John B.R. Cooper
Encyclopedia
John Bautista Rogers Cooper (September 11, 1791, Alderney
- June 2, 1872, San Francisco, California
) was born in England
and raised in Massachusetts
. He came to California as master of the ship Rover, and was a pre-gold rush pioneer of Monterey, California
. He married General Vallejo
’s sister Encarnacion Vallejo and acquired extensive land holdings.
the son of Thomas Cooper and Anne Rogers. He came to the United States, when a boy,with his mother. Captain Cooper was a half-brother of Thomas O. Larkin
, their mother having been twice married.
After moving to Boston
with his mother, he traveled extensively, first attending school in Charleston
and then serving as second mate on a missionary trip to the Hawaiian Islands
. He came to Monterey as master of his own vessel, the trading schooner Rover, in 1823.
to sail to China on a trade mission. After coming back, he and Arguello quarreled over what he should receive for his work. He eventually won the money that he asked for, but not without first losing his ship. Although he sold his vessel to Governor Arguello, he continued in command of her, making trips to China and elsewhere.
In 1826, he opened a general merchandise store in Monterey. Becoming acquainted with the Vallejo family, he first asked the hand in marriage of one of the daughters, Magdalena, who refused him and married Antonio del Valle. Cooper married Encarnacion Vallejo (1809 - ), older sister of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
in 1827 and became a naturalized Mexican in 1830.
Captain Cooper continued his seafaring life for many years; eventually, however, he acquired land, and gradually quit the sea. Although from 1839 to 1844 he made many trips to the Mexican coast and to the Islands, in command of a vessel belonging to the Government called the Californian, which carried mail, prisoners, and government officials from Monterey to Mexico. In 1846 he made a voyage to Peru, and in 1849 he went as master of the Eveline to China.
in 1829. Governor José Figueroa
granted him Rancho El Molino
in 1833. In 1840, Cooper traded Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo for Juan Alvarado's Rancho El Sur
. Alvarado was a nephew of Encarnacion Vallejo Cooper. In 1840, Governor Alvarado granted him Rancho Punta de Quentin
. Cooper built a mansion out at the point but didn’t spend much time there. Cooper and Pablo de la Guerra
were granted Rancho Nicasio
by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
in 1844. He sold his interests in both Marin County ranchos in 1850.
Alderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
- June 2, 1872, San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
) was born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and raised in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He came to California as master of the ship Rover, and was a pre-gold rush pioneer of Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
. He married General Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californian military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of Mexico, and shaped the transition of California from a Mexican district to an American state...
’s sister Encarnacion Vallejo and acquired extensive land holdings.
Early life
John Bautista Rogers Cooper was born on the island of AlderneyAlderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
the son of Thomas Cooper and Anne Rogers. He came to the United States, when a boy,with his mother. Captain Cooper was a half-brother of Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas O. Larkin
Thomas Oliver Larkin was an early American emigrant to Alta California and a signer of the original California Constitution. He was the United States' first and only consul to the California Republic.-Early years:...
, their mother having been twice married.
After moving to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
with his mother, he traveled extensively, first attending school in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and then serving as second mate on a missionary trip to the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. He came to Monterey as master of his own vessel, the trading schooner Rover, in 1823.
Monterey
Upon his arrival in Monterey, he made arrangements with Governor Luis ArguelloLuis Antonio Argüello
Luis Antonio Argüello was the first native governor of Alta California from 1822 to 1825, during the period California was under Mexican rule, twelfth overall. He was the only governor to serve under the Mexican empire, and the first native Californian to hold that office...
to sail to China on a trade mission. After coming back, he and Arguello quarreled over what he should receive for his work. He eventually won the money that he asked for, but not without first losing his ship. Although he sold his vessel to Governor Arguello, he continued in command of her, making trips to China and elsewhere.
In 1826, he opened a general merchandise store in Monterey. Becoming acquainted with the Vallejo family, he first asked the hand in marriage of one of the daughters, Magdalena, who refused him and married Antonio del Valle. Cooper married Encarnacion Vallejo (1809 - ), older sister of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californian military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of Mexico, and shaped the transition of California from a Mexican district to an American state...
in 1827 and became a naturalized Mexican in 1830.
Captain Cooper continued his seafaring life for many years; eventually, however, he acquired land, and gradually quit the sea. Although from 1839 to 1844 he made many trips to the Mexican coast and to the Islands, in command of a vessel belonging to the Government called the Californian, which carried mail, prisoners, and government officials from Monterey to Mexico. In 1846 he made a voyage to Peru, and in 1849 he went as master of the Eveline to China.
Land grants
Cooper acquired Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro CojoRancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo
Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1822 by Governor Pablo Vicente de Solá to Joaquín de la Torre...
in 1829. Governor José Figueroa
José Figueroa
General José Figueroa , was a General and the Mexican territorial Governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835.Figueroa oversaw the initial secularization of the missions of upper California, which included the expulsion of the Spanish Franciscan mission officials.This also involved the issuing of...
granted him Rancho El Molino
Rancho El Molino
Rancho El Molino was a Mexican land grant in present day Sonoma County, California given to John B.R. Cooper by Governor José Figueroa in 1833 and officially confirmed by Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez in 1836. "Molino" means "mill" in Spanish, and the name refers to Cooper's sawmill...
in 1833. In 1840, Cooper traded Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo for Juan Alvarado's Rancho El Sur
Rancho El Sur
Rancho El Sur was a Mexican land grant in present day Monterey County, California given in 1834 by Governor José Figueroa to Juan Alvarado. The grant extended between the Little Sur River and what is now called, Cooper Point.-History:...
. Alvarado was a nephew of Encarnacion Vallejo Cooper. In 1840, Governor Alvarado granted him Rancho Punta de Quentin
Rancho Punta de Quentin
Rancho Punta de Quentin was a Mexican land grant in present day Marin County, California given in 1840 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to John B.R. Cooper...
. Cooper built a mansion out at the point but didn’t spend much time there. Cooper and Pablo de la Guerra
Pablo de la Guerra
Pablo de la Guerra , from the de la Guerra family of Santa Barbara, California, was the Acting Lieutenant Governor of California, 1861-1862...
were granted Rancho Nicasio
Rancho Nicasio
Rancho Nicasio was a Mexican land grant of granted to the Coast Miwok indigenous people in 1835, located in the present-day Marin County, California, a tract of land that stretched from San Geronimo to Tomales Bay...
by Governor Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena was a Brigadier General of the Mexican Army, Adjutant-General of the same, Governor, Commandant-General and Inspector of the Department of the California...
in 1844. He sold his interests in both Marin County ranchos in 1850.