Biographical Sketch of J. L. Cooper, Johnson County, Missouri, 
Jefferson Township

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
**********************************************************************

J. L. Cooper, descendant of one of the most honored pioneer families of
Missouri, is a prominent stockman of Jefferson township, where he owns
a splendid stock farm of two hundred forty acres of land.  He was born
in Johnson county, Missouri in 1873.  His father was the son of Henry
Cooper, a widely known and prosperous stockman of Jefferson township.
Henry Cooper was born in Kentucky and was of Irish descent.  He came to
Missouri in 1832, riding bareback a two year old colt.  Henry Cooper
was at that time a youth fourteen years of age and the same year he
walked barefoot through the frost many miles in order to get leather
with which to make himself shoes.  For many years, he "bached" with
"Uncle Dick" Pettis.  Henry Cooper began life in Missouri, practically
penniless, but by practicing economy his industry was rewarded in time
by the accumulation of a small fortune.  He was at one time the owner
of fourteen hundred acres of the best farm land in Johnson county.  In
1850, Henry Cooper was united in marriage with Nancy Stiles, the daugh-
ter of Dennis Stiles, a well known and influential farmer and honored
pioneer of Missouri, who came West in an early day from New Jersey.  To
Henry and Nancy (Stiles) Cooper was born the father of the subject of 
this review.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Cooper were highly valued members of 
the Christian church.  The Cooper residence was undoubtedly the finest
in the vicinity of Windsor within a circuit of many miles.  The lumber
for its construction was hauled from Boonville.  It was an imposing
structure, splendid and stately in appearance, with open fireplaces 
both down and upstairs, the house consisting of two stories, an unusual
feature in those early days, when the log cabin of two rooms and a loft
was the rule.  Henry Cooper was politically a Democrat and he always
took an active and interested part in civic affairs.  He was a pre-
dominant rfactor in the upbuilding and in the early history of Johnson
county.  J. L. Cooper attended the public schools of Johnson county and
early in life began working for himself on the farm.  He is now the 
owner of a fine stock farm, which is entirely grass land and Mr. Cooper
devotes his whole attention to the raising of stock.  At the time of
this writing he has eighty head of Duroc Jersey hogs and forty head of
Black Polled Angus cattle.  He is also owner of two splendid stallions,
"Peter Hall," a pacer and "Lee Duff," a trotter.  The Cooper stock farm
is well watered and improved.  The home is a nice country residence
surrounded by a beautiful lawn.  In 1901, J. L. Cooper was united in
marriage with Laura Hodges, the daughter of Silas Hodges, of Kentucky.
To J. L. and Laura (Hodges) Cooper has been born one child, a son,
Henry.  Mr. and Mrs. Cooper are highly valued among Johnson county's
best and most substantial citizens.

====================================================================
     USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
         free information on the Internet, data may be used by
         non-commercial entities, as long as this message
         remains on all copied material. These electronic
         pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
         or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

         Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
         for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
         written consent of the file contributor.

         This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
         Archives by:  <>
		      Penny Harrell <Incog3678@aol.com>

====================================================================