EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
James Alfred Cooper, the son of William and Ann (Watson) Cooper was born at Amboy in 1858. His parents were natives of England. They came to Illinois in the early fifties of the nineteenth century settling in the northern part. Mr. Cooper worked in the coal-mining business for a few years and then took up farming. In the sixties he came to the Town of Lyman and settled on the north-west quarter of Section 12. H...e died about 1870 leaving his wife and several children. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Mrs. Cooper had to leave the farm so the Masons bought land of Michael Ringeisen and erected a house for her to occupy. She lived there a few years. She married a man by the name of Loering and they moved to the vicinity of Gibson City.
The Cooper children attended school in the Marston schoolhouse. Their names as I now remember were Ashton, Sarah Jane, Alfred, Frank Wallace, Arthur, Warren (Smith).
I believe Alfred and Frank went down by Melvin. Frank lived with Samuel Shute. He died about the time he reached manhood.
Alfred lived with William Hurst who fathered him, and was as kind to him as if he were his own son. In December of 1880, he married Cynthia Kennedy, the daughter of William and Barbary (Barnett) Kennedy, early settlers of Lyman.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooper farmed for about ten years, when he sold out and entered into the implement , lumber and coal business with W. C. Wright in Roberts. He chose for his partner one of the best men Roberts ever had. They carried on a successful business for about ten years. Mr. Cooper and his family consisting of his wife and three boys Charles, Elmer, and Beryl went west and located in Kansas. Mr. Cooper died several years ago and his wife makes her home with her children.
While here, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper and family were regular attendants of the M. E. Church and Sunday School and Epworth League and were substantial supports.
Of the W. C. Wright family the surviving members are Belle, Morna, and Bayne and wife and daughter, Margeret and son, John, all very fine people. Belle is a very ardent worker in the U. P. Church in Denver, Colorado. Jessie died when they were living here.
There are very few families that make such good neighbors as the Wright family. They were true to the church, to their neighbors, to the town and to duty. I received a letter from Belle a few days ago. In the letter was a church program which she edits. It is a neat four page leaflet which shows that their church is not dead by a long way. They have many workers.
--Roberts Herald. 19 February 1936. Bela Foster.
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
James Alfred Cooper, the son of William and Ann (Watson) Cooper was born at Amboy in 1858. His parents were natives of England. They came to Illinois in the early fifties of the nineteenth century settling in the northern part. Mr. Cooper worked in the coal-mining business for a few years and then took up farming. In the sixties he came to the Town of Lyman and settled on the north-west quarter of Section 12. H...e died about 1870 leaving his wife and several children. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Mrs. Cooper had to leave the farm so the Masons bought land of Michael Ringeisen and erected a house for her to occupy. She lived there a few years. She married a man by the name of Loering and they moved to the vicinity of Gibson City.
The Cooper children attended school in the Marston schoolhouse. Their names as I now remember were Ashton, Sarah Jane, Alfred, Frank Wallace, Arthur, Warren (Smith).
I believe Alfred and Frank went down by Melvin. Frank lived with Samuel Shute. He died about the time he reached manhood.
Alfred lived with William Hurst who fathered him, and was as kind to him as if he were his own son. In December of 1880, he married Cynthia Kennedy, the daughter of William and Barbary (Barnett) Kennedy, early settlers of Lyman.
Mr. and Mrs. Cooper farmed for about ten years, when he sold out and entered into the implement , lumber and coal business with W. C. Wright in Roberts. He chose for his partner one of the best men Roberts ever had. They carried on a successful business for about ten years. Mr. Cooper and his family consisting of his wife and three boys Charles, Elmer, and Beryl went west and located in Kansas. Mr. Cooper died several years ago and his wife makes her home with her children.
While here, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper and family were regular attendants of the M. E. Church and Sunday School and Epworth League and were substantial supports.
Of the W. C. Wright family the surviving members are Belle, Morna, and Bayne and wife and daughter, Margeret and son, John, all very fine people. Belle is a very ardent worker in the U. P. Church in Denver, Colorado. Jessie died when they were living here.
There are very few families that make such good neighbors as the Wright family. They were true to the church, to their neighbors, to the town and to duty. I received a letter from Belle a few days ago. In the letter was a church program which she edits. It is a neat four page leaflet which shows that their church is not dead by a long way. They have many workers.
--Roberts Herald. 19 February 1936. Bela Foster.
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