Orrin Alonzo Cooper, Nebraska businessman, was born in New York state in l849 and came to Nebraska in 1869 at the age of twenty. After working two years on his father's homestead, Cooper began his grain elevator career as a grain buyer at Table Rock, Nebraska, shortly after the railroad was extended to that town.
Cooper spent six months in Indian territory, trading and buying cattle under a government permit. He returned to Table Rock and in l879, with a partner, purchased a grain elevator and started a lumber and livestock business. He later purchased grain facilities at Humboldt, Nebraska. His company built the first steam mill in Humboldt.
In time branch grain elevators were established at the Nebraska towns of Elk Creek, Smartville, Sterling, and Beaver City, and also at Ludell, Atwood, Blakeman, Wheeler and St.Francis, all in Kansas. The company's headquarters was at Humboldt.
A civic leader, as well as a business leader, Cooper was mayor of Humboldt for six terms. He died March 23, 1923 at Humboldt.