R Family Historian: Isabell and Nathaniel Cooper

When Bell Cooper was staying at our house in the 1970's a tape recording was made of her telling stories from her life. To see the previous post go here . In this post, Bell talks about teaching school and how she met her husband, Than Cooper.

"I was in the second year of high school. Dale Webb had a high school there in Panguitch. He was a kind of a talented old feller who had this high school. I was chosen to go to Hatchtown to teach school. That was a joyful time. I enjoyed every minute of it. I taught school the one winter then I got married the next summer. I enjoyed that immensely. When I was in the hospital with a broken leg (in 1955), seven of (my former students) came to see me. That was nice and I appreciated it. Now they say when they see me, "She could outrun any boy in Hatchtown. She could jump over any fence quicker than any boy in Hatchtown." I couldn’t do it now, I couldn’t even step over a rock. I’ve been blessed with a good big family. This is a blessing in my life to be taken care of now in my old age. But I’ve not give up yet. I’ll make it yet another ten years.

My mother asked her, "How did you meet your husband?"

She replied, "I had a case on him most of my life. I thought he was the best looking man in the world, he was so good to his mother. His father died when he was 13 and he took care of the family, his brothers Trav, Jed and his sister Ena. He was awful good to his mom. I had another boyfriend.

I remember one Halloween party we had the girls stayed there all night. I can just see a pitchfork come through the window pick up the cake we had there on the table. In the morning, we got up and we couldn’t find our corsets. They were hanging on the fence on the main road. Than was one of the boys that did it.

I was on my way to Hatchtown to a meeting. Than and George Dodds came along I thought he (Than) was the best looking man, I fell right in love with him. He said I asked him to marry him. But I didn’t have to, I had another boyfriend who was up a little higher in life than he was. I was never sorry. I started going with him along then. I've had a good life."

This picture was taken in 1912
Than is seated

My mom asked her to tell about Grandpa sheep herding and when she and the kids would go in the summers to stay with him. All she said was, "You mean the homestead (where) we lived? Dad and (brother) Trav would herd sheep around there all summer. I’d be there too with my kids. We’d raise chickens, little rabbits for the kids. I've always said I would live it over. I’ve always looked on the bright side of things. I’m getting to where I don’t look at it so bright. I think I’m getting old. But I’m still blessed."