Name: John COOPER
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Father: COOPER

Misc. Notes
John Cooper's Station [1]
John Cooper established one of the earliest stations in Bourbon County, building a cabin in 1775 and raising the first corn crop in the county on Cooper's Run (Ardery 1939:14). John was killed by Indians on July 7, 1776 and his brother James inherited his estate. James also was an early victim of Indian attack; however, he is mentioned in connection with a 1000-acre entry by Henry Thompson on the Middle Fork of the Licking (called Hinkston Fork in his survey) (Brooks-Smith 1976:212; Wilson 1923:293). His heirs also submitted a survey in 1787 for five connected tracts (one 400-acre and four 250-acre lots) on Hinkston Creek. No associated grant was located for these latter tracts. James Cooper's settlement and preemption survey specifies an improvement in the center. Judging from the meanders of Hinkston Creek shown on the plat, the land appears to be located in the northern part of the county, north of Ruddells Mills-Millersburg Road, and east of Ruddells Mills community. This location does not coincide with the reported location of John Cooper's Station (designated 15Bb79 and shown in Figure IV-9). No primary source documenting this location was found. An early 19th century house stands on the site. Cooper's Run, which flows nearby, was named for James Cooper who was reportedly living at this site when he was killed. The house is a two-story brick Federal style structure unassociated with the reported station occupation. Evidence of a station is very uncertain. A spring (now covered and silted in) is located to the east at the foot of the hill on which the house stands. The northeast section of the house yard exhibited darker vegetation and a barely perceptible topographic anomaly roughly rectangular in shape. This area may indicate a former structure although nothing specific could be determined from a surface inspection. The late Mrs. Edna Whitley, who researched Bourbon county history for many years, was unable to satisfactorily trace the title of this land to John Cooper (HABS inventory form for Cooper's Fort). It is likely that, since John died so early, he never was able to prove his claim. Perhaps his papers were lost which precluded James' heirs from claiming John's tract as well as James'. A Benjamin Cooper is listed as having claimed 400 acres by virtue of actual settlement in April 1779 on the South Fork of Cooper's Run about 2 or 3 miles above the forks of the run (Wilson 1923:153). However, a survey plat could not be located for this certificate.

Since the station could not be reliably documented in written records for this location, an eligibility determination could not be made for a pioneer age component. The potential for later remains associated with the standing structure appears excellent.


Spouses

Sources
1. Nancy O’Malley, Stockading Up, Kentucky Heritage Council, Frankfort Kentucky, revised edition, 1994, p. 55.

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Last Modified: December 30, 2000
Created: August 15, 2002

Notes on James Cooper:

Name: James COOPER
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Father: COOPER

Misc. Notes
James Cooper was a friend of Captain John Hinkson and was one of the original “Hinkson” party to explore Bourbon County. He was also the co-murderer of the Delaware Indian, Joseph Wipey (refer to “The Biography of COL John Hinkson” by myself).--REF
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Draper MSS3S52
Deposition of Samuel Murphy - John Hinkson & Cooper killed Wipey in Westmoreland - made a great stir with the whites & Hinkson had a small party of rangers (8 or 10, or something like that) Cooper amongst them & were brave & useful, more so than most others. Hinkson and Girty were cronies.

Arthur St. Clair notified the Pennsylvania Assembly about the murder on May 29, 1774. (PA Archives First Series Vol. IV, pg. 503, 504, 520, 524). I may have this, I'm not sure.

Letter of condolence to the Delaware Indian tribe. (American Archives, 4th Series, I, pg. 676). I don't have this but you can get from Library.

PA Colonial Records, Vol. X, pg. 199
"A PROCLAMATION

"WHEREAS, I have received information that some Time in May last, a certain friendly Indian man, called Joseph Wipey, was barbarously murdered in the County of Westmoreland; And Whereas, there is great Reason to believe that John Hinkson, and James Cooper, of the same County, were concerned in the perpetration of the said Murder; And Whereas, it is at all Times, but more especially in the present Situation of our Affairs with the Western Indian Nations, of the utmost Consequence to the Peace of the Province, that the Perpetrators of such atrocious Offenses, not only against the Authority of Government, but in direct Violation of the Treaties with those Indians, should be brought to condign and exemplary Punishment; I have, therefore, thought fit, with the advice of the Council, to issue this Proclamation, And do hereby strictly charge and Command all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, Constables, and other Officers, as well as all other His Majesty's liege Subjects within this Province, to make diligent Search and Enquiry after the said John Hinkson and James Cooper, and to use all lawful Means for apprehending and securing them, that they may be proceeded against according to Law. And I do hereby promise and engage, the Public Reward of one hundred Pounds shall be paid to any Person or Persons who shall apprehend the said John Hinkson and James Cooper, and deliver them into the Custody of the Keeper of the Gaol of either of the Counties of Lancaster, York, or Cumberland, or the Sum of fifty Pounds for either of them.

"Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the said Provinces, at Philadelphia, the twenty-eighth day of July, in the fourteenth Year of His Majesty's Reign and in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-four.
"JOHN PENN.
"By His Honour's Command.
"JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Junr., Secretary.
"GOD SAVE THE KING."
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Excerpt from my biography of John Hinkson:
John Hinkson and six other men, including John Haggin, returned to Pennsylvania sometime in the late fall of 1775. Hinkson and Haggin (with his family) returned the following spring along with several others, including Thomas Dunn, David Wilson, Thomas Moore, Benjamin Harrison, John Morgan, Belles Collier, Robert Keene, John Sellers, William Woods, Eneas McDaniel and William Kennedy.The men continued to improve the land throughout the spring and into the summer. However, within a few months events took a turn for the worse.

The Shawnee and Cherokee were very angry that whites had encroached upon their “happy hunting grounds” and struck back at the settlers. On July 7, 1776, John ’s long time friend, James Cooper, was killed. In a report filed by John Hinkson to William Harrison (brother of Benjamin) on August 30,1776, we read that “… one James Cooper, and another person, a Dutchman, being on their way to a buffalo lick, were fired upon by a couple of Indians, who shot down Cooper and frightened the Dutchman ’s horse so that he flung him; his foot hanging in the stirrup, one of the Indians walked up to him, to tomahawk him, but although in that disadvantages situation he found means to aim his gun so well (which he never gritted) as to shoot the savage dead on the spot and seeing the other Indian walking up to him, he disengaged himself from his horse, mounted Cooper’s, and got clear off to the inhabitants.”


Spouses
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Last Modified: August 15, 2002
Created: August 15, 2002