Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-08
Sixty-Fo,srs Years
Ago Eventf,d Day
IL, Cooper Family

SlXty.IO years ago SATURDAY was
an eventful day in the family Of Joseph
Cooper. one Of the real pioneers of
Timber Creek township. father Of J. n.
and J. NJ. Cooper. and the late J. F. NJ.
Cooper. Of this city. 1t was on April
s. 1S4S. that the Cooper family moved
into its cabin in Timber Creek Grove,
six miles south Of what Is now Mar
shalltown, and on what is now Center
street. This was the hrst log cabin to
be occupied by a white family in Tim
Der Creek township.
incidentally, on the sixty-fourth an
ntversary OF this day by the two sons
OF Joseph Cooper living here, ".s -e-
ceived from Dorchester, Neb, word
telling Of the death Of their stepmother,
at the age OF - years. 1t was to this
primitive homo in the wild country Of
Marshall county that Mr.. Cooper
brought the second Mrs. Cooper as q
bride, following q few years after the
death Of his first wife.
! J. y. Cooper, who was II years old
when the family moved into the new
home. remembers the old days well,
and recalls them Interestingly. The
! cabin was without floor. as IT took too
| long to hew the puncheons that later
went into the flooring. At that time
there were only Ave or six other cabins
| In the entire county.
The Coopers made the first wagon
trail across the vast prairie from a
point known as Hoosier Grove. just this
side Of Newton which received it's
, name from the fact that It was settled
by Indiana people, but is now known
as Hammers Grove. In making this
trail the Coopers struck another that
had been made across the Cooper claim
the year before. in 1s47 1t later de-
yeloped that this trail was made by
the Ashers and Billiards. who came
north from the direction Of Oskaloosa
and Montezuma and settled near where
Albion is now. When the Coopers
reached Timber Creek there were only
two cabins on the trail from Washing
ton Aeher's to Lattimer's Grove. Powe-
shiek county, . distance OF about forty
miles.
Mr.. Cooper also relates an Interesting
little incident which is his first recol
lection Of the old Indian chief John
NY Green.
OF course there were no fences IN
those days. and the few cattle owned
by the Coopers roamed at will thru the
prairie and timber. The Coopers had
penned up a small space with the use
Of rails as corral for the three or four
calves that the elder Cooper owned,
compelling them to stay tn this corral
during part OF the day. The pen was
also used for the cows at night, 80 that
the family could realize on part Of
the milk supply This necessitated
turning out the calves at night, and one
morning they could not be found. The
Cooper boys hunted the dense woods
from early IN the morning until OF
9 o'clock. and gave up the search. As
they returned home Johnny Green
came riding up to the Cooper cabin.
The senior Cooper asked him II he had
seen any stray calves. Me see 'eE1
calves" was Johns answer. "Me show
'em. me ind 'em."
Mr. Cooper directed his son Marion
to accompany the old Indian and bring
the calves in. Green started of on his
pony. Marion following on foot. The
old Indian evidently thought young
Marion would become tired in trying to
follow the pony so he stopped. took
young Marion on behind, and started
| off on a sallop. After travelling a half
| mile or SO the calves we're found.
Mr. Cooper says that among his early
boyhood recollections Of the new life
in Marshall county. were the bowling
Of the wolves at night. and the gobhling
Of the Wild turkeys by day. At first the
wolves frightened him, boy as he was.
| but it was not long before he learned
not to mind them. The Cooper boys
kept the table supplied with wild tur-
kew and II was no trick at all TO shoot
them Deer also often fell before the
aim Of the young huntemen.