Herbert Cooley

The Kay County Sun

January 13, 1898

Submitted by: Mollie Stehno

Herbert Cooley was born in Birmingham, England, March 28, 1839. When he was about 12 years of age his family came to America and settled in Janesville, Wisconsin and it was here that Mr. Cooley grew to young manhood.

About 1860 or ’61 he went to Chicago and on September 18, 1861 he enlisted in the 8th Illinois cavalry, Co. E, and continued in the service of the U. S. until July 17th, 1865, when his company was discharged at Chicago. He took part in many of the principal battles in the War Between the States and his record as a soldier is without blemish.

After his discharge from the army Mr. Cooley went to Dubuque, Iowa. Here he lived about 8 years. April 14, 1882, he was married to Miss Agnes Shulttz at La Cross, Wisconsin, where he lived until the summer of ’93 when he went to Frankfort, Kansas. Then in December 1893 he came to Oklahoma and settled on a claim three and one half miles northwest of Blackwell.

By a former marriage there was born to Mr. Cooley a son and daughter who live in Washington. Mr. Cooley has long been a sufferer from rheumatism. In July of last year he was stricken and was confined to his bed until January 8, 1898 at about 20 minutes after 12 o’clock in the morning when his spirit was liberated from its home of pain and suffering.

He was an honorable citizen, owing no man anything and was always friendly to the church.

Soon after the beginning of his last illness she became much concerned about his souls salvation and destiny. Through his own prayers and the patient devotion and prayers of his wife and friends he was led to saving faith in Jesus Christ, which brought him in his pain and suffering much peace and patience.

Sunday January 9, 1898, followed by a host of friends his body was laid to rest in the Blackwell cemetery, there to await the “Trumpet” that ‘shall bid the earth and the sea give up their dead.”