COOPER, Michael

COOPER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 5/31/2021 at 12:37:10

Michael Cooper
born July 20, 1826

Michael Cooper, a farmer and well-known citizen of Douglas township, Ida County, was born in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1826, a son of Leonard and Julia A. (Elder) Cooper, natives of Maryland. They came to Pennsylvania when children with their parents, and were married in that State, where their children were born. In 1839 they located in Long Grove, Scott county, Iowa, where the father died at the age of sixty-three years, and the mother at the advanced age of seventy-two years. They reared a family of fifteen children, of whom Thomas served in the civil war, in the Twentieth Iowa Infantry; James enlisted and served in a California regiment; another son, Austin A., is a manufacturer of the Cooper wagon at Dubuque, Iowa. The father was a farmer through life, voted with the Democratic Party, and was a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
Michael Cooper, our subject, was reared and educated in his native State until thirteen years of age, when he removed to Scott County, Iowa. The country was then new and wild, and he was identified with the growth of Scott County for forty-five years. In March, 1883, he purchased 480 acres of wild land in Douglas township, Ida county, which he has put under a fine state of cultivation, erected a frame dwelling, 24 x 16 feet, with an L, 14 x 16 feet, a barn, 16 x 24 feet, with a wing, 16 x 16 feet, and has a beautiful grove and orchard. In November, 1854, Mr. Cooper was united in marriage with Margaret Ennis, a native of County Longford, Ireland, and a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Crawford) Ennis, natives also of that country. Mrs. Cooper was six years of age when the family came to Canada West. When he was eighteen years of age, his parents removed to Scott County, Iowa, where they died, the mother at the age of seventy-one years, and the father at the age of eighty years of age. They reared a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. The father was a Democrat in his political views, followed farming through life, and was a member of the Catholic Church. Our subject and wife have had six children, namely: Charles A., who owns a good farm of 160 acres in Douglas township, and is engaged in business at Charter Oak; Leonard, attending St. Joseph College, at Dubuque; Thomas, at home; Francis, at home; Lillie, wife of James Longerman, of George, Lyon County, Iowa; and Minnie, at home. Politically, our subject affiliates with the Democratic Party, and religiously, the family are members of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Cooper is frank and jovial in his manner, and is one of the leading and progressive men of Ida County.
Source: Biographical History of Crawford, Ida, and Sac Counties, Iowa, 1893, p.443