The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-05
Sketch of His Life.

Sketch of His Life
With the death of Peter Cooper, a remark
able man passes out of current American
over period of more than three-quarters of
a century, for from early youth to the day of
. his death he was ever actively engaged in
business of some character, in all of which he
succeeded. The conduct of his life may we'll
serve as a model for all. Temperate indus
trious frugal and energetic, he always main
tanned his independence, and early acquired
a competency. But his aspirations would
not allow him to rest or rust and up to the
last he was active in the superintendent of
his various business interests.
Peter Cooper was born in New York city,
February IL, 1871, and he was therefore in
his ninety third year at the time of his
death. When he was born the now great
metropolis was little city of but $1,000 in
habitants. The war of the revolution was
of the near past, and Washington was still
living Alexander Hamilton and Aaron
Burr were both practing law, and General
Washington, as President of the United
States, held his Office in the old City Hall in
Wall street. He remembered Washington's
funeral passing through New York and hear
'.ng his mother speak of a cheval-de- frise
erected at what is now Duane street to keep
off the Indians. He was in Albany when
Commodore Perry passed through, after his
famous victory on Lake Erie in the war of
1872 and remem bered the triumphant arches
erected in his honor. Soon afterward he
made the trip from Albany to New York on
Robert Fulton's steamboat, the Clermont,
then the wonder of the age" He had pre-
yiously had business relations with Fulton,
both being interested in a scheme of Mr..
Cooper's devisng to propel ferryboats be-
tween New York and Brooklyn by means
of compressed air.
Mr.. Cooper's ancestry was full of patriotic
associations. His grandfather had been
mayor of the city, and also filled the office of
quartermaster during the Revolution, while
his father had served in the army with the
commission of lieutenant. When the war
closed the latter turned his attention to
making hats. The work was chiefly done by
hand, and afforded little profit; hence Lieu
tenant Cooper was unsuccessful In addition
to this, he was burdened by large family,
in whose support his son Peter afforded
efficient help, and in this way the latter
learned to exercise sympathy He worked
for his father in daily toll, and his schooling
was half days tuition for single year.
The love of learning which was thus disap-
education to others.
When he was three years cid his father re-
moved to Peekskill; where he set up store.
He subsequently removed to Catskill Brook
lyn, Newburg, and engaged in selling goods,
manufacturing hats, brewing beer and max
ing bricks. In these various employments
the son was obliged to work, pulling hair out
of rabbit-skins, as he says, for his fathers
hats when his head scarcely reached above
the table, delivering kegs of beer in the
brewing business, and carrying bricks into
the yard when his father was engaged in brick
making.
When he was seventeen years of age he was
apprenticed to a coachmaker for four
years, receiving $25 year. During this time
he employed his evenings in an upper room
in Broadway in study and in making exper-
iments 1t was then that his inventive gem
ius was developed which led him into those
pursuits in which he achieved so great sue
cess The first practical result of these ex-
periments was the invention of a machine
for mortising hubs His employer was so
much pleased with this that he offered to
fstart him in business; but young Cooper de-
clined the offer because he preferred to rely
on his own energies He then went to
Hampstead L. l., where he was employed
by manufacturer of coth-shearing ma
chimes, at $l.50 day At the end of three
years he had saved enough to buy the patent
right of New York State and began manu-
iuOtuiiiiS On his OWN account. Inc urSC pur-
chaser OF his machine was Matthew Vassar,
the founder of Vassar College, who also
bought the right of county. On returning
nome abo,.G this time Peter Cooper found
his father involved in financial difficulties
70 extricate him from which he surrendered
al of his hard-earned savings.
In 1923 Mr.. Cooper went to Baltimore and
became identified with the origin of two
great enterprises, which, more than all Others
nave contributed to the growth of that city
-Canton, and the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road. He was induced by two persons to
buy third interest in 300 acres of land
near the city; but he was deceived by them
and was obliged TO pay Tor the whole. In
stead of lamenting his misfortune he went
out prospecting, found bed of iron ore, and
Epullt furnaces and roling-mill From
these works sprang the great industries of
Canton. 1t was at these works that the
United States ironclad Monitor was plated.
Mr. Cooper also did great service in con-
lnecton with the Baltimore & Ohio railroad
which had its beginning in 1926. A few
miles were completed with wooden rails
faced with strap iron, and rude open cars
were drawn by horses. TWAS suggested that
isaeam cars should be introduced, but every
ortV1y thought it would be impossible to go
,are find curves without going off the
cody To meet this demand Cooper
Jnif about constructing a locomotive
owss first made on this continent, and,
15Q fe as it was, it was a success. 1t was about
@size of hand-car, with its tubular boiler