Albert Ray Cooley

Notes:

A Terrible AffairOn Friday morning about six o'clock the log residence, a one story structure, situated three miles south of this city, and owned and occupied by Albert Cooley and family, was discovered on fire by neighbors in the near vicinity. When discovered the house was completely wrapped in flames.
The building was constructed of [illegible] popular, facing to the north. On the south side was an addition or shed-like, in which Mr. Cooley labored during the winter months, making axe-helves and doing odd jobs. The living room was about square, containing two beds, the cook stove, chairs, table, etc. A garret over-head of the main building answered the purpose of a store-room.
The evidence goes to show that Mr. and Mrs. Cooley were up most of the night previous attending a sick child, that Mrs. Cooley and the baby were in bed and that he renewed the fire in the stove, and probably took up the ashes which he placed in the corner of the shed, and when he had started the fire, retired again to bed.
The facts lead to the conclusion that about six o'clock he awoke to find the house on fire and calling his wife ran up into the garret and pitched a trunk out of the window and then returned to help his family out. The front door had been barred and banked up to keep out the cold, and the windows, three in number, were closed in tight, so that there was but one way out, and that through the rear shed. While Mr. Cooley was up stairs his wife doubtless opened the door to the shed and was met with a dense smoke and forks of flames which prostrated her and the baby she carried in her arms.
Mr. Cooley reached the bottom of the stairs and near a window where he was prostrated. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cooley were seen, the former leaning upon the window-sill and the latter apparently between the outer door and the stove, as the dense smoke and flame was lifted by the heavy south-wind from the burning building. The two elder boys were doubtless burned in the bed or near to it.

~North Iowa Times, Thursday, February 11, 1886

Albert married Nancy Wife of Albert Wallace Cooley. Nancy was born about 1885; died on 5 Feb 1886 in Clayton County, Iowa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Warren Cooley

Notes:

He was known exclusively as Warren Cooley, including official records
From the 1900 US Census, Nebraska, Madison County, Battle Creek Village, Stephen Warren and wife Maria are found in the Remus Wilcox household, husband of daughter Luella Cooley.
From Stephen's obituary the Remus Wilcox familly, including father-in-law Stephen Cooley, moved to Alexandria, Douglas County in the month of October 1905.

Alexandria Citizen
Alexandria, Douglas County, Minnesota
Thursday, December 20, 1906
p 1, col. 5.
S. W. Cooley, aged 75 years, 1 month and 13 days, died in this village at the home of his daughter, Mrs. W. R. Wilcox, Thursday evening, Dec. 13th, at eleven o'clock. The immediate cause of death was cancer of the mouth, from which malady he had been a sufferer for some time past. The funeral was held at the Methodist parsonage Sunday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock, the services being conducted by Rev. Davies, presiding elder of the M. E. church in this district. The remains were taken to Madison County, Nebraska for burial. Rev. Wilcox accompanied the remains, which went forward from here Sunday evening. Stephen Warren Cooley was born in the state of New York in 1831. When but three years of age he removed with his parents to Dubuque, Iowa, where they resided for a brief time, and then removed to Clayton county, Iowa, where deceased lived during the greater portion of his lifetime. About fifteen years ago Mr. Cooley went to live with his children in the state of Nebraska, and came to Alexandria when his daughter, Mrs. W. R. Wilcox, moved here with her husband one year ago last October. Mr. Cooley was married in 1851 to Mrs. Marie Freeman. Seven children were born to them, three of whom survive. They are Mrs. C. A. Wilcox and Mrs. W. R. Wilcox of this village, and Mrs. R. C. Miles of Madison county, Nebraska, to which place the remains were taken for burial. He is also survived by a brother, who resides upon a farm near West Union, Iowa. Mr. Cooley was a life-long member of the M.E. church. He was a man of firm and unswerving integrity, and one whose Christian faith and character was reflected in every step of his daily life. Although a resident of this county but a short time, those who made his acquaintance appreciated his true worth and all regret the departure of this fine Christian gentleman.

Emerick Cemetery, Madison County, Nebraska At one time at this site there was a post office, a store or two, a church, and a cemetery. All that is left is the cemetery. Emerick Cemetery still has an association and is well maintained. From Meadow Grove NE. 9 miles south west side of Road. 833 RD & 539 Ave. This cemetery was walked & recorded in Sept 2005 and is current as of Jan. 2007. Ralph K Larson - menrk@yahoo.com

Stephen married Maria Wentworth on 1 Mar 1854 in Clayton County, Iowa. Maria (daughter of John Wentworth and Ann Dennis) was born on 5 Dec 1823 in New York; died on 18 Dec 1900 in Norfolk, Madison Co, Nebraska; was buried about Dec 1900 in Emerick Cemetery, Madison Co, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Maria Wentworth can be found in the "The Wentworth Genealogy: English and American", Little Brown & Company, Boston, 1878. Her parents were John Wentworth (1795-1879) and Ann Dennis b. 1802.

ObituaryGrandma Cooley mother of Mrs R.C. Miles and Mrs Wilcox and Mrs Moody of Dakota City, died Tuesday morning at the Miles home in this city, of old age and general debility. She was 77 years of age. Funeral services Thursday morning at 9:30 at the house, the remains being taken to Emerick for burial. She leaves an aged husband and three daughters as her immediate family, besides son-in-law and grandchildren and one great grandchild. - Norfolk Weekly News-Journal, 21 Dec 1900, p2, Norfolk, Madison Co, Nebraska

Notes:

Married:
Warren was Maria's second marriage. Her first was to John Freeman who died 30 Jun 1850. Their marriage date was 8 Jun 1848 and they had one child Nettie Freeman b. 1849 in Pittsford, Monroe Co, NY.

