Monterey-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Cooper, J. B. R. 1792 - 1872
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 19, 2007, 11:45 pm

Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893)

CAPTAIN J. B. R. COOPER.-Captain John Bautista Roger Cooper was born on the
Island of Alderney, England, in 1792, and came to the United States, when a boy,
with his mother. He followed the sea from an early age, and came to California
as master of his own vessel, the Rover, in 1823. Although he sold his vessel to
Governor Arguello, he continued in command of her, making trips to China and
elsewhere. Becoming acquainted with the Vallejo family, he first asked the hand
in marriage of one of the daughters, Dona Magdalena, who refused him, though her
father favored the match. On his return from his next voyage, and on the same
day of his arrival, she came from the San Carlos Mission, having just been
married to Don Antonio del Valle, and that evening he danced "la Jota Ynglesa"
with her at her father's house. Afterward, he made love to and, in 1827, married
her younger sister, Dona Encarnacion, with the consent of her father, who highly
esteemed him. Padre Kamon Abelle was the priest who married them.

  Captain Cooper continued his seafaring life for many years; eventually,
however, he acquired land, and gradually quit the sea, although from 1839 to
1844 he made many trips to the Mexican coast and to the Islands, in command of a
vessel belonging to the Government called the California. In 1846 he made a
voyage to Peru, and in 1849 he went as master of the Eveline to China. In one of
his earlier voyages to China on the Rover, under a contract with the Governor
(Arguello), owner of the vessel, Captain Cooper became involved in a lawsuit
with the Governor; the matter was finally referred to arbitrators, whose
decission [sic] was that Captain Cooper was entitled to $5,000. From 1850 until
some time in the '60s, Captain Corper [sic] lived with his family in Monterey,
where he was greatly liked by his neighbors, About the year 1865 he moved to San
Francisco, where he died in 1872, and where his family still resides.

  Captain Cooper was a half-brother of Thomas O. Larkin, their mother having
been twice married.

  There were born to the Coopers six children, three of whom are still living:
Juan Bantista, Henrique, Ana Maria Guadalupe (Mrs. Wohler), and Amelia (Mrs.
Molera).

  Mrs. Cooper is eighty-two years of age (1892), and is still in the enjoyment
of excellent health. Although her home is in San Francisco, she, with her
daughters, makes a visit each summer to the old historic capital, Monterey,
where she was born and lived so many years, and where, in her youthful days she
was a belle. The family still retain the old homestead which Captain Cooper
built so many years ago, and they also retain their large land holdings in the
county.

  Mrs. Cooper's parents were Don Ygnacio Vallejo, sarjento distinguidio, and his
wife, Dona Maria Antonia Lugo, who had thirteen children; they were, in the
order of seniority:

  Ysidora, who married Soberanes; Josefa, who was married three times, first to
Alvarado, then to Estrada, and afterward to Madariaga; Magdalena, who married
Antonio del Valle; Juana, unmarried; Prudenciana, who married Jose Amesti;
Geronima Encarnaciog, who became the wife of Captain Cooper: Rosalie, who
married Jacob P. Leese; Maria de Jesus, who married Honorato Fortoul; Jose de
Jesus, who married Ortego; Mariano Guadalupe (the General), who married
Carrillo; Salvador, who married Carrillo; Juan Antonio, unmarried; and Ygnacio,
unmarried.

  Both the Cooper and Vallejo families have filled a large place in the early
history of California.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.



HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."-Macaulay.


CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.


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