Freestone County, Texas
Biographies




Biography of James Cooper
    (23 Aug 1835-3 Feb 1883, buried old Hill Cemetery)
    
Book - Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, 
Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas.  Lewis Publishing Company, 
Chicago, 1893.  p. 427-428.

"
  James Cooper, deceased, was born in Mississippi in 1836, upon the 3d of August,
and was the fourth in a family of thirteen children born to Joseph and Winnie 
(Dias) Cooper, who were natives of Alabama, and came to Mississippi at an early
day.  Joseph Cooper was one of the pioneers who assisted in the removal of the
Indians from the territory north of Arkansas, and assisted in reclaiming 
Mississippi from a wilderness and making of it the prosperous State of today. In 
1848 he removed from that State overland to this and located in Freestone county
upon land near to where the town of Bonner now is. At this place he engaged in
farming and in handling stock. The country was very lonely at that time, as there
were few settlers in what is now comprised in Freestone county: probably there
were no more than twenty families. These were from ten to twenty miles apart, and
all necessities of life had to be hauled to Houston. 
   Mr. Cooper had considerable property, consisting of cattle, horses, and a great
land interest. His family was as follows: Christopher, whose family resided in 
Colorado at the time of his death; Jonathan, also deceased, resided in Navarro
county; George, deceased, in this county; James, deceased, the subject; Emily,
deceased, was the wife of David Self; Rachel, deceased; Winnie, deceased, was the
wife of Tiford Self; Joseph, deceased, died at Cotton Plant, Arkansas, during the 
war, while in the Confederate army; Cornelius resides in Hamilton county, Texas;
and Reuben H. resides in Coleman county, Texas. Mr. Cooper himself died in 1850,
and his wife in 1852.
   The subject of this sketch received only a common-school education, and at the 
age of twenty-one years began the battle of life for himself as a farmer and a
stockman. He had a few hundred dollars, which he invested in stock and in land,
and was in a very prosperous condition at the opening of the war in 1861.  At this
time our subject joined the company of Captain Wright at Spring Hill, Navarro 
county, and was attached to General Burford's regiment, and served in the command
along the Mississippi river, and participated in almost all of the battles fought
by Parson's brigade, principally along the Red river, at Mansfield and Yellow 
bayou, and for twenty-seven days or longer, in which he was continuously in danger,
Mr. Cooper was neither wounded or captured. The surrender was made at Moscow, 
Texas, and after the cessation of hostilities Mr. Cooper returned home and re-
engaged in those industries which he had laid down at the call of his country.
  The marriage of our subject took place in 1862, when Miss Julia A. Hill became
his wife.  She was the amiable daughter of W. B. and Margaret J. (Coleman) Hill.
(See sketch of W. B. Hill.) After marriage Mr. Cooper lost in the war some 
valuable cattle which he owned, but in 1865 he purchased some land, consisting of
250 acres, for which he paid $2.50 per acre, being mostly in timber and unimproved.
Previous to death, Mr. Cooper owned 1,400 acres of fine land. The 200-acre tract 
upon which he erected his residence he had paid $1 per acre for. He devoted his
time in general to stock raising, and at this time he was very successful; and
at this demise he had several hundred head of cattle, and for years had been 
engaged in shipping to St. Louis and Chicago, and drove cattle to the mouth of 
Red river and shipped to New Orleans. 
   When Mr. Cooper and his wife were first married, Mrs. Cooper frequently made 
trips on horseback to McLennan, Hill and Hamilton counties, which she says did 
not tire her at all, as she could ride forty or fifty miles with ease a day, and
would feel fresh when night came. Their family consisted of three interesting 
children: Joseph B., born June 27, 1866, and was married October 20, 1886, to Miss
G. E. DuBoise, the daughter of John and Sarah (Palmer) DuBoise, natives of Alabama,
and Joseph B. and wife have two little ones: Zura C., born September 9, 1887; and 
George C., born April 8, 1892. James W., the second son of our subject, was born
August 2, 1870, and is in business at Wortham. Emma C., the daughter is the wife
of W. J. Ward, and was born January 27, 1872; and one little daughter, named 
Julia, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ward.
   Mr. Cooper was a man of prominence in the lodge of A.F. & A.M., Birdston Lodge,
No. 333, and Mrs. Cooper is also a member of the ladies' department of the Masonic
order, namely, the Eastern Star.
   Christopher Cooper was known as Kit Copper, and at one time he was known as
one of the most successful stockmen in the State. He drove the first herd of 
cattle into Ratoun mountains, New Mexico, that was taken across the plains, and
passed fourteen days without water for his stock, and for five days his men had 
none. They survived by drinking the blood of the cattle, which they would kill as 
necessity required. At one time Mr. Cooper was accounted worth $500,000, and he 
put it all into a mercantile business at Weatherford, Texas, and lost it all.
His wife died in 1870, and he married again in 1874, and with 100 head of horses
and 500 head of cattle went to Colorado, and succeeded so well so well that he got
to be worth $75,000.
   "