DEATH AT 100

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 304, 24 December 1941, Page 8

DEATH AT 100

MR. J. J. COOPER

ADVENTUROUS CAREER

A veteran of the early colonial days, Mr. James Joseph Cooper, aged 100 years, died at his home, 72, Arthur Street, Onehunga, to-day. Mr. Cooper had led a varied and at times adventurous life as a sailor, gold digger and farmer and had enjoyed remarkably good health until this year. '

He was born in Norfolk a few weeks before the foundation of Aucklafid and, taking to the sea as a lad, he saw many countries before reaching the Queen City in 1863 as a seaman in the ship ironsides.

The war that was then being fought in the Waikato tempted Mr. Cooper to new adventures and one night he swam ashire at Mechanics' Bay with his few belongings. After engaging in farm work until his ship had departed, he joined the crew of the Government paddle steamer Gungadai, which was carrying fruit, army stores and sometimes Maori prisoners between West Coast ports. Later he joined hite brother at the Otago goldfields, the two making some extraordinarily rich finds. After more prospecting during the Westland rush, Mr. Cooper returned to Dunedin and was given charge of a timber lighter plying to and from Port Chalmers.

He came to Auckland in 1873 and became manager of a farm owned by Mr. Robert Graham and occupying the site of the Ellerslie racecourse. After marrying he took up land at Pakuranga, where he farmed for nearly 30 years. On the death of his wife he set up in business as a sailmaker in Onehunga, where htworked until his retirement. For a number of years he had lived with a daughter, Mrs. G. Vazey. His descendants include several greatgrandchildren.