Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/766

724 that of clerk of the Kentucky court of appeals, to which he was elected by a large majority as the Union candidate in 1860. In opposition to "the state guard, organized by Simon B. Buckner, which was only a school of recruits for the Confederate army, he organized and armed, in conjunction with Gen. Lovell H. Rousseau, a body of loyal soldiers, who subsequently I'endered eifective service in the na- tional cause. Gen. Coombs was one of the pioneers of railroad-building in the west.

COOPER, Elias Samuel, surgeon, b. in Butler county, Ohio, in 1821 ; d. in San Francisco, Cal., 18 Oct., 1862. He received a thorough medical education in Cincinnati and St. Louis, and began practice in Peoria, 111. / In 1855 he removed to San Francisco, where his eminent abilities and re- markable skill as an operating surgeon soon placed him at the head of his profession, and gained for him a high reputation among his professional brethren in the eastern states and in Europe. Dr. Cooper took an active part in the organization of the medical department of the University of the Pacific, the first medical school on the Pacific coast, and at the time of his death was professor of surgery and president of the medical faculty. He established the " San Francisco Medical Press," and was a contributor to eastern medical journals.

COOPER, Ellwood, horticulturist, b. in Sads- bury, Lancaster eo.. Pa., 24 May, 1829. He was edu- cated in Harmony, after which he engaged in busi- ness in Port au Prince, W. I., and later in NewYork. About 1870 he removed to southern California and settled in Santa Bai'bara, where he has devoted his attention principally to the cultivation of fruits. On his farm are produced olives, grapes, English walnuts, and European almonds, in crops far ex- ceeding those of the older countries ; also oranges, lemons, Japanese persimmons, and other similar fruits. Mr, Cooper was the first in the United States to manufacture olive-oil and put it on the market. In connection with this industry he has invented various forms of machinery for use in the oil-works, and also a nuxchine for hulling English walnuts, grading them as to size and washing tliem, thus not only eft'eeting a great saving of labor, but making them more satisfactory for sale than can be done by hand. He has been president of the board of directors of Santa Barbara college, for three years was principal of the college, and is now (1886) president of the California state board of horticulture. He has published " Statistics of Trade with Hayti " (New York, 1868); "Forest Culture and Eucalyptus Trees" (San Francisco, 1876) ; and " A Treatise on Olive Culture " (1882).

COOPER, Ezekiel, clergyman, b. in Caroline county, Md., 22 Feb., 1763 ; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 21 Feb., 18-47. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, and at the age of fourteen was so impressed by a sermon delivered by the Rev. Freeborn Gar- rettson, that he at once determined to unite with the church. In 1784 he was placed upon circuit under Bishop Francis Asbury, and in 1787 ad- mitted to membership in the conference. His first appointment in 1785 was to Long Island, and he had that entire territory for his circuit. A year later he was assigned to East New Jersey, and in 1787 to Trenton. In 1788 he was appointed to Baltimore, then to Annapolis, and afterward to Alexandria. During 1792-8 he was presiding elder of the Bos- ton district, after which he was successively in New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Wilmington, In 1798 he became chairman of the Book Concern, and from 1799 till 1802 was stationed in Philadel- phia as editor and general agent of that establish- ment. In this cajjacity he displayed rare ability, and during his administration imparted to it such impulse and organization that it has become one of the largest religious publishing establishments in the United States. Its capital stock, which was almost nothing when he first became connected with it, rose to nearly $50,000 during his period of office. He continued with the depository after its removal to New York, where, in 1804. he was stationed as preacher, after which he resumed his itinerant labors. In 1820 he was appointed to St, George's church in Philadelphia, but was soon afterward placed on the supernumerary list. He was distin- guished for pulpit eloquence, logical ability, and varied knowledge. At the time of his death he was older in the ministry than any in the itiner- ancy of the Methodist church, either in Europe or America. He published sermons on the death of Bishop Francis Asbury (Philadelphia, 1819) and of the Rev. John Dickinson.

COOPER, George Henry, naval officer, b. in Fort Diamond, New York harbor, 27 July. 1821 ; d. in Brooklyn, N. Y., 17 Nov., 1891. He ejitered the U. S. navy in Aug., 1887, and during that year was attached to the fleet on the coast of Florida, which was co-operating with the army m boat expeditions against the Seminole Indians. From 1888 till 1842 he was attached to the frigate " Constitution " on the Pacific, after which he spent some time in the naval school, then in Philadelphia. He was pro- moted to passed midshipman in June, 1843, and served on the " Flirt " during the Mexican war. This vessel reported to Gen. Taylor in March, 1846, and Mr. Cooper commanded a detachment of men at Point Isabel, Texas, in May, After the capture of Monterey he was transferred to Com, Connor's squadron, and was present at the attacks on To- basco, Alvarado, and Tuspan. From 1847 till 1851 he served at Norfolk, and then for five years was attached to the " Susquehanna " in the East India squadron. He received his commission as lieu- tenant, 8 May, 1851, and on his return from the East Indies again spent two years at Norfolk, after which lie served on the frigate " Roanoke " in the home squadron, and later at the navy-yard in Portsmouth. In July, 1862, he was made com- mander and given the supply-vessel " Massachu- setts," of the Atlantic squadron, and in 1863 was in command of the " Mercedita," of the South At- lantic blockading squadron. For seven weeks he commanded the monitor " Sangamon " inside of the Charleston roads, employed on picket-duty, and acted in concert with the army, constantly shelling Fort Sumter and the batteries on Sulli- van's island. Later he was stationed in Stono inlet, S. C, as senior officer, co-operating with the army in expeditions against the enemy, and frequently engaged at short range. From 1863 till 1867 he commanded successively the " Sonoma," the " Glau- cus," and the " Winooski," and, after receiving his commission as captain in December, 1867, was sta- tioned at the Norfolk navy-yard. He then spent some time at sea in command of the frigate " Colo- rado," and in 1872-'3 was commandant of the Nor- folk navy-yard. In June, 1874, he was promoted to commodore, after which he had charge of the Pensacola navy-yard. From 1878 till 1880 he was president of the board of inspection, and com- mandant of the Brooklyn navy-yard until 1882. In November, 1881, he was commissioned reai'- admiral and given command of the North Atlantic station, with headquarters in New York. In 1884 he was placed on the retired list.

COOPER, Henry, senator, b. in Columbia, Tenn., 22 Aug., 1827. He was graduated at West Tennessee university, Jackson, in 1847, and stud-