David L. Sleeper
{{Short description|American politician (1856–1914)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name=David Lawrence Sleeper
|image=David L. Sleeper 1896.jpg
|state_house=Ohio
|district=Athens County
|term_start=January 3, 1894
|term_end=January 2, 1898
|preceded=William L. Keissinger
|succeeded=Josiah M. Allen
|party=Republican
|birth_date={{birth date|1856|6|15}}
|birth_place=Iowa, US
|death_date={{death date and age|1914|3|31|1856|6|15}}
|death_place=Tulsa, Oklahoma, US
|restingplace=Highland Cemetery, Lawton, Oklahoma
|spouse=Della Burson
|children=five
|religion=
|signature=
|alma_mater=Otterbein University
Cincinnati Law School
}}
David Lawrence Sleeper (1856-1914) was a Republican politician in the U.S. state of Ohio who was Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives 1896-1898.
Biography
David L. Sleeper was born in Iowa on June 15, 1856.{{cite book |title=Manual of legislative practice in the General Assembly|publisher=Westbote Company| last=Ohio General Assembly| author-link=Ohio General Assembly|year=1895 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/manuallegislati00assegoog/page/n145 143] |url=https://archive.org/details/manuallegislati00assegoog}} He attended Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio and taught school for five years.
Sleeper graduated from Cincinnati Law School in 1880, and practiced law at Athens, Ohio. From 1885 to 1891 he was prosecuting attorney for Athens County. He was elected to the 71st General Assembly of the Ohio House of Representatives, (1894-1896), as a Republican. He was re-elected to the 72nd General Assembly, (1896-1898), when he was selected by his peers as Speaker.{{cite book|title=Manual of legislative practice in the General Assembly |last=Ohio General Assembly |author-link=Ohio General Assembly |page=303 |year=1917 |publisher=State of Ohio |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7qesAAAAMAAJ&q=Sleeper&pg=PA303}}
In 1896, Sleeper moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he practiced law.{{cite book |title=Representative men of Ohio, 1896-97 |first1=James K|last1=Mercer |first2=C N|last2=Vallandigham| location=Columbus |publisher=Mercer and Vallandigham |year=1896 |page=[https://archive.org/details/representativem00vallgoog/page/n235 107] |url=https://archive.org/details/representativem00vallgoog}}
David L. Sleeper was married November 7, 1877 to Mary Dell "Della" Burson of Athens County, Ohio. They had five children. He was a Scottish Rite Mason, Elk, and member of the I.O.O.F.
He died suddenly March 31, 1914 of apoplexy,"FORMER SPEAKER DAVID SLEEPER DIES IN SOUTH", The Newark Advocate, Wednesday, April 01, 1914, Newark, Ohio, United States Of America and is buried in Lawton, Oklahoma.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-oh-hs}}
{{s-bef | before=Alexander Boxwell}}
{{s-ttl |title=Speaker of the Ohio House | years=1896-1898}}
{{s-aft | after=Harry C. Mason}}
{{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sleeper, David L.}}
Category:Speakers of the Ohio House of Representatives
Category:People from Athens, Ohio
Category:Politicians from Columbus, Ohio
Category:Republican Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives
Category:County district attorneys in Ohio
Category:Otterbein University alumni
Category:University of Cincinnati College of Law alumni
Category:Lawyers from Columbus, Ohio