Mortimer Elwyn Cooley

Cooley was born in Canandaigua, New York as the son of Albert Blake Colle and Achsah (Griswold) Coole.

[3] After his graduation in 1878 he first served on USS Quinnebaug, cruising the North and Mediterranean seas, together with Ira Nelson Hollis.

In the year 1879–1880 he cruised the North Atlantic on the screw gunboat USS Alliance.

[5] Beside his academic career he also continued to work as mechanical and consulting engineer for various military and civil offices.

In 1924, Cooley ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the United States Senate as a Democrat, but lost to incumbent James Couzens.