William James Cooper

Settler of township lots: Lot 10, Conc. 4, Stanhope

Location: Map point is the approximate location within this irregular waterfront lot on the west shore of Boshkung Lake running south from Boshkung Lake Road, including Mason Lane

Land acquisition: 1889 From Samuel Sims, Fanny's father, to Fanny, his mother. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 109).

Other land: Lot 31, Conc. 6, Stanhope - 1885 Eveline Cooper (his daughter & Alfred Walter Jones' his future wife) from George E. Bate. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 189).

Dates of residency:

  • 1870 Marriage: Maple Lake
  • 1871 Birth of Son Samuel George Cooper (1871–1922) Boskong
  • 1883 Stanhope Voters List: William Cooper, owner, Lot 9, Conc. 8 which should probably be Lot 10, Conc. 8
  • 1890 Stanhope Voters List: William Cooper, owner, Lots 8 & 9, Conc. 3, & Lot 9, Conc. 8
  • 1903 Stanhope Voters List: William Cooper, farmer, Lot 10, Conc. 4, Lots 8 & 9, Conc. 3, Lot 9, Conc. 8
  • 1911 Census of Canada, Stanhope: William & Fanny Cooper with daughter Alice E
  • 1923 Death of Wife Fanny Cooper at Lot 31, Conc. 5, Stanhope
  • 1926 Death: Maple Lake

Interesting facts: Property was known as Cooper's Point

By 1890 William Cooper was clerk of the municipality [of Stanhope]. Cooper, a veteran of the 17th Leicestershire Regiment of Foot, discharged after 11 years service, lived below the Mason farm. When stationed at Fort York, Toronto, the young sargeant met Miss Fannie Sims, a tailoress, at a regimental ball. Although the outfit sailed for Ireland and 

eventually India, Cooper couldn't forget the lively miss from Somersetshire, and as soon as he could manage it, sailed for Canada to claim his bride, by then living in Stanhope with her father, Sam Sims. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 312

Dan Buck was a noted wit. On the way to his mill at Buck Slide he once stopped at the home of Mr. William Cooper at Boshkung who, as was the custom, invited the visitor to step into the house to be introduced to his wife. The lady was mixing a batch of bread so apologized, "I can't shake hands with you sire - as you can see, I'm all dough." ""Oh that's all right,"quipped the gallant gentleman, a fast man with a pun, "I'm all Buck". Source: Ibid pg 63

Mr and Mrs William Cooper were pioneers on the south shore of Boshkung Lake in the last half of the 1800's. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their nine children in 1920. See photo below.

Robert James Deacon married Lily Louisa Cooper, and Samuel Rednor married her sister, Alma Jane Cooper on the same day at the William Cooper residence (Lot 10, Conc. 4, Stanhope).

Wm Cooper barn hit by lightning. Source: Watchman Warder (1899 , 28 Jun 1900

First landowner: 1873 Samuel Sims from The Crown

Succeeding landowner: 1935 Thomas E Archer

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

  • William Cooper, b. 29 Sep 1843, England d. 22 May 1926, Age 82 years). COD: Senility. Buried: Maple Lake Cemetery
  • Annie 'Fanny' Sims, b. 7 Apr 1843, England d. 29 Sep 1923, Stanhope, (Age 80 years) COD: Senility. Buried: Maple Lake Cemetery
    Parents:
    • Samuel Sims, b. Abt 1813, England d. 08 Apr 1892, Stanhope, (Age ~ 79 years)
    • Ann White, b. 1817, England 
  • Children:
    1. Samuel George Cooper, b. 26 Mar 1871, Stanhope, d. 22 Jun 1922, Stanhope, (Age 51 years)  
    2. Mary Ann Victoria Cooper, b. 24 May 1872, Stanhope, d. 1942, Stanhope, (Age 69 years)
    3. William James Cooper  b. 03 Dec 1873, Stanhope, d. 2 Oct 1934, Maple Lake, (Age 60 years)
    4. Eveline May Cooper, b. 9 Nov 1875, Stanhope, d. 25 Aug 1952  (Age 76 years)
    5. Alma Jane Cooper, b. 3 Nov 1877, Stanhope, d. 25 Mar 1948, Haliburton,  (Age 70 years)
    6. John Arthur Cooper, b. 9 Jul 1879, Stanhope, d. 1965, Stanhope, (Age 85 years)
    • 1903 Stanhope Voters List: John Cooper, farmer, Lot 10, Conc. 4
    7. Albert Ernest Cooper, b. 25 Jan 1882, Stanhope, d. 14 Nov 1939, Guilford, (Age 57 years)
    8. Alice Helena Agatha Cooper, b. 01 Apr 1884, Stanhope, d. 1957  (Age 72 years)
    9. Lily Louise Cooper, b. 16 Jul 1886, Stanhope, d. 15 Sep 1973, Lindsay, (Age 87 years)

Photo 1. Cooper 50th Haliburton Echo

Photo 2. William & Fanny Cooper Family 1870s - William & Fanny, George, Evelyn, Mary, Will, Alma, Baby Jack. South Shore of Boshkung Lake. On the back of the picture it says they were married 1872.


Photo 3: William Cooper. Source: Ancestry.ca JoyceEWilliams originally shared this on 17 Nov 2013

Photo 4: Fanny Simms & William Cooper. Source: Ancestry.ca JoyceEWilliams originally shared this on 17 Nov 2013

Photo 5: Fanny Simms Cooper. Source:  PeggySawyerPouw originally shared this on 28 Jun 2011

Photo 6: William Cooper Source: Ancestry.ca PeggySawyerPouw originally shared this on 28 Jun 2011

 

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