Daily globe., 1879-02-14
Hon. Joseph Cooper,

Ridgeway, Winona county, was born at Fair
fax Court House, Va, March co. 1920. His
father removed to Washington city when he
was a mere child; there he went to school up
to lO years of age, when he took to the sea.
For three years he did service in the Chesapeake
Bay waters, between the mouth of the Potomac
ana Baltimore. At the end Of that time he
snlppeo on board whaling vessel at Nantucket,
and August, 1884, sailed for the Pacific ocean
on four years cruise. The vessel landed on
the coast of California in 1893. He assisted in
resculng the cast-away crew of a New Bedford
snip on Cape St. Lucas. On the voyage he
Vlslted almost every island in the Pacific ocean; !;
saw Cantornla IN her native grandeur and
contemplated 1ala the scenes Of hundred climes
after he Deogea Joined '0lX she ta5 GolumSas Soon
receiving ship at Boston; was transferred to
the sloop of war Marion and ordered to the
brazilian coast. He was absent on that trip
three and half years. when the vessel re-
turned to Norfolk, Va, where the crew were
paid. From there he went to Baltimore,
shipped on vessel laden with tobacco and
pound Tor Trieste in Austria. On this expedi-
ton ne sailed up the Gulf of Venice and
crulsed in the Mediterranean. This voyage
lasted nine months. After his return he en-
gagged in the coast trade, and followed it al about out
two years. Next he engaged in the tobacco
trade between City Point Va, and Havre-De-
Glasse' France. This lasted nearly year and
half On this last voyage they went in bal
last to Newport, Wales, and loaded with rail-
road iron. When three days out from Lands
End their vessel became dismasted in a gale.
and they were Seventy-eight days adrift on the
ocean. They obtained supplies at Baihai
and managed to make st. Thomas.
one Of the West India islands, where the vessel
was TO be remasted. At this point he left the
snip and proceeded to New Orleans, remained a
few months and then went to Terre Haute
Ind, where his father had settled during his
ABSENCE At that place he was married to Miss
u. NJ. Gather. in 1874. Soon after that he took
charge OF a vessel on Lake Erie, and for about
nine years followed the lakes. The fall Of 1858
MS vessel was capsized, just as the western ho-
rlzon was plcturing line of amber and gold
on the face of the sun. They were twelve
miles from land. The crew made their escape
IN small boat, and arrived in safety at NAL
den. Canada, near the mouth of the Detroit
river. When the captain returned with a
steamer Tor his vessel, after diligent search.
ne found her at rest on a sand bar, about twelve
miles from where she capsized. It took
tour or five days of great effort
TO tow her into Maiden. where she laid up for
repairs. That was the captains last trim as a
sailor; he sold his boat and came West
October, 1854, he settled in Pleasant Hill town
snip, claimed some land and founded a home
he has since kept hotel, but farming has been
his principal business. The details of his ca.
reer would make an intensely interesting tale.
com blnlng all the elements of the most thrill
ing novel, not founded on facts, but actual
truths pertaining to the etirring scenes of an
eventful life.