Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-24
LONG AND ACTIVE LIFE OF d.
eUous MANUFACTURERS
COMES TO CLOSE.
RESENT OF CITY FOR
NEARLY ElGHTY.TWo YEARS
Learned Blacksmith Trade When
There Was No Thought Of Short
Hours and High Waaes-Reeeived
$50 Per Year For Services as Ap.
prentiee-Mads Wagons and PIows

Dubuque, Sept. 2S.-Death closed the
career Of a. y. Cooper, removing one
OF few remaining pioneers of the
city, and one of Dubuque's most prom
inent business men. maker of the long
time famous Coop wagon, age al
most 80 years.
Austin Augustine Cooper, pioneer
wagon manufacturer, was born Nov. 9,
1879, ON Chess Creek. Cambria Coun-
y, Penn. IN what Was then u wilder
ness in the Allegheny mountains.
Mr.. Cooper, when but nine years
old. lett Loretta, Penn, with his ia
Their and mother and came TO what was
then known as Wisconsin territory,
which was afterwards suodivlded and
became the state OF Iowa. 1t was in
deed long and tiresome journey. Il
was only the fearless pioneer OF great
energy and strength who would under
take such a trip. Down the old Port
age railroad, TO what was then the
village OF Johnston, Penn, thence by
canal 10 Pittsburgh, down the ONO, on
TO Pittsburgh, down the Ohio, on the
SusQuehanna steamboat to Louisville,
then to Cairo, then up the Mississippi
TO St. Louis and then to Davenport
Walked in Binding Snowstorm.
Mr.. Cooper's people settled at Long
Grove, la, and the character of the
man is well demonstrated in the youth
of that time in the year 1889, Austin
then being but 10 years old. He
walked in a binding snowstorm from
Long Grove to an island 10 miles be-
You'd Davenport, on roadless prairie,
with Very few habitations along the
way, and cut and piled 80 cords OF
wood and walked back to his home at
Long Grove, completing the task in
three weeks. He received for his
work $40, which he invested. as he
stated in his autobiography, in a
present for his mother and little trink-
cts for his brothers and sisters and
some food for the family. That was
characteristic Of A. A. Cooper.
One bleak, cold winter day boy II
years old arrived in what was then
known as the village or hamlet Of Du-
buque. This boy became member of
the Cathedral parish, this church then
being in charge Of Father Mazzuce!li
Dubuque at that time had only a few
log houses.
This boy, without any money and
without any friends, was destined to
become one Of the leading citizens Of
Iowa This boy1was a. A Cooper and
from the time he was II yeare Of age
until he had almost reached his goth
birthday, he spent the entire time in
the town Of his adoption
Learned Blacksmith Trade.
A man Of unusual ability and energy
and foresight, keen Of intellect, deep
thinker, thrifty and of boundless ener-
ergy, of the greatest capacity for work,
he knew no hours Of rest. He soon
took his position among the early pl-
oneer business men of the city. At 10
he became an apprentice blacksmith,
where he worked from a. N. until 10
?. m; where in the winter the snow
would fall around the forge where he
worked, and as q compensation he was
very grateful to receive s35 per year
for his services. Today, in the same
position, a man would work half the
hours that Mr.. Cooper worked and
would receive more money for week
work than Mr.. Cooper received for the
entire years service. However, his
brain was constantly active.
When he was 20 years Of age he was
in two separate lines Of bus!ness-ne
became a wagon manufacturer and
also a pIow manufacturer, and II II
had not been for circumstances beyond
his control, matter Of partnership,
he would have been better known IN
the pillow line than he was In the wag-
on end Of manufacturing.