Walter Thomas Couper

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 81686122
• _UID: AB7DEDEC9CDC49CBBD4E84319EF88AC73408
• Census-Household Member: 1870, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States

Notes:

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81686122

Census-Household Member:
Role: Household Member


Died:
Walter Thomas Couper, widely known leader in law, business and political circles, died suddenly at his home on Chesnut Street, June 1, 1934. He was 64 years old.

Mr. Couper was the victim of a sudden heart attack. While he had not been in good health for the last 18 months and had slowly been withdrawing from more strenuous activities in Republican politics and business, it was not known that his heart was seriously affected.

Death came suddenly in a room on the second floor of his home as he was preparing to leave for New York City to bring back a son, Frederic, who has been undergoing treatment for injuries suffered while the young man was a member of the Binghamton Central High Football team in 1928. The Couper family had planned to go early next week to the commencement at Elmira College where their daughter, Mary, is an honor member of the graduating class.

Ruth Couper heard her husband fall as he passed from one room to another on the second floor and rushed to his side but he already was dead.

Walter Couper was prominent in the affairs of the Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, the Central YMCA and the Broome County Bar Association. He was widely known in the Republican Party having been assistant corporation counsel in 1917 and having served as Supervisor from the Third Ward for 14 years prior to his retirement on January 1, 1934.

He was born in Morristown, St. Lawrence County on April 13, 1870, the son of Joseph P. Couper and Hannah Wilson Couper. He attended the Ogdensburg Academy and graduated in 1888. He then attended and graduated from Hamilton College in 1892 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and the following year receiving a Master of Arts degree.
He completed his course in law at the University of Minnesota and received his Bachelor of Laws in 1905 and was admitted to practice law in that state the same year.
Walter came to Binghamton in 1908 and was associated with W. J. & F. W. Welsh, one of the leading law firms in the area. He continued with the firm until 1915 when he became a partner. It was then known as Welsh and Couper. Eventually through business partner changes, the firm became Couper, Terry and Turnbull.
He was counsel for the Binghamton Savings Bank and associate counsel for the City National Bank of Binghamton. Walter had held at various times the chairmanship of every important committee on the Board of Supervisors and it was his record of strength and ability in this connection that made him regarded as a key man in this group.

He brought into his service information acquired during years of teaching for four years at Hamilton College after his graduation and as principal of the Boonville High School for five years. Later he served at the head of the department of history in the East High School of Minneapolis MN, while fitting himself for his law career by night study at the University of Minnesota.

He was a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association and Broome County Bar Association. He also belonged to the University Club, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Phi Beta Kappa, Honorary Scholarship Society and Delta Chi.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth Delia Williams Couper; daughters Rachel Williams Couper and Mary Williams Couper; sons, Edgar Williams Couper and Frederic Maxwell Couper; sister, Mrs. J. B. Witherhead, Morristown and a brother, Edgar J. Couper of Minneapolis, MN.

Funeral service was held and interment followed in the Couper plot of the Chenango Valley Cemetery, Binghamton, NY.

Walter married Ruth Delia Williams in 1897. Ruth (daughter of Elliott Strong Williams and Rachel Wood Squires) was born on 17 Sep 1875 in Kirkland, Oneida County, New York, United States; died on 3 Oct 1960 in Binghamton, Broome County, New York, United States; was buried in Chenango Valley Cemetery, Binghamton, Broome County, New York, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Edgar Williams Couper was born in 1899; died in 1988; was buried in Chenango Valley Cemetery, Binghamton, Broome County, New York, United States.
2. Rachel Williams Couper was born in 1904; died in 1953; was buried in Chenango Valley Cemetery, Binghamton, Broome County, New York, United States.
3. Frederic Williams Couper was born in 1904; died in 1953; was buried in Chenango Valley Cemetery, Binghamton, Broome County, New York, United States.
4. Mary Williams Couper was born in 1912; died in 2007; was buried in Chenango Valley Cemetery, Binghamton, Broome County, New York, United States.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 27460980
• _UID: 3DE2F29E6E8642BDA3B1232D2EC0FCF424F9
• Census-Household Member: 1850, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States Census

Notes:

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27460980

Census-Household Member:
Role: Household Member

Joseph married Hannah Wilson Cooper. Hannah was born in 1836; died in 1870; was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Morristown, St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 27460983
• _UID: 2744BD9E939C466FABE05F1E6656DE88D429

Notes:

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27460983

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 27460977
• _UID: 91B10B990AC34E5D9FD8EF8C586ACE6848D0
• Census: 1850, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States Census
• Census: 1860, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States Census
• Census: 1870, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States

Notes:

(Research):NB: the Cooper children are listed as 'Melter' - the enumerator didn't return to the Cooper name after adding Elizabeth Miller and her children.

On the same census report is
Michael Cooper, born in Canada, father born in Prussia, Mother born in Canada, farmer, died in Nov 1879, (softening Brassy?) cause of death.

1850
Name: Michael Cooper
Age: 50
Birth Year: abt 1800
Birthplace: Canada CANADA
Home in 1850: Morristown, Saint Lawrence, New York, USA
Gender:Male
Family Number:70
Household Members:
Name Age
Michael Cooper 50
Cluvter Cooper 40
Susan Cooper 14
Mary Cooper 11
Robu Cooper 9
Orpha Cooper 7
Augustus Coopr 5
John D Cooper 2

1860
Name: Michael Couper Spelt COUPER now so phonetically
Age:60
Birth Year:abt 1800
Gender:Male
Birth Place:Canada
Home in 1860:Morristown, Saint Lawrence, New York
Post Office:Morristown
Family Number:226

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27460977

Joseph married Elizabeth Brown on 5 Nov 1815 in Christ Church, Tynemouth, Northumberland, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Brown) was born on 30 Oct 1793 in England; was christened on 8 Jul 1798 in Bothal With Hebburn, Northumberland, England; died about 1877 in Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, Morristown, St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 27460978
• _UID: 72A4CC756DFA41EC9589A1E5829C1D9A64DB
• Census-Household Member: 1850, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States Census
• Census-Household Member: 1860, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States Census
• Census-Wife of Head: 1870, Morristown Twp, St Lawrence County, New York, United States; United States

Notes:

Birth:
Name:?tab?Elizabeth Brown
Gender:?tab?Female
Birth Date:?tab?30 Oct 1793
Baptism Date:?tab?8 Jul 1798
Baptism Place:?tab?Bothal With Hebburn,Northumberland,England
Father:?tab?George Brown
Mother:?tab?Sarah Angus
FHL Film Number:?tab?0814229 IT 3

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27460978

Census-Household Member:
Role: Household Member


Census-Household Member:
Role: Household Member


Census-Wife of Head:
Role: Wife of Head

Notes:

Married:
Name:?tab?Elizabeth Brown
Gender:?tab?Female
Marriage Date:?tab?5 Nov 1815
Marriage Place:?tab?Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
Spouse:?tab?Joseph Couper
Search Photos:?tab?Search for 'Tynemouth, Northumberland, England' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: DA360A21736B4127B25623696FE1DDC80A93

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: EE25E86722154CF3B82378B46290D2E285BF