Conversation so far:
Where was James Fenimore Cooper born?
James Fenimore Cooper was born in Burlington, New Jersey.
What year and to whom was he born?
1789 to William Cooper and Elizabeth (Fenimore) Cooper.
How many children did they have?
eleventh of 12 children, most of whom died during infancy or childhood.
Who was he related to?
He was descended from James Cooper of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, who immigrated to the American colonies in 1679.
What happened to him as a boy?
Shortly after James' first birthday, his family moved to Cooperstown, New York, a community founded by his father on a large piece of land which he had bought for development.
What was the family elected for?
Later, his father was elected to the United States Congress as a representative from Otsego County.
What was special about the towns location?
representative from Otsego County.
Their town was in a central area of New York that had previously been occupied by the Iroquois.
Who did they side with?
who had allied themselves with the British during the Revolutionary War and were forced to cede the territory after British defeat.

Question: What did the state do?
Self-contained rewrite: What did the state of New York do?