Anthony Ashley Cooper

Lord (Earl) Shaftsbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper 1621-1683 was son of daughter of Anthony Ashley (secretary of War for Queen Elizbeth I) (and so the double name but he IS a Cooper) and John Cooper.

Brit Chancellor of the Exchequer and later Lord Chancellor.

Famous for running the Brit government during the 1670's and beginning of the 1680's , he passed the first habeas corpus act - beginning due process and ending the practice of jailing someone without a hearing; and he also passed an act to make the judiciary independent, beginning that important practice.

He was also Lord Proprietor (with 7 others) of the Carolina's - today's US North and South Carolina but extending on the west to the Pacific Ocean. And on the committtees running the Virginia and Massachusetts colonies.

Esp famous too for accumulating wealth, he had at one time 40 men in livery to attend on guests at his parties.

Falling out with others in mid 1680's , he spent some time in the Tower of London , with false charges, and on release left to live until his death a short time later (1683) in Amsterdam, Holland....

His family continues prominent in UK today, with each succeeding Earl of Shaftsbury with the same name of Anthony Ashley Cooper. The one in this position in the 1800's was esp successful in passing child labor laws stopping sweat shops using children.

The family today remains esp involved in philanthropy.

Queen Elizabeth II is descended from this family.

Reference

http://kinnexions.com/smlawson/ashley.htm#Cooper