political economy. In 1824 he wrote his first pamphlet that espoused states’ rights philosophy, and he later became a strong supporter of nullification. Although he was not politically active in the movement, his writings led opponents of nullification to recognize Thomas Cooper as the intellectual leader of the nullifiers.