George L. Cooley

George L. Cooley, widely known as “Uncle George,” specialized in grape growing on his Cuyahoga County farm. In 1893 he organized the first grape growers cooperative in Ohio. He helped organize the highway departments in Ohio, California, Louisiana and elsewhere.

He served as chairman of the assembly which organized the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation in 1919 and served on its board of directors for many years. He also served as chairman of the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, predecessor to Nationwide Insurance Companies.