David Cooper (1789 - 1876)

Born 25 Nov 1789 in Montreal Quebec, Canada

Descendants

Died 27 Jul 1876 at age 86 in Detroit Wayne County Michigan, USA

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Biography

"Elizabeth Cooper, formerly Elizabeth Crown, wife of Alexander Cooper, was the mother of David Cooper. David was born in Montreal, Canada, November 25, 1789. His father died when he was a young boy, and he and his mother came to Detroit in 1799. He was bound out to James Henry until he became of age and his mother went to Michilimackinac, where she married a second time. David married Lovicy Mack, daughter of Col. Stephen Mack, in 1820, and had five children, one of them being the Rev. David M. Cooper, of Detroit. David Cooper died in Detroit, a very wealthy man, July 27, 1876. He was buried in Elmwood Cemetery. (C. M. B.)"

Source: Governor and Judges Journal: proceedings of the Land board of Detroit. ed. M. Agnes Burton, compiled by Clarence M. Burton, 1915. pg 187.

From another source: "David Cooper was born in Montreal, Canada, November 25th, 1789, and was of Scotch descent, his grandparents being natives of Edinburgh. He came to Detroit in 1799, a lad of but ten years of age, "without influential friends and no relatives, except a widowed stepmother of slender means." Being thus necessitated to earn his own living he accepted an apprenticeship with Mr. James Henry, then a merchant and carried on a tannery also. His store was on St. Ann street, now Jefferson avenue, just west of the present site of the Michigan Exchange.

"To Mr. Henry he was largely indebted for those business habits which formed the basis of his after success in life."

At the close of his apprenticeship he became chief clerk for the house of Thomas Emerson & Co., afterwards known as the firm of Mack & Conant. He continued with this firm until financial embarrassment compelled an assignment.

During the war of 1812 he was sergeant in Captain Whittimore Knaggs' company and a participant at the battle of Brownstown, and was detailed to bring up the wounded. It will be remembered that Captain Knaggs, above referred to, was Indian interpreter to Generals Hull, Cass and Winchester..."

In 1824, Mr. Cooper, pursuant to a long cherished plan to engage in business on his own account, prepared for his visit to the east for the purchase of goods. Armed with letters and other testimonials, he mounted the horse bought of James W. Knaggs, and, in company with Doctor Marshall Chapin and John Palmer, set out upon his journey. On his arrival in Boston he met with no difficulty in buying his stock of goods, which he received sometime in June, and opened a store on Woodward avenue, which he continued until 1835, when he joined with DeGarmo Jones in the erection of what was known as the Cooper block on Jefferson avenue, where he continued a successful business up to the year 1849, when he retired. After retiring from the mercantile business, having an interest in a lime stone quarry near Brownstown, he opened a yard on Woodbridge street and did an extensive business in the sale of lime and stone for several years. He at one time owned the site of what is now the warehouse of the Detroit and Cleveland Steam Navigation Company, which was turned over to him by Messrs. Mack & Conant, when they closed up business. He also owned many other valuable pieces of property which he improved, including the house in which he died, opposite the market building on Cadillac square.

In 1820 Mr. Cooper married Miss Lovicy Mack, a daughter of Colonel Stephen Mack (whose history will be found in this volume, page 226). They had three children, Adaline Lavina, who married Dr. Sprague; George A. (who died some years since), and the Rev. David Mack Cooper. A sketch of the latter will be found elsewhere in this volume.

The only official positions held by him were those of alderman, trustee of Harper's Hospital and elder in the First Presbyterian church, of which he was long a member.

As the end of his life approached he said to his surviving son, "I shall not bequeath anything in my will to benevolence. I leave all that to you, who are more competent to judge in regard to such purposes than myself. It has been mine to accumulate, it will be yours to disburse."

Mr. Cooper departed July 27th, 1876, and she who was his wife for over fifty years, Mrs. Lovicy Mack Cooper, died in January, 1874.

All that is claimed for David Cooper by those that revere his memory is "that his life was intelligently met, and honestly passed," and as to the manner in which his last wishes have been carried out, it is demonstrated in the sketch of those who survive him."

Taken from: Chronography of notable events in the history of the Northwest territory and Wayne County. Complied and arranged by Fred Carlisle, 1890.

Family links: Spouse: Lovisa Mack Cooper (1795 - 1874)*

Children: Adaline L. Cooper Sprague (1821 - 1899)* David Mack Cooper (1827 - 1908)*^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=79496312

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=79564094