The following story was taken from the Ironton Register newspaper located in Ironton, Ohio, and was published on August 31, 1899. It details David Cooper’s recollections about growing up as an early pioneer from Waterloo in Lawrence County, Ohio. Our staff has edited the original story for more clarity and understanding from the old language to our modern times.
It is very pleasant to drop in with a person past middle age or what you would term old who has been a close observer of men and matters all these years. We were fortunate to meet with several such persons during the Waterloo camp meeting. Uncle David Cooper was in an especially reminiscent mood and could tell many interesting things about past times.
During one of our talks, he referred to a county centennial held recently at Union, the county seat of Monroe, W. Va. On that occasion, some reward was offered to all those who had seen or been acquainted with five generations. “Now,” said he, “I have been acquainted with seven; I will mention only the older of each family, but remember though I mention only the firstborn, they all had large families, or nearly all, except the last named who is still young.
First, there is my great grandfather Tincher – then my grand-father Simeon Cooper and Pegga, a daughter of grandpa Tincher, then father Francis Cooper and mother Betsy, who were the parents of eleven children, of whom I am the eldest, and we have had a family of fourteen children.
So here is four generations. Then John A. Cooper, my eldest, and his daughter, Mrs. Dowler, and their children making seven generation past and present, with whom I have associated. And still, during my last visit to the mountains of W. Va., I crossed Keeney’s Knob four times on foot.”
I wish I had time and space to record many other interesting reminiscences he gave me, though it loses much of their freshness and interest by being transferred to print. One thing especially he referred to was whip-sawing the lumber with which to build one of the first frame houses in Symmes township.
A ramble through the cypress woods is a pleasant experience at this time of the year. The buckeye, sassafras, and black locust begin to assume the dark russet hue. The poplar, sycamore, pawpaw, and butter-nut the yellow and orange; here and there, the scarlet of the black gum flashes out amid the forest’s dark green, while by the path side, the yellow autumn flower is just beginning to show its delicate purple. In contrast, the tall ironweed, like the plumed ___ of the forest, nods his purple plums in the breeze.
And just over there, the red-cheeked Rome Beauty hangs on the bough. Take it all in all. What a pretty pleasant world we live in! And what an abundance too! Why not cross the fence, sit in the shade of the aforesaid apple tree, think and daydream, pick the best and mellowest fruit, and eat it? Thank you I guess we will.
CYPRESS.
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