Josephus Cooper (1916)

COOPER, DIGGS, GROUT, LAIZURE, MARTIN

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 12/19/2006 at 19:53:04

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, February 23, 1916

JOSEPHUS COOPER

Josephus Cooper was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1815, and died at the home of his son, Wm. Cooper, Feb. 15, 1916.

Early in life he moved to West Virginia, marrying Miss Ethalinda Martin in 1837. He served the Union for four years during the Civil War. Mr. Cooper came to Madison county many years ago, settling on a fine farm on Middle river, where he has constantly resided ever since. Mrs. Cooper died several years ago. Three sons and two daughters survive him; William, Joe, and Frank, Mrs. Jane Diggs and Mrs. Ida Grout, all living near Winterset. Fifty grandchildren and fifty two great grandchildren also survive him. He was buried in the cemetery near Union Chapel (South) on Friday afternoon, February 18th.

Josephus Cooper's death at such an advanced age, will bring to many older people, recollections of his early life and his war record. His mother was a member of one of the first families of Baltimore, the Laizures, well known roasters of coffee. He had the qualities and instincts found in the frontier pioneer or woodsman, loyalty, honesty, a lover of sport, of fine horses and dogs and youthful to his last days, were well known traits in his character.

He enlisted in the 14th Volunteers of West Virginia, serving his country as a scout under Phil Sheridan. Scouting was a dangerous affair in the hills of Virginia and Maryland, but Cooper had an unwavering sense of direction which never failed him. His war experiences were never boastfully recounted, but could only be learned by drawing him out. He always wore the medal awarded him by congress for bravery when scouting for the Union army. The particular incident which secured him the medal, was connected with the rescue of Union soldiers penned in the rebel prison at Fredericksburg. The captain of the rescue failing to appear, the young lieutenant next in command, refused to lead the expedition. Cooper with his intimate knowledge of the country, volunteered to take the lead and the rescue was effected in the nick of time with the rebels in full pursuit across the hills.

Mr. Cooper lived through a large part of our nation's history and his large family of descendants will always prize the record of his services to his country and especial recognition made by our government to him.

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