Yolo-Napa County CA Archives Biographies.....Cooper, Joseph T. 1849 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com December 8, 2005, 12:33 pm Author: Tom Gregory JOSEPH T. COOPER Significant of his future identification with California is the fact that the year of Mr. Cooper's birth was likewise the year memorable in our national development through the vast westward migration drawn to the Pacific coast through, the discovery of gold. The son of a pioneer Argonaut who, however, remained in the west for a comparatively brief period, he heard in boyhood many stories concerning the region beyond the mountains and across the plains and thus became interested in the coast country to an extent determining his future associations. Arriving at maturity with no education except such as he had secured through his own energy and no material advantages save those of his own creation, he determined to try his fortune in the western region visited by his father more than twenty years before, and accordingly in 1873 he came to the state in which he has since made a home. It was during 1882 that he came to Yolo county and here he has since remained, meanwhile owning, occupying and developing the valuable farm of eighty acres to which he holds the title and which stands within a short distance of Yolo. Very early in the colonization of Missouri the Cooper family established themselves in that state. There Hendley Cooper was born and reared and there he married Miss Mary Ann Gibson, a native of Louisa county, Va. Among their children was a son, Joseph T., born January 16, 1849, at the family homestead lying on the banks of the Missouri river in Howard county, Mo. The year after the birth of the son the father went across the plains with a brother-in-law and after his arrival in California took up a claim on Cache creek, but finding himself lonely far from the associations of youth and the refinements of civilization he gave up the land in a few years, returning to Howard county, where he remained until his death. On account of conditions in Missouri incident to the Civil war it was impossible for Joseph T. Cooper to enjoy many educational advantages and he is therefore almost wholly self educated, having by diligent application in mature years gained a broad knowledge concerning all important topics. When he started west in 1872 he found employment at Helena, Mont., from which point he went to Utah. A brief sojourn there was followed by his removal to California and his settlement on leased land now the site of the Soldiers' Home in Napa county, where he became interested in general farming. Through his prominent identification with the Grange he was selected to superintend the Grange store at Yountville and carry on the business, later disposing of the goods at a public sale and closing out the concern to the best interests of all connected therewith. In 1882 he came to Yolo county and purchased a bare tract of land, which since has been improved under his capable oversight. On the property in 1904 he erected an attractive two-story residence and he also has erected convenient barns and other outbuildings, still further beautifying the tract by the planting of ornamental and fruit trees. While making Napa county his headquarters Mr. Cooper married Miss Emma C. May, who was born and reared there, but passed the years of young womanhood, prior to her marriage, in San Benito and San Francisco. She was the daughter of Judge James May of San Benito county. They are the parents of four children, namely: Lillie M., wife of A. M. Bemmerly, a well-known rancher of Yolo county; May V., Mrs. A. E. Scarlett, of Yolo; Emmett C., of this county; and Jay T., who graduated from the Leland Stanford University at Palo Alto, class of 1912, with degree LL. B. No desire has been stronger with Mr. and Mrs. Cooper than that of seeing their children honored and useful members of whatever community they may identify themselves with, and with this object in view they have trained them wisely, educated them carfully and encouraged their early efforts in industrial affairs. Unitedly the family have labored to improve their homestead and they are justly proud of the neat and well-kept place, with its splendid orchard of apples, pears, apricots, peaches, plums, lemons and oranges, and with its valuable vineyard of sixteen acres producing large quantities of raisin grapes. Not only the quality of their fruit, but also of their stock, is recognized, for their dairy cows, their pure-bred hogs and their work horses testify to their owner's care and wise supervision. On the organization of the Woodland creamery, as also of the Knight's Landing creamery, Mr. Cooper became interested in the new enterprises, buying stock in the concerns, and he served as a director in both creameries, his association therewith giving him a convenient market for the cream sold from the farm. Other local and county movements of known worth have received the benefit of his co-operation. Politically he is independent in local matters and votes with the Democrats in national issues. In Masonry he holds membership with Yolo Lodge No. 82, F. & A. M. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/cooper115bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb