The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-04-30

so many years; one daughter, Mrs.
Eugene F. (Mariam) Bunker, and by
two grand-daughters, all of whom, to-
gether with Mr. Bunker, have been
making their home with Mrs. Bunk
er's parents.
Three brothers also survive, George
Cooper, of Spokane Wash, David
Cooper, of Syracuse, N. Y, and Ran
som Cooper, of Great Falls, the latter
having wired his intention of at
tending the obsequies.
Arrangements for the funeral were
in charge of Undertaken H. F. West.
The following authentic and inter
esting biographical sketch of the be-
lover Gallatin county pioneer was
prepared, in the interest of historical
accuracy, by Mrs E. L. Houston, sec
rotary of the Pioneers Society of CAT
latin county:
Born in New York
Walter Cooper was born in Sterling,
Cuyuga county, New York, on July 4.
1843. He is descended from rugged
old English stock, his emigrant ances-
tors having come to America in the
days of the colonies. Their descendants
were later found in New York state,
where the subjects grandfather,
George Cooper, was born in Washing
ton county. He spent his entire life
in that state, following the vocation
of a farmer, and he died in Cuyuga
county, that state. He was a soldier
Of the War of 1912, holding a COM
) mission as captain. He was compel
led to surrender at Fort Oswego to
Commodore Yeo, whose fleet was
afterwards destroyed by Commodore
Perry. Among the children of George
Cooper was the subjects father,
Andrew H. Cooper, who was born in
Washington county, New York, in
i 1872. He remained in his native
Y state until 1849, having followed the
I occupations OF farming and stock
! raising. In the year last mentioned
Mr.. Cooper went to the state OF
, Michigan, locating in Shiawasse coun-
I ty, where his death occurred in 1857
He was a Presbyterian in his relig;-
Gus belief.
Walter Cooper remained at home
r and attended school until he was Is
years of age, when be began work OF
{ his own account, applying himself Il
anything he could find to do. Mrs
d Cooper, the mother, had in the mean
time returned to New York, taking
her second and three younger sons.
Starts West in 1858
y The fall of 1858 Walter Coopei
q started west, reaching Leavenworth
h Kansas, in the month Of November
where he passed the winter doing sue
:; work as he could find to do, until il
February, 1859, when he crossed tn
plains to Pixies Peak. In the sprinI
u of 1860, he joined a prospecting ex
r. petition to the San Juan mountains
,e The party left Denver, Colorado, earl
in May, and visited old Mexico, re
turning to Colorado in the winter o
= 1861. He spent the summer and IA
of 1862 near Colorado Springs, act
lie ing at times as scout for the FRS
TO Colorado regiment. In September
m 1868, he started for Montana (the
- Idaho), arriving at Virginia City i
October, 1853, and engaging in mir
ing in Alder Gulch. In May, he be
lie came interested in a freight trail
c. with which he started for Fort Der
n ton to meet the steamboats,, expectin
to return to Virginia City wit
freight. During 1864 the water wa
so low in the Missouri river that Iii
III tie freight reached Fort Benton, an
he was forced to return with his W;
CONS empty, being confronted wit
- the difficulty of a money shortage
pay his teamsters for their summer
-, work.
rs On arrival at Virginia City, he d.
NJ cided to return to the mines by
in new route never before used. +
oh therefore fOrded the Missouri river
ed Fort Benton and returned to Virgin
,o9 by this new route rich in unpastur'
no feed for his stock. By travelling |
short drives in the early morning,
was able to reach the mines with f
&c cattle, which were sold to pay t
:; drivers. The new route struck t
:; Missouri river at what was lat
known as Confederate Gulch. Tn
nd crossed the creek at Townsend, pass
over the high elevation to the Gall
tin valley at Three Forks, the Gallat
mad river then being dry. They pass
hoe up the Madison and crossed tn
k-ocu 49, --- - \ NIL