Representative Richard Matlack Cooper

Richard Matlack Cooper (February 29, 1768 – March 10, 1843) was a Representative from New Jersey who served two terms in the United States Congress during a formative period in the nation’s political history. He was born in Gloucester County, New Jersey, on February 29, 1768. Details of his early family life are sparse, but he completed a preparatory course of studies typical of the late eighteenth century, which provided him with the education necessary for public service and commercial pursuits in the new republic.

After his schooling, Cooper engaged in banking, an occupation that would remain central to his professional life. On May 4, 1798, he married Mary Cooper, establishing his household in southern New Jersey at a time when the region was developing economically and politically in the early decades of the United States.

Cooper entered public service at the county level before rising to state and national office. He served as coroner of Gloucester County from 1795 to 1799, an office that combined administrative, legal, and investigative responsibilities. He later became a judge and justice of the Gloucester County courts, serving in that judicial capacity from 1803 to 1823. His long tenure on the county bench reflected both his standing in the community and his familiarity with local legal and civic affairs.

In addition to his judicial responsibilities, Cooper was active in state politics. He served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1807 to 1810, participating in the legislative process and helping to shape state policy during the early national period. Parallel to his public offices, he advanced in the banking sector. He became president of the State Bank of New Jersey at Camden in 1813, a position he held until 1842. In that role he oversaw financial operations in a growing commercial center, contributing to the economic development of Camden and the surrounding region.

Cooper’s prominence in local and state affairs led to his election to the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Congresses, serving from March 4, 1829, to March 4, 1833, as a member of the Unknown Party designation in some records, and representing New Jersey at a time of intense national debate over federal power, economic policy, and the presidency of Andrew Jackson. During his two terms in office he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his New Jersey constituents in the House of Representatives. After completing his second term, he declined to be a candidate for reelection, choosing to conclude his congressional career and return to his other professional and civic responsibilities.

In his later years, Cooper continued his association with banking, remaining president of the State Bank of New Jersey at Camden until 1842, just a year before his death. He died in Camden, New Jersey, on March 10, 1843. Richard Matlack Cooper was interred in the Newton Burying Ground, leaving a record of service that spanned county, state, and national institutions during the first half-century of the United States.