Cooley Law School has received a 136-year historic artifact tied to its namesake, Justice Thomas M. Cooley. Hilary Cooley, the great-granddaughter of Thomas M. Cooley and last of the Cooley lineage, donated a scroll from New Jersey native President Grover Cleveland, the nation’s 22nd and 24th president, appointing Thomas M. Cooley to chair the newly-established Interstate Commerce Commission in 1887.

“I am the last of the Cooley lineage and so am distributing keepsakes that I think are of interest to the world, lest they get lost in the shuffle,” Hilary Cooley wrote in her letter to the law school. “I enclose the scroll from President Grover Cleveland that declares Thomas Cooley to the Interstate Commerce Commission. I believe he was the first chair of this commission. I hope you will put this in your collection of articles from the Cooley family and that it will enhance your history of Mr. Cooley and his legacy.”

Created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, the ICC was the first regulatory commission in U.S. history. It was established to regulate railroads ensure fair rates, and eliminate rate discrimination, and in later years, regulate other aspects of common carriers, including interstate bus lines, trucking and telephone companies. Thomas M. Cooley served on the ICC for four years from 1887-1891, after having served on the Michigan Supreme Court from 1864-1885.

ICC’s jurisdiction for rail safety, including hours of service rules, equipment and  inspection standards, was transferred to the Federal Railroad Administration following the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970. Congress abolished the ICC in 1995 as the evolution of technology made the commission obsolete.

“We are honored to be the recipients of this historic document,” said Cooley Law School President and Dean James McGrath. “As new students enter the law school, they are taught about our namesake’s distinguished record associated with Thomas M. Cooley’s time as a Michigan Supreme Court Justice and being chosen to head the newly created federal Interstate Commerce Commission. This scroll will allow our students to better understand the importance of Thomas M Cooley to the legal community, State of Michigan, and the United States of America.”