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Hardcase · January 11, 2011, 11:55 PM

During the midst of the Civil War, my great-great-great grandfather's brother, Henry Cooper, moved from Sailor Diggins to Idaho City. Eventually, his brothers (including my great-great grandfather) joined him there, where Frank and Henry operated a stage stop between Idaho City and Boise at Minnehaha Ranch. Henry is writing to his brother (my great-great-great grandfather) Chris Cooper, the one who is in the very first letter of this thread.

Minnehaha Ranch May 26th 68
Boise Co. Idaho Territory

Dear Brother Chris & Family

This is my first attempt to write a letter for several years as I have been living with Frank so long he gets all the letters and I trust to his answering them. That is the reason I have not wrote for so long. I read a j oint letter to me & Frank from you dated March 22nd, also two yesterday one for me the other for Frank date May 3rd. We are all well & join me in sending their love.

When I left California I left every thing with Frank & Bill except what would bring me up here. I have been broke ever since. I have been living with Frank the last four years trying to give him a start and get something to start with myself. I have had a good deal of sockness rheumetism in my hands and rists then broke my arm then the arysilus neuraligia. Get well of one then taken with the other. I am in very good health at present. We are making a good living & that is all, there is no chance to save anything. I don't know where to go or what to do to better my self. We are keeping a stage station on the road between

Page 2

Idaho City and Boise City 36 miles a part, doing the best business on the Road out of 6 houses & that is only a living. We have 2 horses 2 cows 4 hogs 2 geese 2 ducks 100 hens, that comprises our capital in stock. We have 6 or 7 acres of garden which I attend to mostly, between gardning choping wood hunting cows & horses building fence and the other nessasory employment about a place of this kind I am kept very busy. Frank has quite an interesting boy 3 years old last Nov. His name is Charles Finnegan Cooper. He is known by every body in the county. George Finegan is in Idaho City 12 miles from here tending sawmill engine, Andy Cadady was here about two weeks ago flat broke. He looks worse of the wear, you mentioned in your letter of March 22nd of making a propposition to by the farm. As for my self you are welcome to my intrest to do the best or what ever you please with it. Frank was speaking to me sometime ago about sending you a Deed to the place, I believe you will have to sind me a platt or set of instructions as to the locality amount of land situation and xoxo so that I can get an attorny to draw out the Deed in propper shape.

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This is the poorest part of gods creation for a poor man. The harder he works the more preservering & energetic he is. 9 chances out of 10 the worse his is at the end. Everything is over done. Chinaman is aboutto take this county. they live on the cheapest trade amongst themselves work for half what white men work for, consequently poor what men dont get mutch to do, besides we have from 4 to 5 months that men have to idle on account of cold weather & snow. I have taken up a timber claim here & have fenced it in. Have been watching it for three years. About the time I get tired & give it up then it will become valuable but I am not able to do anything with it. Its a good mill site. The nearest and best timber to Boise valley. All the timber neerer to Boise valley is pretty nearly used up.

Tell Frank Baldwin John Harness & all the rest of my old acquantances to write & let me know some thing about the suffering caused by the war for during the war letters from the Atlantic states were not alowed to rreach this coast that contained anything that didn't suit Abolitionism. Consequently I know nothing about what has transpired in that part

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I have written all that I can think of inerest and as Frank writes mostly he will give you all the particulars. George gets letters from home once in a while. I don't know of his getting any lately.

I haven't heard from Ed or George for over six month tho, so I will come to a close. Excuse the short and blundering writing. With my love to you all hoping these few lines may find you all enjoying good health. Give also my best wishes to Frank Baldwin John Harness and all the rest of my acquantances that are still there.

My love to all XOXO Yours XO

H.A. Cooper

Address HA Cooper in care of George
T. Finegan Idaho City Idaho Teritory

A word about the Minnehaha Ranch: An article in the Idaho World (still published in Idaho City and advertised as the oldest continuously published paper in Idaho) of June 22, 1867 says this:

"A full load of passengers made the heart of the driver glad, and he took care to give a touch of the inspiration to his team which sped along over the road in splendid style and with high speed. A delightful day was vouchsafed, and everything was favorable. At Cooper's Minnehaha Ranch we stopped to water the horses, and the moment's stay gave opportunity for a brief but pleasing survey of the pretty place Mr. Cooper has there built up in the lap of wilderness. An air of charming cleanliness and neatness everywhere pervades the house and grounds, and the sweet music of the bubbling, rippling waters of the Minnehaha as they leap and frisk over the pebbly, rocky bed, adds its cheery influence to the scene."

Also, just to give a bit of perspective to things, at this time, the population of Idaho City proper was about 7,000, making it the largest city in the Northwest - larger, even, than Portland.

