Cooper Cemetery memorialized
The pioneer Cooper Cemetery that contains graves from 1882-1890 was memorialized Thursday, May 15, near Keuterville. A small, wooded area on a rise off Sawmill Road west of Keuterville contains approximately 14 unmarked graves, some of whose names are unknown. Richard Cooper originally came to Mount Idaho in 1863 with a group headed to the gold fields in the area. He returned to California and led another group to the Clarkston, Wash., area in 1866. He returned to California and married a Civil War widow, Julia Hoax. In 1880, he moved the family to the Keuterville area where he ran a large sheep operation there an dint eh Salmon River area. This is on ground privately-owned by the Poxleitner family since the 1920s. The previous owners had removed all grave markers and the fence surrounding the area. The Poxleitner family continues to preserve the site. Known people buried in the cemetery are Julia Hoax Cooper and a son, Albert Rogge, a baby Rogge, Mrs. Jogan, Dan Denham. Mrs. White, a daughter of Ben Cooper, and two Stonestreet children, as well as a few others with names unknown. Norm Fitzsimmons of Orofino spearheaded the project and gave thanks to ASE Signs of Orofino, Mick Pollack, Keuterville Highway District and former Clearwater County Commissioner and friend John Allen. “Thank you for support in preserving a piece of local history,” he said. Fitzsimmons is a descendant of the Cooper family.  Pictured at the newly memorialized pioneer Cooper Cemetery are (L-R) Brendan Sprute, foreman of the Keuterville Highway District, former Clearwater County Commissioner John Allen and Norm Fitzsimmons of Orofino, Cooper family descendant. Photo by Lorie Palmer. |
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