River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-08-16
4 Romance OF the seminoIes.

From the New York Times
COsceola Cooper. man who claimed TO
be nephew of Osceola, the renowned
chief of the Seminole Indians, died sud
denly yesterday, of acute disease of the
kidneys, accelerated by other ailments,
AT No. % Bond street, a clearinghouse.
Cooper, was 3S years of age at the time
of his death, was the only son of Solomon
Cooper, an Indian doctor, who, it Is
claimed, was the brother Of the Seminole
chief. Those who are familiar with the
history of the Seminole wars can recall
the important incidents in the life of
Coopers celebrated progenitor. 0sceola
was born in Georgia in 1904 His father
was an English trader named Powell.
who married the daughter Of a Seminole
chief. Soon after the death Of his father,
Osceola, then STRIPPING, removed to
Florida, with his Indian mother, and
there became identified with the fortunes
of her fathers tribe, among whom, after
brief period, the young man was rec
ognized as a leader lie married accord
ing to the rights Of the tribe, the daugh-
ter of one of the chiefs. In 1885. while
on a visit TO Fort King, Osceola's wife
vas seized as fugitive slave, and as such
was carried of. This outrage, added to
other injuries, fancied or real, angered the
young chief to such an extent that he
uttered undisguised threats against his
prosecutors. On the strength of those in
discreet utterances, Osceola was seized
by order of Gen. Thompson, and put in
irons, but was released after brief term
Of humiliating imprisonment. Swearing
to he revenged, he gathered around him
a little band OF followers, with whom lac
laid in wait for Thompson. On Dec. %,
1885, meeting the latter and other whites
outside of the walls of the for;, the young
chief and his band massacred the entire
party. This tragedy was the signal for
| the second Seminole war, which practi-
cally terminated on Oct, II, 1887, with
the capture Of Osceoia under a flag Of
truce at St. Augustine.
lie was incarcerated in Fort Moultrie,
near Charleston S. c., where died on Jan.
80, 1888. There is no record in history
that Osceola had a brother, and yet the
friends of Osceola Cooper aver that he
(the chief had one, several years his iu-
nior, who was adopted by Solomon Coop
er, Of New York, at the close Of the Sem
mole war. The circumstances of the
younger brothers adoption by Mr.. Cooper
are described thus A small band of
Seminoles, remnant of Osceola's scat
tered tribe, encountered, a few DAYS sue
ceeding the capture Of their chief, hos
tile party of Indians, from whom they
rescued Mr.. Cooper. At first the Semi
nOles were inclined to treat Mr. Cooper
as prisoner, and would, perhaps, even
tually have subjected him to the torture
if Osceola's brother, who was the pet
the band, had not interceded in his be
half The half-breed Indian boy became
greatly attached 10 Cooper, By whom he
was subsequently adopted and brought TO
this city. Here he assumed the name of
his patron, whose property, which was Of
considerable value, he inherited. After
the death of his adopted father, Solomon
Cooper-ior by that name only he was
known-went te Barcelona, Spain, where
he married a lady of good family. Os
ceOla Cooper, the man who now lies dead
at No 81 Bond street, Is alleged to be the
first fruit OF that union Shortly after the
birth of his second child, a girl, solomon
Cooper returned with his family TO this
country and settled on a farm situated
near the homestead of the Greeley fam
ily at Chappaqua. He became famous as
an Indian doctor. and through his pro
fessional exertions gained considerable
wealth. At the outbreak of the rebellion,
Dr. Cooper, who was thea sojOurning in
the South, joined the rebel army, and, it
is said. was killed in battle. A few
years preceding the termination of the
war his son, Osceoia Cooper, ran away
from college and joined the Onion forces,
acting as courier under Gen. Sherman
until the surrender OF Lee.
Returning homewsrd, he learned that
his mother had moved from the Chappa-
qua farm to a house in Forty-ninth street,
between First and Second avenues. Think
ing that his sudden and unexpected reap
pearance would prove too great a shock
to her, he requested the servant who an
swered his summons at the door 10 inform
Mrs. Cooper that returned Union sol
dier desired to see her. The lady replied
through the medium OF the domestic that
she had every incentive TO lOathe Union
soldiers. and that, consequently, she
would not hermit his entrance TO the
house. Osceola entered, however. and an
affecting scene ensued between muther
and son. 1t was then that the news OF
his fathers death was made known to
him. He also learned that his sister had
married Col. Marshall, of the Confeder-
ate army. Marshall died at PavOnia.
n. j., about five years ago. His wife died
two years later, leaving two children.
Jennie and Willie 0sceola Marshall, TO
the guardianship of their uncle, Osceola
Cooper, who placed them in the house OF
a Mrs. Post, in PavOnia. About six
months ago Alfreta Powell, an Indian
woman, who claimed Osceola Cooper as
her brother, but who was only recognized
by him as an adopted sister, surreptihous-
ly removed little Willie OsceoIa Marshall
from Mrs Posts house, and disappeared
with the boy. Being apprised of the alb
duction of his nephew, Osceola Cooper
left his home in Bergen Point, and came
to this city in the hope of finding the
boy, but had not succeeded up to the
time of his sudden death. Two years
ago he visited the tribe of his father in
Oregon.
Coroner Flanagan, who was requested
yesterday to inquire into the cause of his
death, ascertained that he was man of
very Incorporate habits. He was appar-
emily in excellent health on Wednesday
evening, when, accompanied by two fe-
male friends. he attended the perform
ance at Niblo's Garden. It is believed
that he leaves property, including real es-
tate, amounting in value to $4,000.
Domestic Ruin.