Ira Clifton Copley (October 25, 1864 – November 2, 1947) was an American publisher, politician, and utility tycoon.

He was the son of Ellen Madeleine (née Whiting) and farmer Ira Birdsall Copley, for whom the township was named.

At the age of two, Copley contracted scarlet fever, prompting his family to move east to Aurora, Illinois to see an eye specialist.

Although he had recently been admitted to the bar in Illinois, Copley decided to return to Aurora to assume management.

After selling the Western Utility Corporation, Copley purchased twenty-four newspapers in Southern California for $7.5 million.

Copley focused on cities that had only one publisher, with the exception his San Diego, California, holdings purchased from the estate of John D. Spreckels.

Unlike his contemporaries, Copley took little interest in the politics of his papers and insisted that local managers write impartially.

Copley was an aide, also known as an Illinois Colonel, to Governor Charles S. Deneen during his eight-year term starting in 1905.

[citation needed] In 1910, he campaigned for Howard M. Snapp's former seat in Illinois's 11th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives.

Copley continued his publishing aspirations after leaving Congress, purchasing Springfield's Illinois State Journal in 1927, favoring its pro-Republican stance.

Copley attempted to buy the Illinois State Register, the Journal's Democratic-oriented competitor, at the same time.

Later that year, Senator George W. Norris accused Copley Press of receiving money from public utility companies.

Copley initially denied owning any power company stock, but subsequently, testifying before the Federal Trade Commission in June 1929, disavowed the previous statement and showed that he was in the process of selling the last of $8.8 million in public utility stock he had held.

They adopted two sons: James Strohn, who became president of Copley Press in 1947, and William Nelson, who became a prominent artist.

[8] His former residence in Aurora, the Col. Ira C. Copley Mansion, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.