The Arnold and Moberly Family Genealogy

THE SHELBYVILLE DEMOCRAT Tuesday, April 2, 1907, page 1 column 7 HON. EDMUND COOPER DIED OF SENILITY Aged and Well-Known Resident of This City Passed Away at Two O'clock A.M. HAD JUST ENTERED 89TH YEAR OF LIFE Had Been Prominent in Public Affairs of County For Many Years --- Held Offices THE FUNERAL ON FRIDAY ---------- Quietly and peacefully, so gradually that in fact the watchers at the bedside scarcely knew when the dissolution came, the Hon. Edmund Cooper passed away this morning at two o'clock at his home on south Harrison street. For several days his death had been expected. The slow, insidious decay of senility had at last over- come the rugged iron constitution that had weathered the attacks of many seasons. The Hon. Mr. Cooper, one of our best known citizens, was just entering his eighty-ninth year. He was born in Bottertapp(sic) county, Virginia, March 19, 1819. He was the son of Edmund and Mary Cooper, natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectfully. Shortly after the birth of the child which had developed into the man who now lies dead in this city, the family moved to Indiana, settling in Washington county. Living but a short time in that locality, they moved to Hendricks county, near where Edmund Cooper grew to manhood. He was reared on a farm and early chose agriculture as his life-work. At this he was eminently successful. His early educational advantages were limited, as were those of the great majority of the children of that time. For the lack of early training Mr. Cooper, however, never suffered, as he was a careful and intelligent observer, and his love for reading fully compensated for any disadvantages under which he labored in his early days. During the last six years he has been blind, but in spite of this disability he was at the time of his death one of the best posted men in the county on current news and general topics of the day. He received several newspapers daily and to him each day his loving wife read the contents of the printed page which his eyes could no longer scan. In 1847, Mr. Cooper came to Shelby county and settled in Noble township. After two years of residence here he removed to Iowa, but returned to Noble township in 1850. His public record is a clean and honorable one. Beginning his career asa justice of the peace, he was later elected county commissioner, which office he held for two terms. In 1880 he was chosen to represent Shelby county in the General Assembly and while a member of that body discharged his duties in a manner credi'table' to himself and satisfactory to his constituency. He has been a lifelong democrat, and was ever ready to land a helping hand in the battles for political supremacy. On his return from Iowa he engaged in farming again. In 1875 he retired from active life and moved to Shelbyville, where he has since resided. He has been married twice. His marriage to Miss Margaret Vanpelt was solemnized in 1848. To them were born several children, three of whom survive. These are Squire J. Cooper and W. J. Cooper, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Mrs. Laura M. Thompson, of this city. Eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren trace their lineage to Mr. Cooper. His first wife died in 1874 and 1876 he was married to Miss Harriet E. Stockton. This second companion of his sorrows and his joys survives to mourn his death. Short funeral services will be held at eleven o'clock, the Rev. G. Jensen officiating. At one o'clock Friday afternoon services will be held at the Waldron M. E. church by the Rev. Robert J. Watts. Interment will be in the Vanpelt cemetery in Noble township. D. B. Wilson & Son are in charge of the funeral arrangements. Submitted by Barb Huff