Cooter, David

COOTER, STROUSS, MCELHANEY, HOUSTON, VAN HOOK

Posted By: Dennis Krebs (email)
Date: 12/5/2011 at 15:15:37

"Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Ill.," Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, Pages 531-532:

"David Cooter, a resident of this county since a young man nineteen years of age, has given the greater part of his life to farming pursuits, and is now pleasantly located on section 13, in Brown Township, where he is proprietor of 193 acres of land , all of which, with the exception of forty acres, is under a good state of cultivation. The balance comprises a valuable timber tract. The residence of the family is a commodious and substantial farm dwelling, and the adjacent outhouses are erected in a manner corresponding to the progressive and thorough-goin character of the proprietor. A view of the place is to be seen on another page.

The parents of our subject, John and Mary (Houston) Cooter, were of Southern birth and parentage, the former a native of Virgina and the latter of Kentucky. After marriage they located in Monroe County, Ind., where they resided until the fall of 1873, and thence removed to Cumberland County, this State, where they are now living. Their family consisted of five sons and two daughters, of whom our subject was the second child. His birth took place in Monroe County, Ind., Oct. 17, 1839. His youth and boyhood were passed after the manner of most farmer's sons until nineteen years of age, when started out in life for himself. Coming into this count in 1858, he located in Brown Township, where he at once set about the establishment of a permanent home.

When the time came that he could see his way plainly to the realization of his designs, Mr. Cooter took unto himself a wife and helpmeet in the person of Miss Rebecca E. Strouss, to whom he was married Dec. 5, 1861. Mrs. Cooter is the daughter of John and Rebecca (McElhaney) Strouss, natives respectively of Beaver and Susquehanna Counties, Pa. After marriage the located first in Beaver County, whence, in 1856, the removed to Wisconsin, and from there to Brown Township, this county, in 1858. In February, 1878, they crossed the Mississippi and went to Labette County, Kan., where they now reside. The eight children of their household included five sons and three daughters, of whom the wife of our subject was the sixth in order of birth.

Mrs. C. was born in Beaver County, Pa., July 20, 1842. Six of the twelve children born to her marriage with Mr. Cooter have passed to the silent land, namely, Lucinda, John M., Charles W., Ellen I. and a babe unnamed, all of whom died in infancy. David M. was injured from a fall when eight years old, which, although not proving fatal at once, produced epilepsy, from which he was a great sufferer and lingered until nearly seventeen years old, when he died on the 22nd of July, 1885. Those surviving are Mary A., the wife of Martin D. Van Hook, and a resident of Brown Township; Harry E., Irene E., Alberta H., Henrietta and Lucy L., all at home with their parents. Mr. Cooter, politically, votes the Democratic ticket, and has held the office of School Director for many years in Brown Township."