John W. Cooper, M. D.   JOHN W. COOPER, M. D., an eminent physician and surgeon of Grandville, Wyoming township, Kent county,. Mich., has been in active practice in this village the past twenty-six years, and has been so successful that he is well entitled to the prominence in his profession which he now enjoys. Dr. Cooper was born in Whitestown, Oneida county, N. Y., September 19, 1842, and is a son of William and Zada (Bailey) Cooper, the former of Holland, or Dutch descent, as some of the best New York families are known to have been, and the latter of English extraction. Of the five sons born to these parents, four still survive, one being a clergyman, one a railroad man and one a farmer, and one a physician, the latter being the subject of this sketch, but who was, however; the third born child of the family. The doctor was reared on his father's farm until about sixteen years of age, but did not have a very hard time of it, as his time was utilized more for the execution of chores and other light farm work, and yet he became quite familiar with agriculture as a whole. Until the age of sixteen he had at frequent intervals an opportunity of attending the common schools, and then for four years received instruction at Whitestown seminary. He was a studious and methodical young man, and for five winters taught in the schools of the vicinity. He began the study of medicine under Drs. Whiting and Charles E. Smith, in the village of Whitestown, with whom he studied three years, including his attendance at lectures. He graduated from the medical college at Albany, N. Y., in the class of 1865. In May, 1866, he began the active practice of his profession at North Bay, Oneida county, N. Y., where he remained two years. Thence he came to Michigan, practiced in Girard, Branch county, and Jamestown Center, remaining in the latter place from March, 1870, until May 5, 1873, when he came to Grandville, where he has practiced ever since, and now stands at the head of the medical profession in his vicinity. Dr. Cooper was united in marriage at Rochester, N. Y., April 16, 1868, with Miss Lucy E. Whitehead, daughter of Benjamin and Deborah (Robinson) Whitehead. This marriage has been blessed with six children, of whom Albert B. is in the employ of the well known wholesale book and stationery firm of A. C. McClurg & Co., of Chicago, Ill.; Addie 0. is the wife of Daniel H. Pitts, of the same city; William B. is a prosperous farmer of Georgetown, Ottawa county, Mich.; Charles H. is bookkeeper for the Consumers' Ice Co. of Grand Rapids; and Ethel E. and Nellie I. are still at school. Fraternally the doctor is a member of Crescent lodge, No. 322, F. &. A. M.; Grand Rapids chapter, No. 7, and the Tyre council, No. I0. He is also a Knight of the Maccabees, and likewise a member of the Grand River Medical society, of which he has served as president and secretary, and before which he has read many valuable papers on professional subjects. He is chairman of the republican township committee, and attends all his party's conventions, in which he is ever a potent factor.

Transcriber: ES
Created: 29 May 2009