Frederick W. Cooper, p. 510
FREDERICK W. COOPER. Among the successful and popular citizens of Nottingham township, none have been more prominently identified with the
interests of the community than the Cooper family. Frederic Cooper, grandfather of the present generation, was an active business man,
conducting a farm, distillery, carding-mill and gristmill, in which he was assisted by his sons Samuel F. and Frederick K. Cooper.
Samuel F. Cooper was born May 2, 1807, in Nottingham township, and received a good education at the schools of Waynesburgh, and assisted
with the farm work, and other interests with which his father was identified. In 1831 he was married to Sarah Van Voorhis, who was born in
1814. Her father, Daniel Van Voorhis, was a prominent man, owning a large distillery and oil mill, and dealing extensively in stock. Five
children were born to this marriage, namely: John P., Frederick W., Mary J., Clara E. and Van. Of this family, the latter three are deceased, and
John P. moved to Tennessee in 1869, where he followed farming. The father was a Democrat, and filled almost every office in Nottingham
township. He possessed a remarkable memory, and was a well educated man, enjoying the respect and confidence of all who knew him. He was
extensively engaged in the fruit-growing business. He died May 3, 1875, his widow May 19, 1892.
Frederick W. Cooper was born March 31, 1837, in Nottingham township, this county, and passed his early boyhood on the home place. On January
4, 1860, he married Miss Maria L. Stewart, of Allegheny county, Penn., who bore him two children, both deceased in early infancy. The mother
died April 20, 1864, and for his second choice Mr. Cooper married October 20, 1870, Mary W., daughter of John Manown. They have four
children, namely: Frank A., Samuel F., Clara G. and Ella F., all living at home.
Mr. Cooper has been an extensive traveler. He left home when a young man, and herded cattle six months for his uncle Van Voorhis, in
Illinois, in 1854; then returned home, and in the autumn of 1856 went to Missouri and Kansas, arriving in the latter State just at the close of
the Kansas troubles. He then traveled throughout the West. In 1860 he and his wife moved to a tract of land in Iowa which his father had
entered of the Government, remaining there three years, improving the land, when, his wife's health failing, they returned to her home in
Pennsylvania, where she died. He stayed at home the following summer, and in 1865 shipped a carload of horses to Illinois, sold his horses,
organized a company with Mr. V.B. Ward, of Richland, Keokuk Co., Iowa, and on April 13, 1865, they started for California, in wagons, arriving
at Salt Lake City, Utah, on the 4th of July following. They remained there one year, thence going to northern Montana, where they passed a
year in the mines. He then entered the commissary and quartermaster's office as clerk in Montana, and was employed there six months under
James L. Fisk, afterward riding his horse 500 miles from Helena, Mont., to Walla Walla, on the Columbia river, thence going to San Francisco,
Cal., where he sold books three months for H.H. Bancroft, finally returning to his present home in Nottingham township. He is now
proprietor of 160 acres, known as the "Nottingham stock farm," near Venetia post office. The farm is principally pasture land, and he makes
a specialty of raising fine Jersey cattle, also a good grade of roadsters. Mr. Cooper in his political affiliations is a Democrat.
Frederick W. Cooper was born on 31. Mar. 1837 at Nottingham Twp., Washington County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of
Samuel Frye Cooper and
Sarah Van Voorhis. Frederick W. Cooper married
Maria L. Stewart on 4. Jan. 1860. Frederick W. Cooper married
Mary W. Manown, daughter of
John Manown, on 20. Oct. 1870.