The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-09-21
Aalraiialt 6azFttf,
EST MoDUs IN REBUs.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 81, 1884,
WiIIiam Coopcr. the Famous Town CLERK.

William Cooper, the Famous Town Clerk
1851
The following obituary notice of William
Cooper, the famous town clerk Of Boston dur
ing the Revolutionary period. is taken from
the Boston Patriot Of Dec. 9Th, 1909:
"On Tuesday Nov. 2sih, the venerable Will
liam Cooper, in the eighty-eighth year of his
age. resigned himself into the bosom Of lis
| Father and his God.
He was born in the year l722-of respecta-
bic parentage, no doubt, for his manners and
education ever marked him the gentleman
and the worthy brother CT the late celebrated
Samuel Cooper, d. D.
"Mr. William Cooper was bred merchant,
and in the early part Of his life was one of the
I representatives from Boston. He was for a
long series of years register of the Probate
Court for Suffolk, under every form of govern
ment that has been experienced in Massachu-
sctts since his berth. He united to a compe-
tent degree of assiduity and intelligence in
business suavity Of manners and quick
dscernment of the characters of those with
whom he had to do. The peculiar temperament
of his mind and manners enabled him TO glide
smoothly down the stream Of life; TO be happy
in himself and never fail to afford satisfaction
to those around him.
ale was very active and ardent in the early
stage of the American Revolution; and al
though lie was not one of those master minds
that are formed to move tie universe, yet he
was a operator with James Otis, Samuel
Adams, Joseph Warren, John Adams, and
James Warren; was perfectly in their conf
dence and esteem, and constant attendant
on all their meetings, both in public and
nriyate.
"Mr. Cooper was one of the Boston Board
of Safety during the war, and oficiated as its
Secretary. In l760, when Mr. Cooper was
about thirty eight years DID,, he was chosen
town clerk of Boston. In that respectable
annual office he was continued uninterruptedly
till the day of his death. This circumstance
is very just criterion whereby to judge Of
his integrity, his intelligence, industry, and
department towards his fellow citizens.
Like the venerable Judge Cushing, Mr..
I Cooper has lived through all changes of
political times and seasons, without ever losing
either bis place or the good opinion of those
who bestowed it, and without any change of
principles.
Mr.. Cooper was decided Republican. His
most happy and active days were spent in ar
raj cling the preliminary scenes of the Revolu-
ton Had he lived to the age of Nestor he
would never have ceased to be a friend of
liberty and the rights of man, yet if all men were
like him judging from what we have seen Of
him in the decline of life) we venture to assert
there would be no such thing as party. He
never concealed, he never could conceal, his
sentiments yet we believe he never obtruded
them in any time, place or manner, wherein
they could give offence, or fail to have their
intended good effect.
His remarkable health and long life indi-
cate that he was born with fine constitution,
which he never injured by irregular habits.
ain him we have witnessed man whose
age, usefulness and good temper made him
truly honorable. He seemed to be stranger
TO that decrepitude and petulance which often
destroy the dignity of years. He seems ever
TO have improved his talents to the best of
advantage, and to have lived an died model
for all good men,"
To make the above notice more complete we
have added the following article, in which
the inaccurate dates of the obituary are cor
rected:
William Cooper was born in Boston, Oct l,
1921, and was the eldest son of Rev. William
Cooper, pastor of Brattle-street Church. His
first appearance in public life was in 1866.
when at the age of thirty-four he represented
Boston in General Court.
On Dec. 9,l759, he was appointed register
of probate for Suffolk County, and was reap
pointed Nov. 5, 1851, which position lie
continued TO fill until the year 1900.
In l76l he was chosen town clerk of Boston,
to which position he was re elected annually
for forty years, and during that time was
never absent from his duty at a town meeting.
On Nov. ID, 1869, he was made fire war
den, with john Hancock, John Secular and
Samuel Adams.
In 1872 and I774 ne was a member of the
committee of correspondence, inspection and
safety, with Otis, Adams and others, and off,
ciated as its secretary
He was one of the signers of the Royalist
nand-DilI. which was distributed among the
British soldiers in Boston, September, l744,
advising tlem to withdraw,
He was appointed in l775 with James Otis,
DR.. Joseph Warren and others, to draw up
paper, the object of which was to thank the
other colonies for their kindness to Boston
during her troubles in IT'S.
He was again in the General Court in I776-7. !
On Feb. 10, 1875, he was again chosen a
member of the committee of correspondence,
inspection and safety, with Adams, Hancock,
Major Paul Revere and others, and was
unanimously choseni its clerk.
During this period he served on numerous
other committees of more or less importance. |
be was constant writer in the periodicals |
of the day, especially in the Boston GaseAe |
Among other essays of his was that on the |
great fire III Boston, March 20, 1850
His death took place Nov. %, 1909, at the |
advanced age of eighty-nine years-ffty four
of which was devoted to the service of his |
country. He was buried in the family tomb
in the Granary Burial Ground.
William Cooper lived east of Concert Hall |
on Hanover street. He married, April 20,
l745, Katherine, daughter of Hon. Jacob |
Wendell, merchant Of Boston, and decen-
dant of Governor Bradstreet. He had sixteen
prominent among them was Samuel,
a lawyer, and judge of the Court of Common
Pleas, and several times a member of the
Legislature. General John Cooper, who was
the youngest, went to Maine and settled at
Machias, near which is town that bears his
name. His descendants continue to live in
Maine and Massachusetts.
The following extract from the London
Political Register for 1850 may be of interest
to show the prejudices and sIanderous opin-
ions held of the Coopers in England at that
time: civilian Cooper was formerly Town
Clerk of Boston, and is one of the greatest
knaves and most iuveterate rebels in New
England. He is a very hot-headed man, and
constantly urges the most violent measures.
He was prompted secretly by his brother, Rev.
Samuel Cooper, who though minister of
peace, and to all outward appearance meek
and heavenly man, was one Of the chief instru-
ments in stirring up the people TO take arms.
Hancock was his parishioner. When the
Boston rioters plundered the custom house,
March, 1870, the bell Of this reverned rogue's
church was the signal for attack This silver
tongued orator was SO popular that the aisles
of the church would be thronged with eager
listeners. He was favorite of Royalist and
rebel. William Cooper has rendered himself
especially obnoxious TO the RoYaIist to by his