Henry Ernest Cooper (August 28, 1857 – May 15, 1929) was an American lawyer who moved to the Kingdom of Hawaii and became prominent in Hawaiian politics in the 1890s.

"[5] On January 17, before a crowd in front of 'Iolani Palace, he read the proclamation deposing Queen Lili'uokalani and establishing the provisional Government of Hawaii, and the next day was made a member of the advisory council to President Sanford B.

He acted temporarily in all other posts of Dole's cabinet as the other members traveled to negotiate with the United States on annexation.

This prompted some in the press to call him the real power in the territory, accusing him of taking the public works position because he could make more money.

[9] An investigation in 1903 noted that most public works projects had ceased because of lack of funds, but government crews repaved the sidewalks in front of his house.

[10] Another scandal involved the new treasurer William H. Wright, who was allowed to escape after he was found to have been pocketing government money with checks endorsed by Cooper.

The plantations often leased government land, and concentrated political and economic power in a few of what were called the "Big Five" of Hawaii.

[15][16][17][18] He visited the island in July 1913 with scientists Charles Montague Cooke Jr. and Joseph F. Rock who wrote a description of the atoll.

[20] He retained ownership of the Home Islands at the southwestern tip of the atoll, and they are co-owned today by dozens of his descendants and others.

[24][25] In 1897 he commissioned architect Charles William Dickey to build a stone house on his Mānoa land in California Mission Revival Style architecture.

After working briefly for Bank of Hawaii, he enlisted to the United States Army Corps of Engineers and served in France during World War I.

[1] Son Alfred D. Cooper was a sugar planter in the Philippines,[29] imprisoned by the Japanese in the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in World War II.

[31] It ends with a climactic audience before a kindly Queen Liliʻuokalani of Hawaii (whom Bailey's father had in fact personally deposed and overthrown).

[36] Twin daughters Irene and Ysabel married future U.S. Vice Admirals Olaf Mandt Hustvedt and James Pine.

In 1987 he sailed with a few friends from Maine through the Pacific Ocean, including a visit, together with another grandson, nautical artist Stephen R. Hustvedt,[38] to their inherited Home Islands at Palmyra Atoll.