Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-09-26
James Feni,norc Cooper.


more Cooper, died at his residence in Cooperstown,
New York, on Sunday, the 18th of September, aged
62 years. all but one day, having been born the
18th of September, 1889. He was native of Bur-
lington N j., where his father, Judge Cooper resid-
ed part of the time at that period bis attention be-
ing divided between his residence in Burlington and
his new settlement in Otsego county, New York, to
which he gave the name of Cooperstown, and where
his family have since resided.
MIR. Cooper was educated at Yale College, where
he graduated in 1906. and then entered the navy
a mdshipman. In 1911 he resigned his commission
and married Miss Delaney sister of the Bishop.oi
Western New York. Since that period he has devo-
ted himself to literature his first published effort
having been the novel {" precaution' the scene OF
which was laid in England where it had greater
this succeeded The Spy which had extraordinary
success. Then followed The Pioneers" The Pr
lot Lionel Lincoln and Tbe Last of the Mohi.
cans all of them, except Lionel Lincoln" con-
tributng to raise the fame of their author At this
period in his literary career Mr. Cooper visited Eu.
rope where his novels had been translated, attain.
ing popularity only second to those of Scott
Here he published several other fctions His 6 No.
tions of the Americans his u Geanings in Europe
and his Sketches in Switzerland were also part
of the fruit of his European residence. which lasted
number of years. MIR. Cooper also published ''The
American Democrat good work on American So
ciety and Institutions
In 1890 appeared his " History of the Navy of the
United States the most elaborate of his works, and
which led to many controversies. 1t is however
conceded to be the best Naval History We have
had. The novels written by Mr.. Cooper since his re-
turn from Europe lack the spirit of his earlier efforts
Most of them of too ddactic character, and
when writing of the sea. the prairie the for
est, he betrays an unpleasant dogmatism social
and political subjects which robs his ctons of theil
charm of freshness and truth to nature. In one Sc
res of novels he became the champions of the land
lords in the Anti Rent controversy in New York in
others he the defender of churchism in the
Episcopal Church, and in ALL there was too papable
display of the partisan defending set of political
religious social tenets But there passages in
all the later novels worthy of the early genius of the
author. and the evident sincerity of the sentiment,
in every page is sufficient defence against all crit
cisms of their peculiarites.
MIR. Cooper was not only the most popular but the
most prolific of American noyelists. He has written
than thirty works of fiction, besides his Nava
History series of Naval Biographies books of ira
wells, and other works. and numerous essays and con-
tributions to magazines and reviews. In social life
he was much esteemed. and the head of q lovely
family, he was universally beloved and admired. He
was, however, unpopular among the critics particu
ary those of the daily press. In the hostility thus
engendered originated numerous libel SUITS which
however just they may have been, added nothing t.
the public respect for Mr.. Cooper. Of late years
this species of warfare has been suspended and the
popular mind has returned to its ust appreciation Of
Mr.. Coopers extraordinary talents. 1t is pleasant
reflection that his last days have not been embitter
ed by controversy, but that Americans have been
abled to look admiringy upon the character of the
man who has done more to make name for Ameri
can Literature than any other of their citizens.