BIO: MARTIN COOVER, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 344-345
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/

  
    MARTIN COOVER, a retired farmer who now makes his home in Shippensburg,
  represents an old and well-known family of this part of Pennsylvania. He was
  born Aug. 15, 1814, near Cedar Springs, in Cumberland county, and is a
  grandson of George Coover, one of the pioneer settlers of Cumberland county,
  who located and improved a farm there. His wife's maiden name was Coover also.
    
    Jacob Coover, father of Martin, followed
    
    CUMBERLAND COUNTY	345
    
  in his father's footsteps and made farming his life vocation, locating in
  1778 near Spring Center, where he resided until his death. He was one of the
  prosperous citizens of his locality. He married Catherine Houser, who was
  born in Cumberland county about 1785, and survived her husband, dying during
  the period of the Civil war. Her father, Martin Houser, was born on the farm
  which is now known as the old Houser homestead, afterward settled near
  Mechanicsburg, and later on in Shiremanstown; his wife is buried on the farm
  near Shiremanstown. Jacob and Catherine (Houser) Coover became the parents of
  the following named children: George, Martin, Jacob, Joseph, Catherine,
  Jeremiah and Elizabeth.
    
    Martin Coover spent his youth on the farm, and followed agricultural
  pursuits throughout his active years. There were no free schools in the
  neighborhood during his early boyhood, but he attended the local subscription
  schools, and was later a pupil in this district school at Marcus, Cumberland
  county. He left school at the age of twelve, and when in his fourteenth year
  moved with his parents to Southampton township, two and a half miles east of
  Shippensburg. Here he grew to manhood, and when not needed at home he worked
  as a farm hand for different employers, after his marriage engaging in
  farming on his own account. He settled on a farm four miles northeast of
  Shippensburg, which was a part of the old homestead of the Coovers, and a
  part of which he still owns. He owns in all three good farms in Cumberland
  county, all well improved, well tilled and especially adapted to the growing
  of the various cereals. In the spring of 1903 Mr. Coover removed to
  Shippensburg, where he is spending his days in retirement, in the enjoyment
  of the fruits of years of honorable toil. He commenced life with little or no
  means, but by industry and energy, coupled with honesty, has accumulated a
  competency, and by his upright life has retained the respect of all who know
  him. Though now over ninety he is quite well preserved, and in possession of
  all his faculties. Mr. Coover has attended strictly to business, and never
  had any desire for public honors or political preferment, although he served
  two years as supervisor of his township, and one year as tax collector, in
  1842. He was formerly an Old-line Whig, and when that party disbanded gave
  his allegiance to the Republicans. His religious membership is with the
  Bethel Church of God.
    
    In 1841 Mr. Coover married Miss Mary Newcomer, of Cumberland county, a
  daughter of Abram and Mary (Musselman) Newcomer, formerly of Lancaster
  county, Pa. To this union were born eight children that reached maturity, of
  whom George is mentioned elsewhere; Jacob is deceased; Anna is the widow of
  Levi Grove; Maria married Thomas Cashman; Martha married John Cope, of
  Shippensburg; Elizabeth and Ida are at home with their father. The mother
  passed away in 1878, and was buried in Spring Hill cemetery.