The Coopers

John and Mary Cooper immigrated to Puget Sound during the mid-nineteenth century, from different hemispheres, at different times, from different cultures and undoubtedly, for different reasons. Family folklore has John Cooper born in central Europe in 1828 and Squab Ka Blu Kieuk (aka Mary) allegedly to been born about 1843 in northern British Columbia. 

Having to think and communicate in different languages, especially when three languages are involved, probably created a bit of a problem in their communication. English, was the common language they used to communicate, but  John spoke German and Mary’s native tongue was Tsimshian. As a reminder, before they could speak, their thoughts had to be converted from their native tongue into English, Additionally, they probably spoke with accents, creating a possibility that their conversation could misinterpreted. 

As far as it is known, John and Mary Cooper never communicated with their families after migrating to Puget Sound.  Any information about them has been derived from the U.S. census, official records, or family folklore. Based on these sources, coupled with a lot of assumption and pure speculation, a narrative has materialized. 

John Cooper’s place of birth was presumed to be Baden, a beautiful region in southwest Germany. Until the French Revolution (1789—1815), the area was a confusing patchwork of petty margraves, (which are border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire) governed by church hierarchies). Then in 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte, leader of France interjected his will and transformed Baden into a grand duchy (a sovereign just below the rank of a king). 

There was a litany of reasons for people to leave Europe. This was especially true in countries where military conscription for young men was law. Baden had mandatory conscription. The conscription law required that a candidate register with his local catholic church on his sixteenth birthday and report for muster on his twenty-first birthday. If the candidate failed to report for muster there could be penalties, not only for the candidate but also, for his family if they conspired to avoid conscription. 

Many candidates migrated before their sixteenth birthday in order to avoid mandatory registration. According to my grandfather, Jack Cooper, John Cooper immigrated to St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada about 1844, the year of his sixteenth birthday. There he spent about several years working in the ship-building trade. For some unknown reason he decided to leave St. Johns on a ship bound for Puget Sound. The ship sailed around the Horn and arrived on Puget Sound in 1848. Again, for unknown reasons the ship sailed into U.S. waters near Port Ludlow Bay. John Cooper and two other shipmates, Henry Hawkins and William Hudson, decided to jump ship. John was twenty years old. At that point, all three young men began their new lives.

It was told to me by my family, that sometime after John Cooper arrived here in 1848, he obtained a job delivering mail. Victoria was established by HBC in 1843 to support its operations on Puget Sound. As a consequence, it also, became the main port of entry, with mail form other regions of the world being sent there to be delivered to residents on Puget Sound. From what I understand, a small sailboat was used and when the wind wasn’t blowing, rowing became the method of locomotion. Records of the Puget Mill company also, indicated that he was an employee of mill at one time. 

About 1860 Squa Ka Blu Kieuk (Tsimshian maiden) arrived in the Puget Sound area from Prince Rupert, B.C. She supposedly traveled by long boat canoe along with several others tribal members. 

Folklore has Squa Ka Blu Kieuk being raised in the environs of Fort Simpson, a Hudson Bay Company trading post that was established in 1821. American fur traders were undercutting the HBC by paying a higher price for fur pelts. As a consequence, the natives would save their pelts for U.S. traders. The Hudson Bay Company (HBC) wasn’t happy about this situation and decided to prevent this trade by building Fort Simpson to intervene with the American traders.

Several years after her arrival, John and Squa Ka Blu Kieuk met and they decided to live together. In 1878 they were officially married by a catholic priest. From this union, eight children were born, but two died in childhood. They lived their later years across the bay from the Port Ludlow mill. John died in 1899 and Mary died in 1911. Both are buried in the family grave yard above Paradise Bay on their homesteaded property.

Cooper narrative told by Don Cooper, great grand-son of John and Squa Ka Blu Kieuk (aka Mary), February 2022

Historic Homesteads

The Coopers

The Courseys

The Fultzes

The Klockers

The Sellins

The Swansons

The Thorens

The Werners