The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-06-08
Tar Heel Grit In Texas.
MR.. NJ. A. COOPER AND THE
COOPER GROCERY COMPANY.

COOPER GROCERY COMPANY.
A North Cai DINA 7an's Phenomenal
Success in the Lone Star State
What has Been Achieved by him in
Few fears-Head OF a Great
Wholesale Concern Doing a Bust
ness Last Year of $4,000. 900
Prom;nea: in Commercial, Financial
and Railroad Circles.
The following extract from Il Dur
| ham letter in the Nens ana Obserrer
of last Wednesday,, is OF peculiar
| interest in more aspects than one.
We quote:
A solid car load Of mokiny tobacco for
one concern looks big, don't it? Yet ii
| car load l. no NOR" for this firm to buy
at one inc than IL few thousand pounds
for Others not having as much enter
| prise The car was loaded with the celr-
| brated brand, "Dukr's Mixture, and the
| strean-rS and banners on the ear told
where it was going and to whom marked:
"The Cooper Grocery Company, Waco,
| Texas This was what was SeeI on the
| Seaboard Air Line IA few days ago:
enough smoking tobacco, it seemed to
me- to supply the whole of Texas for il
year or more, but from what | ascertain
ed afterwards, it will be disposed OF in
ninety days, in Il small section of that
great State by this big company, with its
eight iiustling tourists that are kept con
stantly on the go.
1t was interesting 10 me, and thinking
it would be of equal interest to the read
| ers OF the News and Observer to know
something about this large and prosper
| Gus firm | wrote to an old friend who is
now in the Lone Star State, and who is
personally acquainted with Mr.. NJ. A.
| Cooper, to tell me something about the
| Cooper Grocery Company, OF Waco.
| Texas, and this is what he said: The
leading spirits in this, one of the leading
| Texas wholesale companies, are Nj. A..
Cooper, PRESIDENT; f. {. Barrett, vice
president; fl. X. Brewer, secretary; c. w.
Smith, buy er, and l.. Rogers, treasurer"
The two former members are North Caro-
lnians and the three latter are native
| Texans.
Mr.. Cooper landed in Waco about tif-
teen years ago, hailing from Henderson,
Nc He was entirely without money
| upon his arrival, but he soon found en-
was dealing in produce, at which he made
a snug little capital, after several years
diligent application. Fortune smiled
upon him, as it has upon all men OF his
| stamp, who have made Texas their home
since the war: not SO lavishly upon al :,
| however, as upon him.
| In 1892 he succeeded in purchasing the
stock and good will of Moore Bros,
wholesale grocers, and up to year ago
he did thriving business under the firm
name OF NJ. A. Cooper & Co. He is not
one to wait for opportunities, Or, Mcaw-
Der like, wait for something to turn
| up, and about a year ago he organized,
under the laws OF Texas, the Cooper
Grocery Company, with Il paid up capt.
tai of $25O,OOO. The company trans
acted last year over $2,OOO,OOO of bust
ness, and, Judging from the manner in
which it is forging ahead now, it is likely
that the business of this year will far sur
pass that of last year.
The car in question passed through
Henderson and attracted considera BILE
notice. TO give some idea of the
immense quantity Of this one brand Of
tobacco sold it is worthy of mention
in this connection that the output of
"Duke's MIXTURE" is million pounds
a month. Where all this tobacco
| goes is question. but go it does,
and in car load lots frequently as
noted above.
Mr.. NJ A. Cooper is native of
Granville and at one time lived in
Henderson. He is brother to Messrs.
James G., David Y. and John ID.
Cooper, all prominent and successful |
business men of this place, and
among our foremost and most useful
| citizens.
The friends Of Mr.. Matt Cooper note
with pleasure and pride his success
in the Lone Star State. He is a man
of indomitable energy, full of pluck
and perseverance, ''hustler" in tn e
strictest sense. And what is more
he possesses the qualities of tact and
Judgment, keen foresight, business
sagacity and sterling integrity
those qualities which win confidence
and SUGGESTS illustrated by few
men of his age.
1t is not often that four brothers
attain to such position and promi-
hence in business outside the great
centers of trade and finance. And in
| the success that has attended them
| may it not be that there have been
other influences at work beside their
own individual efforts? We believe
it is no less true that the seed of the
righteous man shall not beg his bread
than it is that the sins of the father
are visited upon the children, The
parents of the Messrs. Cooper were
Cody people. In their deeds of
kindness and acts Of charity aiding
and sympathizing with the poor and
needy, and giving comfort and succor
to the widow and orphan-their
| children have been blessed.
The Waco Tines-Heraid, of May LIST,
notes the election of Mr. NJ A.
Cooper as a director of the St. Louis
Il Southwestern Railroad. known as
the Cotton Belt" line, and speaks of
him in the following complimentary
| manner:
In selecting Mr.. NJ. A. Cooper OF this
| city as the successor of the late VIM
| Cameron in the directory OF their road
| the ST. Louis and Southwestern railroad
has disclosed the fact that they are
familiar with the history and accom-
plishments of the progress in young
business men of Central Texas. In all OF
| tlllS section tneFe cOulu nave DeelI cnOSeT
no man more fitted to represent Waco
and its territory. AS a merchant and
| thorough business man Matt. Cooper is
| eminently a success. From his early
manhood up to date his career has been
a succession OF successes in the business
with which he has been connected. 4
fifth of a century ago Mr.. Cooper in
augurated small business in Waco and
| to-day he is at the head OF the larg-
est Wholesale grocery, with possibly one
exception, in the State of Texas. This
| business will OF course not be affected by
the acceptance OF the dictatorship. Mr..
| Cooper comes OF an old North Carolina
| family, numbering among theconnection
| many OF the most prosperous and
wealthy and wise men OF affairs in that