From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1321-1323
 
CHARLES S. COOPER.  Few can draw rules for their own guidance for the pages of 
Plutarch, but all are benefited by the delineation of those traits of 
character which find scope and exercise in the common walks of life.  The 
unostentatious routine of private life, although in the aggregate more 
important to the welfare of the community than any meteoric public career, 
cannot, from its very nature, figure in the public annals, though each 
locality's history should contain the names of those individuals who 
contribute to the success of the material affairs of a community and to its 
public stability; men who lead wholesome and exemplary lives which might be 
profitably studied by the oncoming generation.  In such a class must 
consistently appear the name of Charles S. COOPER, one of the leading business 
men and public spirited citizens of the village of Walworth, a man who leads a 
plain, industrious  life, endeavoring to deal honestly with his fellow men and 
contribute somewhat to the general public good in an unobtrusive manner.
 
Mr. COOPER was born in section 19, Linn township, Walworth county, Wisconsin, 
October 23, 1859.  He is the son of Peter and Lovina (INGALLS) COOPER.  The 
mother was born in Albany county, New York, June 5, 1829, and was the daughter 
of Enoch INGALLS and a sister of Silas INGALLS, whose sketch, to be found 
elsewhere in this work, gives the early history of the family.  She came to 
this county with her brothers when she was about seventeen years old.  She 
attended school in Racine and afterwards taught there, and later at what was 
called the Old Basswood school, in the early fifties, and many of her pupils 
of sixty years ago have lived long lives of usefulness and been prominent in 
that part of the county.  She and Peter S. COOPER were married on March 22, 
1855.  His birth occurred in Onondaga county, New York, October 16, 1809.  He 
was the son of Sylvanus COOPER and Elizabeth (PRINCE) COOPER, he having died 
when the son  Peter S. was about a year old, the widow subsequently 
remarrying.  Peter S. COOPER lived with his mother and step-father until he 
was fourteen years old, then was bound out to a Mr. ENOS to learn the 
shoemaker's trade.  When twenty-one years of age he received one hundred 
dollars and a set of shoemaker's tools.  He also learned the tanner's trade, 
and was an expert in both and followed them in and around Little Falls, New 
York, until 1844, when he emigrated to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and bought 
a farm in section 19, Linn township.  He engaged John P. SNELL to build him a 
house, then returned to New York, returning here in 1845 for the purpose of 
developing his land and making his permanent home, and here he worked at his 
trade in the pioneer way, finally renting out his farm.  He went from house to 
house, sometimes remaining with one family for two weeks making shoes enough 
to last the family a year.  This line of work was followed by Mr. COOPER until 
his marriage, after which he settled on his farm and there spent the rest of 
his life and became well established.  His family consisted of four children, 
one of whom died in infancy; George S., who started to Alaska through Alberta, 
has not been heard from for about ten years; Harvey lies at Pomona, 
California, where he is engaged in blacksmithing; Charles S. of this review, 
was the second of the three sons.  The death of Peter S. COOPER occurred on 
April 10, 1893, his widow surviving until March 22, 1907.
 
Charles S. COOPER grew upon the home farm and he attended Big Foot Academy.  
He began life for himself by teaching school three winters, working out by the 
month part of the time at farm work, but most of his earlier life was spent at 
home.  He was married on December 1, 1887, to Eunice Elizabeth FISH, daughter 
of Howard E. and Emily (BARBOUR) FISH, a complete record of whom appears 
elsewhere in this work.

After his marriage Mr. COOPER continued working the homestead for a number of 
years.  During that time he purchased eighty acres cornering on the southeast 
of his father's estate.  He made his home on the old homestead until in March 
1902, successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising, then sold his 
farm and the old home place to Edward E. AYER and moved into the village of 
Walworth, where he has since resided.  For some time prior to that he was 
manager of the Kaye's Park Creamery and at the time he moved to Walworth he 
was dealing in butter, eggs and poultry.  In October 1902, he purchased a meat 
shop in Walworth, his shop being destroyed by fire a year later, after which 
he went into the grocery business, also handling meats.  In January 1909 he 
admitted H. L. RADEBAUGH as a partner, the latter having closed out a stock of 
shoes and groceries, and they have since been in business together, and have 
built up a large and growing trade with the town and surrounding country, 
always carrying a large, seasonable and carefully selected stock of goods and 
according their hundreds of customers every courtesy and consideration.  Mr. 
COOPER has been a man of persistent industry and has been very successful in 
whatever he has been engaged in.
 
Always deeply interest in the upbuilding of his community, Mr. COOPER has 
always stood ready to lend assistance in movements having as their ultimate 
aim the general progress of Walworth county.  For two years he served as clerk 
of Linn township, and has also been assessor of the village of Walworth.  He 
is a member of the Walworth high school board, having held this position five 
or six years.  He and his wife both belong to the Congregational church, and 
he has been clerk of the local congregation for the past ten years and for a 
number of years has been active in church work.
 
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. COOPER, one of whom, Ethel, born 
June 15, 1889, died in infancy; Grace Bernice, born March 14, 1891; Dorothy 
Beatrice, born February 17 1894; and Howard Charles, born May 12, 1904.
 
Submitted by Carol