The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-23
DEATH OF AN OLD CITIZEN.

Judge Ebenezer Cooley died at his resi-
dence, in the parish of Pointe Coupee, on the
fourteenth instant, in the seventy-third year
of his age, greatly lamented by the wide cir
Gle of friends and acquaintance he had made
throughout the State during a long and hon
ored life. Judge Cooley was born in the par
ish in which he died; his father was Dr. Ebene-
ger Cooley, an eminent surgeon in the United
States navy. He was himself the first repre-
sentative In the Legislature of Louisiana from
his native parish, and was subsequently ap-
pointed parish Judge by Gov. Roman, which
Office he filled for many years. He had also
filled the post of State senator, and was at
one time cashier of the Canal Bank In Bayou
Sara.
All the public positions to which he was
elected or appointed he filled with ability, and
by his unbending integrity and conscientious
devotion to duty allayed bitter opposition and
won the confidence and esteem of all classes
Of his fellow-citizens. In private life he was
generous, gentle and courteous, and his
princely hospitality in the days of his pros
perity is still one of the traditions of his sec
tion of the State He was successful sugar
planter, and at the time that the war between
the States beganlwas possessed Of a noble for
tune.
Judge Cooley was, we believe, an original
secessionist. At any rate he Immediately
identified his fortunes with those OF the Con-
tederacy, and was one of the honored few
who, through good and evil report, through
victory and defeat, stood by his flag until it
was furled forever. Too far advanced In life
to enter the army himself, he sent his son to
maintain the cause in which his heart was SO
deeply enlisted.
When New Orleans fell and the Federal
armies, like waves OF ruin or birds of
prey, swept over Louisiana, devastating end
plundering the finest portion of the South,
they did not spare the parish of Pointe
Coupee, with its lovely plantations and
rich ans beautiful homes. They passed there,
too, burning sugar-houses, killing and carry
ing off stock, and destroying fences. Not a
rose was left to bloom where once. had been
an Eden; nay, scarcely blade of grass sur
vived the destroying hand of war, to which
sectional malevolence had impaired an inhu-
man energy.
Every effort was made to induce Judge
Cooley to take the oath of allegiance to the
Federal government, but in vain. Day by
day he saw rich heritage, which lifetime
of energy, skill and industry had increased,
wasting away. His horses, mules and cattle
were being driven off; his gardens and fields
were being trampled down by cavalry
and infantry. A simple concession to
the wishes of the invaders would have
instantly checked the progress of ruin
and secured protection. But Judge Cooley
had the temper and the principle of a Roman.
He said that an honorable name and unblem-
ished reputation would be better heritage
to leave to his children than fortune. He
refused to take "the oath" to the last, and
when the war ended he had nothing left but
his homestead, few dilapidated negro cabins
and waste of land. We believe he never re-
cuperated the fortune he might have secured
by taking the "oath of allegiance" and he
died poor, but honored and respected as he
had lived, leaving his children what he be-
heved the noblest and most precious heritage