New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-05

of office as President of the United States when
France about TO shake the world with its tremen-
dous revolution and while Pitt and George lllwere
governing England. that Peter Cooper was born.
The population of the United States was then only
about twice that of New-YOrk and Brooklyn at the
present day. New-York itself was inhabited by
scarcely 10000 people, City Hall Park was gar
den; the limits of the city on the north were at
Chambers-st.: people dressed in home spun; and
the wealthy families. whose descendants are now
in Fifth-ave. lived at Bowling Green. The humble
home of the parents to whom this child was born,
was then in Little Dock-st since become part
of Water-st; They named him Peter, after the
great Apostle because the father believed he had
been told to do so in dream Inc family was h Door
the father kept a small hat-siore. out
be was not formed to achieve success
and ambition, though he had served gaiantly
in the War of Independence, in which he held the
peared in the harbOr he was one of those VINO went
over TO Governors island during the night and put
up fortihcatlons for the defence OF the ely;
Peters mother was of different mould. she bad
Scotch blood IN her veins and had been educated
among the MOravians in Pennsylvania; where her
moral nature developed and strengthened She
has been described as person IN whom there was
a rare blending of sweetness and ire. OF force ana
Tenderness. Her father was John Campbell, once
an Alderman of the city, who had been deputy
qartermaster-ge general in the revolution ana
had expended a considerable private fortune In the
service of the Colonies.
Young Peters life early became one OF hardshlp.
After he had reached his third year his father re-
moved TO Duane-st. and Broadway with his little
hat store, and as the son was old enough 10
do any work he was employed in the business with
the other children His first work was pulling mar
and cutting fur. The advantages OF school were
denied HIM. In all his life he only went every
other day for single year. In his fathers store he
was very useful and before he hteen years o age
was able TO make a hat. But the iather became
dissatisfied with his business lie was fond OF
country life, and finally sold out TO his eldest
son by q former wife. and removed TO Peeksklll,
where he opened country store and built little
church. Later than this he began the brewing OF
ale, and young Peter was employed In deiVefng
the kegs Of ale TO the places IN TOWN n an% S
Catskill where he opened hat store, and besides
this manufactured bricks. Peter was made useful
In carving the bricks. The hat store was ailer-
ward removed to Brooklyn; and not long after tins
the family went TO Newburg, and the father
opened another brewery. Here the son remained
until ne was seventeen years OF age. lie had accu-
mulated $40 of his own money, and one day coming
to New York he invested 1T in lottery and lost II
all. Late 10 life be often alluded to tins e1pe-
rlence as being an excellent lesson worth more to
him than it cost
STARTING IN BUSINESS FOR HIMSELF.
Peter Cooper, now seventeen years OF age, re-
solved to 90 to New-York; he was ambitious and
believed there better opportunities Tor MIN In
his native city than anywhere else. DE applied Tor
work going almost everywhere In search OF posi-
ton, but having great difficulty in finding one AT
last, after days of effort, he found carriage shop
owned oy Burtis & Woodward, and situated where
tine building formerly used as wholesale store by
A. T. Stewart & Co. stands, at the northeast corner
Of Broadway and Chambers-st. Burtis d Wood
ward were willing to accept his servcesif nc would
remain until he should be OF age Tor 20 year ana
his board The off'r was accepted at once Hero
the character and purposes OF the young mechanic
began to take form. He applied himself to work
with great zeal and seenrcd t the
He turned his thoughts to improvements IN the ma
chinery and contrved an apparatus for making
bubs The principle of which was embodied IN later
Inventions When in his twenty-tirst yea he de-
cded 10 leave the firm his employers offered to fur
nish him with the capital to start mandatory OF
his own in the BOweTy. During bis 1our years OF
service he had found work at carving WOOD LOT car
riages IN which he became an expert. by doing
this in his leisure hours he was able 10 add TO
his slender income The additional sums which lie
obtained he devoted to buying books ana 10 paying
for the services of teacher IN the evening inns
period of his life taught him the value OF evening
schools and ii is said he then determined TO dcVote
his years to the accumulation OF wealth That ne
might found institution where worklng boys
and girls could find Tree instrnction ~ was inoie
than forty wears before that plan took dehme form
in act of the State Legislature 10 ehaoie Ieier
Cooper to found scientific institution IN Tue Sl,y
of New York" But the purpose, once formed ne
never departed from. His after career was one OF
uninterrupted toll crowned at last with the success
he sought A man low i'll legal as ~ physical
sense hc started III the world alone. with the am
culties incident TO narrow means ana limited eou I
TO star. him in business He debated the SUBJECT;
it was apparently tempting opportunity for poor
young man. But Peter Cooper had foresight then
as in after years. To accept the offer would throw
him into debt which he could not pay
without mortgaging his future career. ne accord,
inqly declined it. The decision proved iorunate
one: for in the war with Great Britain. which came
soon alterw ard the demand for carriages decreased
and his proposed venture would have been dlsas-
irons ON the other hand the course he finally took
resulted III success. -,
He went to Hampstead. Long Island where he
tian "A
per day and invented a machine 1or sbeaIlng nap
from cloth 1t was patented AMI had RAPID a sa 10
great demand. When Mr. Cooper. elated at his
prosperity, had accumulated $500 he went one day
to Newburg and found his parents Ia sinctloh from
inability TO pay their debts. his SoO0 vas gwen
to them, and relieved the pressing Claims. Ali.
Cooper then became surety for those which were not
vet matured, and continued the manufacture OF lns
machInes so that he able TO save his father from
bankruptcy. These machines were lnade on INC
same principle as moving machines now gre,
though ii was long before mowiDg-nachlncs had
been invented. friend nj the Time susseSeu
that Mr. Cooper make "a grass-nower after Tue same
design, which be dd and used IL succeSoIt ~ ,S
friends yard. But when the war closed foreign
competition woollen cloths increased ana pu moss
at home suffered corresponding decline. Ai cooper
then became a cablnet-nlapulactuler, ana opened
furniture store which he kept Tor short tnc' ana
then resolved to return again to ms naive cry
Durnp his residence on Long Island he had, now
ever taken an important step Ill HIS lie,
which continued all through his subsequent
career TO contribute to ITS usefulness ana
prosperity In 1913, when twenty-five years Oh
,o iha married Miss Saraa Bedel, of Hampstead.
WHO lived most happily with hun until 1869, when
she died OH the anniversary of their wedding day;
She was a woman of qualities. Since her death
NJ Cooper has SAID: ''She was the day,staI; the
sJ.ace and the inspiration OF my me-. Iher
goiden wedding. celebrated III 1868, Is pleasantly
remembered by the many who present: SIX
children were born TO them, -four OF whom died III
childhood The sGryIviDg ones are Edward Cooper,
OF this city, and Mrs Sarah Amelia hewIt'' "iie Vi
AbraIn s. Hewitt. a., co
During his residence at Hampstead Mr.. Cooper
made he acquaintance of William Cobbett, VINO
had Jeff In glaLd after the close OF the wars win
Napoleon, and coming 10 this country had taken q
farm at North Hampstead, where ho continued
hers of CORRUPTION IN his eekIy Political kcJiste
Before ST.. Cooper left hampstead he
had bought house and lot in the village, but ne