Biography of 	Cope, Capt. Edmund L. Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller September 2000

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Captain Edmund L. Cope, president of the board of harbor masters of the port of New Orleans,
with office at room 5, 187 Gravier street, was born in Manchester, England, fifty-four years
ago.  He was partially educated in the city of his birth, but at the age of twelve years he
left British soil, taking "French leave" of his friends to become a cabin boy on a sailing
vessel bound for the port of New York.  The year of 1854 found him in the city of New Orleans
and in three years' time he became second officer of a vessel of 1,200 tons burden, and in 1863
became master of an ocean vessel and in 1865 took charge of a United States government
transport and was stationed on the coast of Florida.  He was mustered out of the service at New
Orleans in 1866, after which he became manager of towboats on the lower Mississippi river, of
which he was master and owner until 1888--the "Vulcan" and "Aspinwall "--in which year he
disposed of them, having been appointed to the position of harbor master by Governor Nicholls.
Soon after this he was made president of the board of harbor masters, and subsequent to the
recent election was reappointed by Governor Foster and re-elected to president of the board.
Captain Cope received his education principally at sea while before the mast, and during this
time he visited almost every port in Europe and all the divisions of that country bordering of
the Mediterranean sea: Turkey, Italy, Spain, France, Russia and others, and it was his good
fortune to always sail in an American vessel.  In February, 1867, he took out naturalization
papers and thereby became a citizen of the United States.  His present position is the only
political office he has ever held.  He was one of the first men to join the anti lottery
league, and was vice-president of the Anti-lottery club of the Seventh ward.  He has fought the
lottery from the start and has been a delegate to every anti-lottery convention held.  He is a
Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Legion of Honor, the Chess, Checker and Whist club, the
Jefferson club, New Orleans Maritime association, Southern Yacht club, American Brotherhood of
Steamboat Pilots and the Lafayette club.  Though not a politician he has been active and much
interested in politics, especially so during reconstruction times and in the fight against the
lottery.  As president of the board of harbor masters in seeing that all port regulations are
enforced Captain Cope has been very rigid and has been a very faithful and efficient officer.
Twenty-two years ago he was married to Miss Isabella Peterson of this city, a daughter of
William Peterson, and of the children born to their union there is one surviving member, Edmund
B.  Although English born Captain Cope is a thorough American at heart and upholds her laws and
institutions on all occasions, and has proved a great acquisition to the city of New Orleans.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 474.  Published by the
Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.