Wm. Cooper, a resident and manufacturer of Holden Station, was born March 2, 1848, a son of Wm. and Margaret (Moat) Cooper, both of whom were natives of Luzgin, Ireland. The father was born about 1810, and died in Belfast, about 1852. The mother was born at Carrick Fugus about 1819, and is still living. Our subject received his education at Belfast, and immigrated to America in 1853. He worked at the carpenter’s trade until the late war, when he entered the Confederate service, Company C, Twenty-fifth Tennessee Infantry. He was captured at Cumberland Gap, but paroled at Williamsburg, Ky., and rejoined his regiment at Mobile, Al. In 1863 he was captured at Rock Island, Tenn., but made his escape. Being unable to reach his old company he joined Carter’s cavalry, and remained with them until the close of the war. He returned home and resumed his trade; he spent 1870 in Delaware, and the following year was engaged in the saw-mill business in Texas. A year later he came back to Tennessee and again worked at his trade. In 1874 he built a saw mill in this county, and in the last few years has extended his business into Alabama, North Carolina and Arkansas. In 1884 in partnership with his brother, John S. Cooper, he erected the Tennessee Planing Mills. He is also engaged in the general merchandise business at Holden Station December, 1884. December, 1885, tbe firm changed to Holden & Cooper. February 4, 1865, he married Mary Jane Witt, who died in 1876, a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and mother of one child, Lyla. Mr. Cooper’s second marriage was with Amanda Webb, who has borne him one child, James W. Our subject is an enterprising, substantial and worthy citizen, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, also of the I.O.O.F. He is a Chapter Mason and a Democrat.

Source:   Goodspeed Pub. Co. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of the Counties of White, Warren, Coffee, DeKalb, and Cannon, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1887.