Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-25
HER NAME CHANGED
Miss Millie Cooper Becomes Miss
Wood by Legal Adoption.
SIZE Is AN ACCOMPLISHED LADY.
John A. Wood. the River Operator, Cared
For Her From Childhood
DESERTED BY HER FATHER YEARS AGO

Many of the people of the West End will
be surprised to learn this morning that
Miss Millie Wood, the supposed daughter
of John A. Wood, the coal operator, is not
that gentleman's natural daughter. but an
adopted child. The young lady has been
reared by Mr.. Wood from infancy, and
even her most intimate associates have sup
posed that she was a member of the family
by blood relation.
Judge Stowe, of the Common Pleas Court,
yesterday entered decree declaring Millie
Cooper to be the legally adopted child of
John A. Wood and Lydia A. Wood. The
petition on which the decree was based
says that the young lady is the daughter of
English parents, that her father deserted
her mother and came to America and that
the wife followed with the child.
John A. Wood is the head of the big coal
firm of John A. Wood & Son. They are
very large river operators, perhaps the sec
ond or third at this port. The mines are
located up the Monongahela river. Mr..
Wood lives in a fine mansion on the summit
of a hill overlooking the West End, right
on the border of CHARTERS township. He is
a man of large wealth and refined tastes.
He is one Of the old-time Methodists of this
section, and has done much for the Church.
MRS. CoOPER's TRIALS.
Over Is years ago Mrs. Cooper came to
this city from England, seeking her hus-
band. She had three small children, all
Whether she found her husband or not
could not be learned, but it is stated that
they could not agree, and she could not live
with him. Mrs. Cooper for some time
did household work in various families
in the West End. She seemed to be in
every way an exemplary woman. and her
three girls were bright and pretty children.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wood at that time had
large family of their own. They have eight
children living now, the youngest being IA
years old. They::decided to take Mile, the
youngest girl, and raise her as a member of
their family. She was then 2% years old,
and she is now 18. Her next older sister
was adopted by John A. Woods oldest son,
Samuel L. Wood, who had then been mar
ried abour two years. The eldest sister is
living with an excellent family in New
York State.
ADOPTED IN FACT LONG AGO.
Miss Millie bore the Wood name, ,and was
bicobCN AZ SVOiy Uoy AANO bAO OShCA AAOluDCAo
of the family. She was given good edu-
cation, and grew to be beautiful young
lady. She developed a decided taste for
painting, and the Wood residence is full Of
oil paintings and other art work well exc
cuted by her.
Mr.. Wood did not care to say anything
about the present abode of either Mr.. or
Mrs. Cooper. The latter has brothers who
are in business in Baltimore. Neither
would he say why she had not been formally
adopted earlier. Her next sister has been.
legally adopted by Mr.. s. L. Wood, but
that formality has not yet been performed
for the eldest sister in New York.
While Mr.. Wood further declined to say
why the adoption had been perfected at this
time, it was learned that the Young lady has
legally taken the name of Wood so that she
may be in position to change it for still
another namein few weeks. Who the fortu-
nate young man is the people OF the West End
do not know, but there is every reason to be-
lieve that he is fully worthy to become the
son-in-law of John A. Wood and the hus-
band of as estimable young lady as Miss
Millie is said to be. The marriage will
probably occur in six weeks.