WPA Interviews

Anderson, Josephine (Cooper)

Interview with Mrs. Josephine Cooper Anderson, at her farm home 3 miles west of Peterson's Butte.

Mrs. Anderson gave the following pioneer history of her family: "My father was Brazzil W. Cooper. He was an Oregon pioneer of the year 1847. He was a native of Indiana, born in 1830. He came across the plains with his parents when a young lad. He mined in California in 1855, and was a Linn County Commissioner for several years.

My mother was Sarah Humphreys Cooper. She was born in Hyland County, Ohio, 8 December 1834. She crossed the plains with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Humphreys in the year 1853. Her parents locate in Linn County, and in Linn County she lived for 70 years.

The children of my parents were as follows:

Thomas B. Cooper. Born on the old Cooper claim near Tangent. (This is the same farm as that on which the interview took place) Born 21 Jan 1858.

Married Lucy C. Trautman. Died 28 Oct 1938.

Frank Cooper. Born 21 March 1856. Died 11 August 1934. Married Emma Swank, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Swank who were pioneers of a very early date in this region.

Josephine Cooper Anderson, the informant, born 9 Feb 1860. Still living on the Cooper D.L.C. east of Tangent.

My grandfather was made captain of his wagon train in coming to Oregon in 1847. His name was Samuel Cooper. He took up a donation land claim near Lebanon. Later he moved out near the present Tallman station. Our family were well acquainted with the James Balch family, of whom Fredrick Homer Balch was then a young child. Fred Balch was the author of "The Bridge of the Gods". Frederick Balch's mother was a Miss Harriett Snyder who came to Oregon with the family of a Dr. Crawford of Brownsville. (Not to be confused with Dr. Crawford of the Tallman neighborhood.) Harriett Snyder was an orphan who earned her way to Oregon by driving cattle for Dr.

Crawford. With her was another orphan girl named Stevens. Miss Stevens married Z. F. Moody of Brownsville who later became Governor of Oregon. Our present assistant state prosecutor is a son. Harriett Snyder first married Joseph Benson Helm of Lebanon. Helm also died and she was married a third time to James Balch who was a schoolteacher in the Oak Creek or Tallman district. Harriett Snyder was a cousin of Bishop Milton Wright, father of Orville and Wilbur Wright, inventors of the workable living machine. The Wrights lived near Stayton at that time-that is, while Harriet Snyder was young. Harriet Snyder taught school at the Sand Ridge schoolhouse, on the west side of Peterson's Butte, when she was a girl.

I have mentioned that my father mined in Cal. He first took cattle to Cal. To sell in the early days and then stayed to work in the mines.

Among the early settlers in this region was the Eugenus Frum family. In coming to Oregon one of the Frum children had the misfortune to fall beneath the wagon wheels. As a result his breast bone was badly depressed and his heart was forced into the right side of his chest where it remained through out his life. I think that he was the oldest of the Frum children. His name was Elijah Frum. (Elijah Barnet Frum) "I forgot to mention one other member of the Cooper family. She was Alice Cooper who was born 28 Aug 1868 and died 4 Jan 1888.

Copyright © 2000 Patricia Dunn. All rights reserved. This transcription may not be reproduced in any media without the express written permission by the author. Permission has been given by the Transcriber to publish on the LGS web site.