George Cooper, Sr.

COOPER, MCPHERSON, HAYES, KING, BROWN, MYATT

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 5/18/2010 at 21:04:15

History of Jackson County, Iowa, 1910, James W. Ellis

GEORGE COOPER, SR.
George Cooper, Sr., is now practically living retired in Maquoketa, merely giving his attention to his invested interests, which include farm property and bank stock. He figured for many years as one of the leading livestock dealers of Jackson county, and his careful management of business interests brought to him substantial success, enabling him now to live retired.
In Scotland, the country of hills and heather, of mountain peak and glen, of lake and plain, George Cooper was born on the 11h of March, 1843. His parents, George and Ellen (McPherson) Cooper, also natives of the same country, crossed the Atlantic with their family to Canada in 1857, and in 1858 George Cooper, then a youth of fifteen years, in company with his older brother John, came to Iowa. Two years later the parents followed and settled in Clinton county, near Charlotte. John Cooper had previously learned the miller's trade and on arriving in Clinton county rented the old Crabb mill near Charlotte. George Cooper acted as his teamster, hauling the produce to the Lyons market.
On the arrival of the parents, in the fall of 1860, the father purchased a farm at Center Grove, and George Cooper, of this review, returned to the parental roof, assisting in the development of the home farm until after the outbreak of the Civil war. He could not be content to follow the plow, however, while his country's safety was in peril, and on the 25th of September, 1861, he donned the blue uniform as a member of Company A, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served for almost three years and two months, being mustered out on the i6th of November, 1864, at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was slightly wounded in the siege of Vicksburg. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Iuka, the siege of Corinth, the second battle of Corinth and the Vicksburg and Atlanta campaigns. Thus again and again he was under fire, bravely facing the enemy's bullets as he defended the old flag, the symbol of an indissoluble union.
After receiving his discharge Mr. Cooper returned home and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie land in Wilton township, Clinton county. With characteristic energy he began its cultivation and development, living thereon for three years, during which time he was married. It was on the 3Oth of August, 1868, that he wedded Miss Rebecca J. Hayes, of Jackson county, a daughter of Thomson Hayes, who came to this county from West Virginia, December 2, 1864, and settled in Farmers Creek township.
In December, 1869, Mr. Cooper sold his Clinton county farm and bought a tract of land in Farmers Creek township, to which he removed. The original purchase was one hundred and one acres, but later he extended the boundaries of his place to include three hundred and fifty-two acres, whereon he was for several years extensively engaged in feeding and shipping cattle as well as in cultivating the crops best adapted to soil and climate. In 1881 he removed to Maquoketa, but continued the cattle feeding and shipping business for a quarter of a century, becoming known as one of the prominent livestock dealers in this portion of the state. His business interests were always carefully managed and brought to him a substantial measure of success. On the organization of the American Savings Bank in 1895 he took considerable stock therein, was made first vice president and one of the directors of the institution and has continuously remained in these official connections therewith to the present time. His business judgment is sound, and his colleagues and associates entertain respect for his keen judgment and enterprise.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cooper were born eight children, of whom five are living: George, Jr., who is agent for the Iowa Coal Storage Company at Maquoketa; Fred, who is a government meat inspector at Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Frank, who
follows farming near Bowman county, North Dakota; Blanche, the wife of H. E. King, of Maquoketa; and Grace, the wife of George Brown, of Maquoketa. Gertrude became the wife of F. W. Myatt. She died July 8, 1903, and left a son, Paul.
Fraternally Mr. Cooper is connected with Helion Lodge, No. 36, A. F. & A. M., and also with A. W. Drips Post, No. 74, G. A. R., of which he has twice served as commander, while in 1908 he was commander of the Jackson County Veterans' Association. Mrs. Cooper and her daughters are members of the Congregational church, and she also holds membership with the Order of the Eastern Star. In his political views Mr. Cooper is an earnest republican, stanchly advocating the principles of the party which was the defense of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war and has always been the party of reform and progress. He served for several years as school director and for four years was assessor of Farmers Creek township. Soon after his removal to Maquoketa he was elected to the board of county supervisors, which position he filled for four terms. His public service has been of a beneficial character, and in this as in other relations Mr. Cooper has demonstrated his public-spirited devotion to the land of his adoption. He certainly gave unmistakable proof of his fidelity to the stars and stripes when he followed the old flag on southern battlefields.

George Cooper Grave
 

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