David Frazee was the son of James and Lucinda Allen Cooper. At the age of 12 years he moved with his parents to Indiana where they located 2 miles west of Hillsboro. He lived there until the outbreak of the Civil War when he and four brothers, John, Marion, Carey and Henry enlisted in the Union army, in August 1861. David served for three years and six months, or until the end of the war as a member of Co. H, 2nd New York Calvary, known as the "Harris Light Cavalry." He entered as a private and was a corporal upon release. Shortly after his marriage to ,Mary Ellis in 1869, he and his bride established a home on a farm in Lawrence County, Illinois where they spent about 40 years, or until their children were all married. D.F. Cooper was a charter member of the Free Methodist church at New Hope and played a prominent part in its establishment. In 1908, "Uncle Dave" and "Aunt Mary," as they were affectionately called, moved to the scene of their earlier life in Indiana near Waynetown where they spent their declining years. The tragic death of his wife in 1923 was a blow, the effects from which he never recovered. He could never speak of it afterward without deep emotion. He departed this life November 2, 1928 aged 97 years, 5 months and 6 days at Hillsboro, Indiana.
Editor’s Note: David Frazee Cooper’s wife wrote a letter to the Press in 1919.
Annotation:
Egypt was a name sometimes given to southern Illinois.
I will pen a few thoughts concerning my past history, not to have my voice heard on the streets: but that I might encourage some tempest-tossed traveler on life's tempestuous sea to the celestial city.
I was born in Delaware County, Ohio, May 27, 1841. Moved to Fountain County, Indiana in 1854. Joined the Army August 3, 1861, served in the Army of the Potomac, second New York Calvary, Company H. At the end of 37 months, I got an honorable discharge and returned home. Took up the occupation of a farmer which I followed for four years in Fountain and Warren counties. At the end of that time, I had three plugs of horses and about $700.
On hearing of the wonderful crops of corn that were raised down in Egypt, I determined to marry me a wife and go down to take possession of some of it’s fertile soil, so on the 25th day of February 1869, I married a young woman one year my junior by the name of Mary R. Ellis and about the 26th of April, 1869, we loaded up our little effects and started for our new home, which I had already purchased on Lukin Prairie, Lukin township, Lawrence County, Illinois, seven miles southeast of Sumner. The place consisted of 40 acres. Six years later I purchased 80 acres out on the public highway leading south east from Sumner to Mt. Carmel where I lived 40 years.
At the end of that time I sold part of my possessions and bought 30 acres 3 1/2 miles south of Waynetown and eight miles west of Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana, where we lived six years.
I have made two flying trips down to the old homestead, partly on business. This fall we concluded we would both go back, wife and I, and have a good visit. We made our arrangements and started the 27th of October and landed at Jno. Bell’s in St. Francisville that night at eight o'clock. The next day I met my old friend and neighbor, W. H. Hazelton in town, who autoed us out to my son-in-law's, J. A. Price’s. Saturday we drove to Bridgeport, to visit our son and wife, A.P. and Jas. F. Cooper and families.
Being Halloween Eve, you may know that pandemonium had full sway in town, and while I was just across the alley, helping Harley Schrader with a sick horse, some of the kids cabbaged my buggy and ran it down in the business part of town, and I suppose fired it around about half the night, and then drew it up as near Clay Seed’s north kitchen door as possible, where Jim Cooper found it Sunday morning about eight o'clock. I will say that we were very thankful that we got off as well as we did. We had to hustle up a little, to make up for lost time, and by making a forced drive, we arrived at Olive Branch just as the young minister began his sermon, and I will say there was more heart spirit in the sermon that I have listened to in six years here in Wayne Township. Another commendable feature was that they haven't got the spiritual lumbago so bad but what they can kneel down before the Almighty. Romans 14:11 Philippians 2:9-11. We were invited around the altar and after prayer and a word of exhortation, we sang a hymn, and a shake of hands and were dismissed.
We were entertained at dinner by C. E. Corrie and wife. The Lord bless them in their afflictions. We then drove to J. A. Price’s and at night hitched to the spring wagon and drove to the Bethlehem Church to a prayer and social meeting, which was well attended, and it seemed that all enjoyed it. I'm sure I enjoyed the meeting wonderfully. It was led by G. W. Prout. I noticed they are not removing the old landmarks H.Yelch, Jas. Hull, Isaac Wright, Clay Smith, Wm Brian, E Hill, and I cannot tell how many more.
which our fathers have set, but are willing to bow the knee to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Proverbs 7:19.
On Friday we drove to Sumner where I had not been for six years, and met several of my old friends among whom was the editor and ex-editor of the Press. Barnes brothers, Jno. Westall, J. A. Barekman, Foss Baird, Jones brothers, Dr. Dale, B. F. Lent, H.Yelch, Jas. Hull, Isaac Wright, Clay Smith, Wm Brian, E Hill, and I cannot tell how many more.
On Monday we went to a funeral at the O'Donnell Cemetery and Tuesday a funeral at Bethel in the morning and from there to St. Francisville, where we attended prayer meeting at the F. M. Church, so you may know that we met a goodly number of our Egyptian friends, and I will add that it was a heart visit from start to finish. We started home Wednesday morning via Vincennes, Terre Haute and Crawfordsville, and landed home at six o'clock in the evening in time to attend the last service of a protracted meeting within a half a quarter from our door.
We have four children, the oldest Cora L Price of Lawrence; second Sherman E Cooper, of Kobe, Japan, has been absent nine years as missionary, will be home this summer if the Lord wills; third Charles M. Bell, Wanatchee, Washington; the fourth Albert Ivan Cooper, of Lawrence County.
My oldest grandson, David E. Bell came in from Washington on Thanksgiving day to spend the winter.
I was never much of a politician but I did consent to let the Lukinites use my name once in order to elect another man, but they counted out the votes, I was 27 votes ahead of the whole bunch, so the last four years of my stay in Illinois I was Justice of the Peace, and I kept it all right, I guess.
Well Mr. Editor, I have just given you a small sketch of the facts asked for or a part of them and as this is my first venture as a correspondent, I think I have done fairly well. If all the absentees write as much as I have I think it will be up to you instead of us. If I live to the 27th day of May, I will be 74 years old, and in fair health.
D. F. Cooper
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St. Petersburg, Florida
January 15, 1915
Editor Press:
We note the marked column in the last two issues of your esteemed paper, with the request that out of town former citizens of Sumner and patrons of the Press write a short letter for the coming special issue for February 4, so here we are.
We came to St. Petersburg, Florida, first in February, 1906, to visit Mrs. Cooper's parents, Dr. and Mrs. H. A. Murphy, former well-known and highly respected citizens of your city, he having been the leading physician of that city for a great many years, who had moved here about two years before and the difference in the climate between this city and that of Sumner, our home at that time, was so great we were captivated by it. The weather that month and March here was much like the first part of June in Illinois, which is so much different from February there, that one can readily see why we were so taken with Florida on our first visit, and not only the climate but many things we have here, that we could not have in our native state.
