Ben W. Hooper

Ben W. Hooper
31st Governor of Tennessee
In office January 26, 1911 – January 17, 1915
Preceded by	Malcolm R. Patterson
Succeeded by	Thomas Clarke Rye
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
In office 1893–1897
Personal details
Born	Bennie Walter Wade (1870-10-13)October 13, 1870 Newport, Tennessee, US
Died	April 18, 1957(1957-04-18) (aged 86) Carson Springs, Tennessee
Resting place	Union Cemetery, Newport, Tennessee
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Anna Belle Jones Hooper (m. 1901)[1]
Profession	Attorney
Military service
Branch/service	U.S. Army
Years of service	1898–1899
Rank	Captain
Unit	6th Regiment Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War

Ben Walter Hooper (October 13, 1870 – April 18, 1957), was an American politician who served two terms as the 31st governor of Tennessee from 1911 to 1915. Elected as a Fusionist candidate, he was one of just three Republicans to hold the office from the end of Reconstruction to the last quarter of the 20th century. His success was due to divisions in the state Democratic Party over prohibition; he received support from some of the party. During his two terms, Hooper signed several prohibition laws, enacted a measure requiring mandatory school attendance, and signed a law requiring direct pay for women workers.^[1]

Hooper served as a member of the U.S. Railroad Labor Board (RLB) during the administration of President Warren G. Harding in the early 1920s. As chairman of the RLB, he was a central figure in the 1922 Railroad Shopmen's Strike. He later worked as chief land purchasing agent for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.^[1]