John Cooper

COOPER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/19/2009 at 23:58:17

John Cooper, The great agricultural state of Iowa owes its prominence in this direction to the enterprising and consecutive efforts of such men as John Cooper, who resides on Sec 3, Colfax township, where he owns and cultivates a fractional half section of land and in addition to this he owns a fractional north half of Sec 5, of the same township. Through a third of a century he has made his home in Boone county while his residence in Iowa covers 45 years. A native of Scotland, he was born in Aberdeenshire, March 9, 1840, his parents being George and Helen (McPherson) Cooper, both of whom are natives of Scotland, in which country they were reared and married. In 1856 the father left he land of hills and heather and with his family emigrated to the new world settling first in Ontario, Canada, where he remained for about two years. On the expiration of that period he came to the United States, settling in Clinton county, Iowa near DeWitt, where he secured a tract of land about the year 1858. Upon ;the farm which he there developed he lived until he was called to his final rest.
John Cooper of this review, spent the greater part of his boyhood and youth in Clinton and Clayton counties, Iowa in the usual manner of farmer lads of the period. He became familiar with the work of the field and meadow and subsequently turned his attention to the lumber business on the Mississippi river, in Clayton county, in which enterprise he was associated in partnership with George J Boyd. That enterprise was conducted with success for five or six years and then Mr Cooper disposed of his interests and in 1868 came to Boone county, purchasing 100 acres of raw prairie land on Sec 3, Colfax township. This was destitute of all improvements but his labors soon wrought a marked difference in the appearance of the place, buildings being erected while the fields were tilled. As his financial resources enables him to make additional purchases the boundaries of his farm were extended until the home place comprises of a fractional half section of land on Sec 3 and that amount on Sec 5. He also owns 160 acres in Des Moines township, near the city of Boone and this too is well improved, constituting one of the good farms of the community. There is on the home place a good residence, two good barns and all necessary outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. He has also planted two orchards and shade trees have been set out around his home and protect the residence from the rays of the hot sun in summer. In fact, a valuable farm is the property of John Cooper who is justly accounted one of the progressive and enterprising agriculturists of this portion of the state.
On January 12, 1871, in Clayton county, Iowa Mr Cooper was united in marriage to Mary E Spangler, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, a daughter of Reuben Spangler, also a native of the Buckeye state in which place he was reared. When Iowa was a pioneer region he sought a home in Clayton county and there Mrs Cooper was reared and educated. By her marriage she has become the mother of ten children: George who is married and resides on a farm in Boone county, Charles H who is assisting in the operation o f the home farm, F J who is living in the state of Washington, Clyde W who is carrying on the work of the home farm in connection with his father and brothers, Floyd C, Grant H, and Ralph who are still with their parents, Nellie is the wife of R B Roe of Mason county, Washington, Edith M and Mary who are yet under the parental roof.
Mr Cooper is especially interested in everything pertaining to the progress and improvement of his county, He endorses good schools and believes in continually raising the standard of intellectual development. For many years he served on the school bard and was president of the district. He has been connected with the Farmers’ Mutual Company for many years and for six or eight years has acted as its president. He first voted for General Grant in 1868. He afterward supported the men and measures of the Democratic party, but in 1896 cast his ballot for William McKinley. He is a believer in sound money and expansion and thereby he endorsed the Republican party in that year. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, his membership being with the lodge in Boone. In his business career he has given evidence of the possession of those traits which always insure success, being energetic, resolute and honorable. Not to any outside aid or influence does he owe his prosperity, but to his strong determination to win success guided by sound judgment. All who know him entertain for him war regard and Mr Cooper has a very wide acquaintance in this county.

1902 Boone County History Book