kieser sousa/rip
Bronze Member
- Dec 3, 2006
- 1,368
- 66
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- Fisher cz-20/ XP Deus
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- All Treasure Hunting
Hi all ! My Dad just gave me 4 old books by Edwin Moore that have numerous story's from the past of my area.Heres one i thought y'all might like.The title is "A wilderness tragedy"If Hanna Coopers horse had not shied at a barking dog that fall day in 1800,the otsego belle might very well have become the young nations first lady.At the time of her tragic death judge WilliamCoopers oldest daughter was said to have been engaged to a young army lieutenant named William henry Harrison,who 40 years later was to become the ninth president of the United States.Almost half way between Morris and Gilbertsville and slightly west of the road stands a slender stone shaft surrounded by a fence which marks the exact spot were Mrs Cooper was killed.The sister of the novelist James Fenimore Cooper was preparing to leave Cooperstown to spend the winter with her father in Washington.On the morning of Sept 10'th 1800 she set out with her brother Richard to say goodbye to the daughters of Gen.Jacob Morris at Morris Manor.They were on horseback since this was about the only way of travel in the wilderness.Otsego hall,the Cooper mansion was about 24 miles from the Morris home.The road which was little more than a bridal path through the woods,went through oaksville to burlington green and thence down the butternut creek to Louisville(now Morris) and the generals home.When the party was nearly to its destination Hanna's horse shied at the noise of some men threshing oats with flails on a platform by the side of the road.She kept her seat and had the horse quieted down when a dog ran barking from a nearby house.This time the girl was thrown violently from her horse,her head striking the base of a tree.She was killed almost instantly.It is not known positively that she was betrothed to Harrison but many claimed she was.It is known that Harrison visited the site several times.Theres more but my fingers are tired !I will post a picture of the monument soon ! Hope y'all enjoyed this story.
