Sandy Bukcland Newspaper Snippets P/3

  Cooper Family USA

Legend of Mulberry, Tennessee.

This story or legend relates to events that took place just prior to one of the big races, and was told as follows: "One day just before a big race, a Gypsy wagon pulled by a number of good horses arrived with a cart in tow. The cart contained a big Arabian racehorse belonging to a Gypsy and he was one of the famous Cooper Brothers. There was thought to have been three of these brothers that followed the racing circuits always betting large sums of money and almost sure to win.

After this race Cooper would return to the Gypsy colony and the long drawn out marriage ceremony would take place between him and his bride, followed by festivities for several days. But there was a big race that had to be run (if not won) before the wedding festivities began.

Cooper bet his gold on winning the race, then buried all $50,000.00 in a brass chest along with a fine diamond engagement wedding ring he had already purchased for his bride and a gold pocket watch set with diamonds.

The next day it began to rain, but there was a lot of getting ready that had to be done before the race. The stables were located west of Mulberry Schoolhouse on the south side of the old Jackson-Paris Road. The big Arabian had been shod with extra heavy shoes to condition him before the race. After the rain stopped, Cooper asked his trainer to give the horse a run or two on the track, but the trainer refused stating it was too dangerous to run this animal at full speed on the wet, slick track and muddy racetrack. So Cooper saddled up and was off at full speed on the slick track when the horse slipped and fell. Cooper was hit in the head by one of the heavy horse shoes, his skull was crushed and he died without ever regaining consciousness.

None except Cooper knew where the gold had been hidden. Cooper was buried a short ways northeast of the big mulberry tree (and his grave site was still visible in the early 1940's)."

For years to come the Cooper Gypsy Caravan came, camped and searched for the buried gold, but never found it.

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: From Somerville Directory 1895

which I think would be the Brothers or their related family : The story refers too :

COOPER BROS & SONS : ( Esau, Richard & John Cooper) Horse dealers & Stables- 62 Broadway

There is also listed :-

Cornelius Cooper Horse trader - 198 Norfolk Has to be a relation I would think

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1870 Census USA Samuel Cooper listed Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts

aged 39 b 1831 England

Also mentioned is his brother Richard and parents - Asolphe & Rebecca Cooper both from England b abt 1800

1880 Census USA Samuel Cooper listed in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts

aged 46 b 1834 England

1880 Census USA Esau Cooper listed in Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts

aged 44 b 1836 England

1900 Census USA Esau Cooper is listed in Somerville Ward 4, MiddlesexMassachusetts aged 68

Birth Date: Aug 1831Birthplace: England

In 1910 Census USA Esau Cooper listed in Somerville Ward 4, Middlesex,Massachusetts

aged 76 b 1834 England

So anyone wanting to know more about said family Somerville would be a good area to research