BIOGRAPHY: Anson B. COOPER, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 293-4
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ANSON B. COOPER, superintendent of farms for the Cambria Iron company, and a 
resident of Coopersdale, is a son of James and Elizabeth A. (Boyd) Cooper, and 
was born on the old homestead, at Coopersdale, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, 
August 13, 1860. He was reared at his native place, and after receiving his 
elementary education in the public schools, pursued his academic studies in 
private schools, and entered Mount Union college, Ohio, from which well and 
favorably known institution he was graduated in the class of 1883. Immediately 
after his graduation he entered the service of the Cambria Iron company, and had 
received several promotions before his father's death, which occurred in 1887. 
He then succeeded his father as superintendent of farms, stables and teams, an 
important and responsible position under this company, whose lands are so 
extensive, and whose teams, used about their furnaces, mills and mines, far 
exceed in number those of any other company in western Pennsylvania. Under his 
immediate orders is a large force of hands, comprising laborers, farmers, 
stablemen, and teamsters. He is a practical man of business, as well as a man of 
education and general information. In his political views Mr. Cooper is a 
republican. He has served as a councilman, was justice of the peace for several 
years, and has been active in various ways for the material of advancement of 
his borough. He is a member of Coopersdale Methodist Episcopal church, which he 
has served as trustee for several 
     On September 20, 1883, Mr. Cooper married Nannie Stutzman, a daughter of 
George W. Stutzman, a retired merchant of Coopersdale. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have 
five children: James, Blaine, Sarah Elizabeth, Myrtle Stutzman, George Stutzman, 
and Anson Boyd.
     James Cooper, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a son of Joshua 
and Jane (Boyd) Cooper, and was born in Somerset county, February 27, 1821. His 
early life was passed in farming and teaching, and in 1847 he removed to Ben's 
Creek furnace, where he entered upon a remarkable career as a furnace manager. 
He ran Ben's Creek and Washington furnaces, and in 1851 became manager of 
Cambria furnace, which he ran successfully until it went out of blast in 1860. 
The Cambria Iron company, not willing to lose his services, then made him 
general farm manager, and placed all of their stables under his supervision, a 
position which he held until his death June 8, 1887. He was a man of excellent 
judgment, keep discernment and good taste, served one term as county 
commissioner, and was complimented by the republicans with a nomination for the 
legislature, but as a natural consequence was defeated at a time when the county 
was so strongly Democratic. He was a member and one of the pillars of strength 
of the Coopersdale Methodist Episcopal church. Coopersdale was laid out on his 
land and named in honor of him, and numerous positions of trust and 
responsibility were given him on account of his integrity and stainless 
character. He lived a life of honor and usefulness, and died regretted by the 
whole community. He married Elizabeth Boyd, who was a daughter of James Boyd, 
and their children were: Dr. Joshua M., Maggie J. (Mrs. D. A. Harris), Kizzie E. 
(Mrs. N. B. Griffith), Emma L. (Mrs. C. H. Loughrey), and Anson B., whose name 
heads this sketch.