Cooper, Nicholas Sanford, 1850-1926

COOPER, PEDELTY, MURROW, MERRIL

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:38

From the Alton Democrat, March 12, 1926, Boyden news:

N. S. COOPER PASSES AWAY AT BOYDEN

Another of Sioux County’s early pioneers has been called beyond. N. S. Cooper, who had been ill for the past two weeks, died Thursday evening at his home in Boyden. His health had been failing all winter and death resulted from ailments of long standing complicated by pneumonia and on March 5 at the age of 75 years eight months and 9 days, he passed beyond.

Mr. Cooper married Miss Sarah Pedelty of Hazel Green, Wis. in 1880 and they moved immediately to Salix, Iowa, where they lived three years. He then moved to Boyden where he built the blacksmith shop and lived here the remainder of his life. He is survived by his widow, six daughters, a brother and a sister. One daughter, Lilie, died at the age of three years. The daughters surviving are Mrs. Rachel Ver Wey of Rock Valley; Mrs. Belle Shumacher of Sioux City; Mrs. Naomi Engelman of Independence, Ia.; all of whom were present at the funeral; Mrs. Doela Beckley of Condheimer La.; Mrs. Olive De Jong of Coronado, Calif.; and Mrs. Alice Eckert of San Diego, Calif. His brother lives at Salem, Oregon, and his sister, Mrs. Margaret Eastman, at Plattsville, Wis.

Funeral services were conducted from the Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon by Rev. Stewart and burial took place at the Boyden cemetery. Sympathy of life long friends is extended to the family.

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From the Boyden Reporter, March 11, 1926:

N. S. COOPER

Mr. N. S. Cooper, one of the pioneers of Sioux County, died at his home here, Friday, March 5th, 1926, at 2:00 o’clock A.M., at the age of 75 years, 8 months, and 9 days. Funeral services for the deceased were held Sunday afternoon at 3:30 in the home and at 3:45 at the United Presbyterian church, with Rev. Neil Stewart officiating. Interment was made in the Boyden cemetery.

Deceased was born in Benton, Wisconsin, June 26th, 1850. He lived in Wisconsin until 1880, when he married at Jamestown, Wis. to Miss Sarah Pedelty of Hazel Green, Wisconsin, moving to Salix, Iowa, where they lived for three years, then moving to Boyden, Iowa, where he built and conducted the first blacksmith shop, living there until his death.

He has one brother living in Salem, Oregon, and one sister Mrs. Margaret Eastman, of Plattville, Wisconsin. He leaves to mourn him his widow and seven daughters: Mrs. Rachel Van Wey [Ver Wey], of Rock Valley; Mrs. Alice Eckert, of San Diego, Calif.; Mrs. Olive De Long, Coronado, Calif.; Mrs. Belle Schumacher, Sioux City, Iowa; Mrs. Doshea Beckley, Sondheimer, La.; Mrs. Ina Hays, Moville, Iowa; and Mrs. Naomi Engleman, Independence, Iowa. One daughter, Lillie, died when three years of age. There are 17 living grandchildren. The Reporter extends its sincere sympathy to the bereaved wife and children in their hour of sorrow.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Sioux County Cemetery index lists him as Nicholas Sanford Cooper, born 1850, died 7 Mar 1926, buried Sheridan Twp Cem. Boyden IA.

Family tree information on Ancestry.com gives his birth date as June 27, 1850, in Benton, Wis., and his wife as Sarah Pedelty Cooper, 1857-1932. Sarah’s father was James Pedelty, born in Scotland.

The 1925 Iowa census gives his father as James Cooper and mother as Cynthia Murrow, both born in Kentucky.

His death certificate has Nichols Sanford Cooper, born June 26, 1850 in Wisconsin; father James D. Cooper, born in Kentucky; mother Cynthe Merrill, born in Missouri; retired blacksmith; died in Boyden March 5, 1926, at 2:00 a.m., having been attended by the doctor since Feb. 26, 1926; cause, “general debility of old age.”