Notes:

Andrew S Cooley, Samuel T Cooley, and probably Caleb C Cooley were signers of an 1833 petition to the U.S. Government to re-route the Detroit-Grand River plank road to a more northerly bearing of higher elevation (roughly, present highway 24). It never happened and the former plank road is now US Interstate 96. - Carter, Clarence Edwin, "The Territorial Papers of the United States: Vol. XII, The Territory of Michigan 1829-1837"
Died at the home of Fred Cook, Garnavillo, on Tuesday, October 28, 1890, Andrew S. Cooley, at the advanced age of [86] years, 3 months and 17 days. Thus another of the pioneers of Clayton county has been called from the scene of his labors, to mingle with the silent majority beyond the tomb. Their labors here are ended, but their memories will be cherished. The best monument that can be erected to them, is this beautiful county, inhabited by the happiest people on earth. With its organization, A.S. Cooley was intimately connected. He was one of the earliest inhabitants and for nearly 60 years, his home was on its soil. Few of us are destined to witness the changes of life that he has witnessed during his long career. This sacred soil which he helped to wrest from the savages has become the home of thousands. He has witnessed the gradual advancement from the rude slow pioneer life, with its manifold trials and dangers, to the rush and rant of our modern civilization, and with the realization of a well spent life, he finds eternal rest among the scenes of his labors. Andrew Sutherland Cooley was born in the Pittsford, Rutland county, Vermont July 11, 1804. When eight years old his parents removed to Niagara county, New York, where he was raised on a farm. March 10, 1825, he married Miss Salome Warren, of Cambria, N.Y., a descendant of Jos. Warren of Revolutionary fame. In 1830 they emigrated west, and located in Franklin, Oakland county, Mich., where they resided until 1834. But that spirit of the typical New Englander, which compels him to seek new scenes, drove him further west. He left his wife and five children in Michigan and sought a new home in Iowa. He landed at Dubuque where he found employment with Dr. McCraney, on a farm. In the spring of 1835 he returned to Michigan by team, intending to bring his family to Dubuque. In the meantime his wife and family, not hearing from him had returned to New York, as they supposed him to have been killed by Indians. He at once started on this tedious journey, found his family and brought them to Dubuque, where they arrived November 20th, 1835. After remaining in Dubuque two years they came in company with Dr. Andros to Clayton county. There was at that time not a town, church or school house in this county. They broke up some prairie and raised a small crop about one mile south of Garnavillo, what is now called the old Beckman farm. In the fall of 1837 they located on the banks of the Turkey river in Millville township. They remained here until 1839 when they again returned to the prairie near Garnavillo and in 1840 took up and improved some government land three miles south of the town. There they made their home until 1872, when the old homestead was sold and another farm purchased in Mendon township near McGregor, which was their home until 1883, since which time they have resided with their daughter, Mrs. Fred Cook.
Of the 17 children born to them 11 survive. His remains were buried at the old cemetery on Thursday. Rev. R. W. Wilcox of Clayton officiated.

(Research):David Coomer-AS Cooley land description comparison, Oakland County, Michigan

David Coomer 3 Dec 1830 W

Andrew married Salome Warren on 10 Mar 1825 in Lockport Township, Niagara Co, New York. Salome was born about Aug 1809 in Massachusetts; died on 2 Nov 1895 in Elkader, Clayton Co, Iowa; was buried about Nov 1895 in Old Garnavillo Cemetery, Clayton Co, Iowa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Finalized spelling of her given name is "Salome" (spelled Saloma in some places); obtained from gravestone in Old Garnavillo Cemetery observed by DBC 7/19/98.

Elkader Iowa
Friday Morning, Nov. 8, 1895
Mrs A. S. Cooley
At Elkader on Saturday, Nov. 2nd 1895, occurred the death of Salome Warren, wife of A. S. Cooley, deceased. She was born at Ashfield, Mass., July 26th, 1809. Shortly after her birth, her parents moved to Niagara county, N.Y. where she grew up and spent her girlhood days. She was married to A. S. Cooley March 19th, 1825, at Cambridge, N. Y. In 1830, with her husband emigrated west and located in Michigan, from there came to Dubuque in 1834, and in 1837 settled In Clayton county, where they have since lived. Her husband died in Garnavillo, Oct. 28, 1890, at the age of 86 years. Seventeen children were born to them, eleven of which are still alive and are residents of different states in the Union. Mrs. Cooley is the mother of the first white child born in Garnavillo twp., namely, Noah Cooley, now a resident of Leavenworth, Kansas. [Error: Storrs Andros was the first] For the last twelve years Mrs. Cooley has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Fred Cook. The funeral took place on Monday Nov. 4th, 1895. Her remains were taken to Garnavillo, and laid at rest beside her husband, Rev. Fisk, of Elkader, officiating.

(Research):Salome: A Hebrew name taken from Solomon ("peace"). Selima is another variant.

John married Ann Dennis on 1 Jan 1820 in Iowa. Ann was born on 19 Sep 1802 in Olive, Ulster Co, New York; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The Wentworth Genealogy says she was living in 1872.