 He served as the Mayor of Shelbyville, Tennessee from 1905 to 1907.He also served as the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1915 to 1917.

Cooper served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee from 1915 to 1958.
Cooper married Argentine Shofner.Their son, Prentice Cooper, served as the 39th Governor of Tennessee from 1939 to 1945.