Edward Cooper, Mayor of New York City

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Cooper_(mayor)

Edward Cooper (October 26, 1824 – February 25, 1905) was the Mayor of New York City from 1879 to 1880, serving as a Democrat. He was the only son of industrialist Peter Cooper. Edward Cooper's business partner and brother-in-law, Abram S. Hewitt, also served as mayor of New York City (1887–1888). W.R. Grace's terms as mayor separated Cooper's and Hewitt's terms. W.R. Grace's terms were in turn separated by Franklin Edson's term.

"Cooper was recognized as a leader of the Swallowtails, named for the Swallowtail coat. The Swallowtails were prominent Democratic businessmen and professionals who opposed the Tammany Hall Democratic organization and attempted to introduce government reforms and end corruption. Cooper served as a member of the Committee of Seventy, which investigated and prosecuted Tammany Hall corruption."

"In partnership with Abram S. Hewitt, Cooper operated an iron works in Trenton, New Jersey. Edward Cooper also became a metallurgist and inventor, developing several improvements to iron making and metalworking. He declined to patent his inventions, believing that they could better serve the public if he made them widely available. After Peter Cooper's death in 1883, Edward Cooper succeeded to the presidency of the Cooper Union."