Elisha Cooke was an American politician, judge, and physician. He served as a Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representative and as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court.
Background
Elisha Cooke was born on September 16, 1637 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Elisha was the second of his five children. He was the son of Richard Cooke, tailor, who with his wife Elizabeth arrived at Boston in 1634 or 1635, probably from Gloucestershire, England. A man of some ability, Richard Cooke became freeman of the colony, lieutenant in the artillery company, selectman and deputy, and acquired a moderate estate.
Education
Elisha entered Harvard College and took his first degree in 1657, standing fifth in a class of seven.
Career
He practised medicine and "was esteemed as a physician, " but from 1673 when he was made a freeman, his principal interest was in public affairs. As deputy of Boston in the General Court 1681-84 (speaker 1682 - 84), his opposition to the extension or even the recognition of royal prerogative was so pronounced that Edward Randolph recommended (June 14, 1682) that he be summoned to answer the "Articles of High Misdemeanor" against the colony. His uncompromising position against surrendering the charter won popular approval, and election as assistant in place of Joseph Dudley in 1684. He continued to serve on the Board of Assistants until the arrival of Dudley's commission as president of New England.
He was elected Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1683. In 1689, Cooke took a leading part in the overthrow and imprisonment of Andros and Dudley, became a member of the Council of Safety and resumed his office of assistant when the old government restored itself.
As colony agent in London (1690 - 92) Cooke stood stiffly on his instructions to insist on the old charter, and refused to approve the new Province Charter. Accordingly his name was omitted by Increase Mather from the first Council of the Province, which was appointed by the King, and although chosen to the Council in 1693 by the General Court, he was negatived by Gov. Phips whose appointment he had opposed. Reelected in 1694, he obtained the seat by reason of Phips's absence, and retained it through his administration and that of Lord Bellomont. Cooke at this time was one of the wealthiest men of Boston, and through his family connections wielded considerable influence; his home in School St. still was the recognized center of a party equally opposed to clerical domination and royal prerogative.
He was remembered in a sense contrary to Randolph's promise, for Dudley not only ousted him from the superior court bench where he had served capably for seven years and from the probate court to which he had been appointed the previous year, but negatived his annual election to the Council until 1715, when he was seventy-seven years old. Five months later on October 31, Cooke died.
He was the leader of the "popular party", a faction in the Massachusetts House that resisted encroachment by royal officials on colonial rights embodied in the Massachusetts Charter.
Connections
Cooke was married in June 1668 to Elizabeth, daughter of Governor Leverett. This marriage gave him the highest social standing. His son, Elisha Cooke, Jr. carried on the political influence of the family.