Newspaper-Gratitude of an Old Slave

COOPER

Posted By: Barbara Hug (email)
Date: 7/18/2008 at 10:58:59

Gratitude of an Old Slave.

John Cooper, an old colored gentleman from the Soldier's Home in Marshalltown, was here last week greeting his old friends. Uncle John was born a slave and during the war belonged to an old Louisiana planter by the name of Col. Mandeville, near Lake Pontchartrain. He escaped from his master in 1863, and was employed by Sergeant D. C. Smoke of Co. K, 28th Iowa, while the regiment was encamped near New Orleans. He was an honest, faithful fellow, and soon won the respect of all the boys of the company and regiment, with whom he remained during all their subsequent campaings, and at the closed of the war returned home with (rest not available). ~ The Newton Record, April 30, 1897.