January 11, 2011, 11:55 PM	#28
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,909	During the midst of the Civil War, my great-great-great grandfather's brother, Henry Cooper, moved from Sailor Diggins to Idaho City. Eventually, his brothers (including my great-great grandfather) joined him there, where Frank and Henry operated a stage stop between Idaho City and Boise at Minnehaha Ranch. Henry is writing to his brother (my great-great-great grandfather) Chris Cooper, the one who is in the very first letter of this thread. Minnehaha Ranch May 26th 68 Boise Co. Idaho Territory Dear Brother Chris & Family This is my first attempt to write a letter for several years as I have been living with Frank so long he gets all the letters and I trust to his answering them. That is the reason I have not wrote for so long. I read a j oint letter to me & Frank from you dated March 22nd, also two yesterday one for me the other for Frank date May 3rd. We are all well & join me in sending their love. When I left California I left every thing with Frank & Bill except what would bring me up here. I have been broke ever since. I have been living with Frank the last four years trying to give him a start and get something to start with myself. I have had a good deal of sockness rheumetism in my hands and rists then broke my arm then the arysilus neuraligia. Get well of one then taken with the other. I am in very good health at present. We are making a good living & that is all, there is no chance to save anything. I don't know where to go or what to do to better my self. We are keeping a stage station on the road between Page 2 Idaho City and Boise City 36 miles a part, doing the best business on the Road out of 6 houses & that is only a living. We have 2 horses 2 cows 4 hogs 2 geese 2 ducks 100 hens, that comprises our capital in stock. We have 6 or 7 acres of garden which I attend to mostly, between gardning choping wood hunting cows & horses building fence and the other nessasory employment about a place of this kind I am kept very busy. Frank has quite an interesting boy 3 years old last Nov. His name is Charles Finnegan Cooper. He is known by every body in the county. George Finegan is in Idaho City 12 miles from here tending sawmill engine, Andy Cadady was here about two weeks ago flat broke. He looks worse of the wear, you mentioned in your letter of March 22nd of making a propposition to by the farm. As for my self you are welcome to my intrest to do the best or what ever you please with it. Frank was speaking to me sometime ago about sending you a Deed to the place, I believe you will have to sind me a platt or set of instructions as to the locality amount of land situation and xoxo so that I can get an attorny to draw out the Deed in propper shape. Page 3 This is the poorest part of gods creation for a poor man. The harder he works the more preservering & energetic he is. 9 chances out of 10 the worse his is at the end. Everything is over done. Chinaman is aboutto take this county. they live on the cheapest trade amongst themselves work for half what white men work for, consequently poor what men dont get mutch to do, besides we have from 4 to 5 months that men have to idle on account of cold weather & snow. I have taken up a timber claim here & have fenced it in. Have been watching it for three years. About the time I get tired & give it up then it will become valuable but I am not able to do anything with it. Its a good mill site. The nearest and best timber to Boise valley. All the timber neerer to Boise valley is pretty nearly used up. Tell Frank Baldwin John Harness & all the rest of my old acquantances to write & let me know some thing about the suffering caused by the war for during the war letters from the Atlantic states were not alowed to rreach this coast that contained anything that didn't suit Abolitionism. Consequently I know nothing about what has transpired in that part Page 4 I have written all that I can think of inerest and as Frank writes mostly he will give you all the particulars. George gets letters from home once in a while. I don't know of his getting any lately. I haven't heard from Ed or George for over six month tho, so I will come to a close. Excuse the short and blundering writing. With my love to you all hoping these few lines may find you all enjoying good health. Give also my best wishes to Frank Baldwin John Harness and all the rest of my acquantances that are still there. My love to all XOXO Yours XO H.A. Cooper Address HA Cooper in care of George T. Finegan Idaho City Idaho Teritory A word about the Minnehaha Ranch: An article in the Idaho World (still published in Idaho City and advertised as the oldest continuously published paper in Idaho) of June 22, 1867 says this: "A full load of passengers made the heart of the driver glad, and he took care to give a touch of the inspiration to his team which sped along over the road in splendid style and with high speed. A delightful day was vouchsafed, and everything was favorable. At Cooper's Minnehaha Ranch we stopped to water the horses, and the moment's stay gave opportunity for a brief but pleasing survey of the pretty place Mr. Cooper has there built up in the lap of wilderness. An air of charming cleanliness and neatness everywhere pervades the house and grounds, and the sweet music of the bubbling, rippling waters of the Minnehaha as they leap and frisk over the pebbly, rocky bed, adds its cheery influence to the scene." Also, just to give a bit of perspective to things, at this time, the population of Idaho City proper was about 7,000, making it the largest city in the Northwest - larger, even, than Portland. Last edited by Hardcase; January 12, 2011 at 12:30 AM.