My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE COOVER, farmer and stock raiser of Southampton township, Cumberland county, where he occupies a well-improved place of fifty acres, descends from an old Cumberland county family. He is the oldest surviving son of Martin and Mary (Newcomer) Coover, who were the parents of ten children, eight of whom lived to maturity.

Mr. Coover was born Sept. 14, 1848, on the Ridge road, in Southampton township, passed his boyhood on the farm, and was trained to agricultural pursuits. He attended school off and on until his seventeenth year, receiving his education at the Thomas Grove district school, and then remained on the farm, assisting his father, until he reached his majority. During the next two years he worked at the carpenter trade in Cumberland and Franklin counties, and after his marriage he lived two years on rented property adjoining the farm he now occupies, farming the place. Thence he moved to the Ridge farm (the place where he had passed his boyhood and which was one of the three farms owned by his father), where he spent fifteen years. His present place contains fifty acres, and is highly improved and equipped with excellent buildings, including a brick dwelling, a large bank barn and numerous outbuildings. Mr. Coover is an intelligent, industrious man, and his work shows good results.

In 1888 Mr. Coover married Miss Anna R. Cope, of Cumberland county, a descendant of Conrad Cope, a native of Germany, who married a French woman previous to his emigration to the United States. Benjamin Cope, son of Conrad, was born in 1780 in Lancaster county, Pa., and in 1782 moved with his parents to Cumberland county, this State. In 1799 he settled on a farm at Springfield, West Pennsboro township, same county, which he afterward sold. He married Sarah Ann McDowell, who was born in 1789 in West Pennsboro township, daughter of Samuel McDowell, a native of Ireland. Samuel Cope, son of Benjamin, and father of Mrs. Coover, was born July 14, 1822, in the village of Springfield, West Pennsboro township, and is still living. On Jan. 2, 1849, he married Rebecca Shriver, who was born in Cumberland county, Pa., daughter of William and Sarah (Williams) Shriver, who came from Wales. Mrs. Cope passed away in 1896. She was the mother of six children, five of whom attained maturity, namely: James H.; Margaret V.; William B., who died in 1879 in Dickinson township, Cumberland county; John Calvin, of Dickinson township; and Anna R., Mrs. Coover, who is the youngest of the family.

Mr. and Mrs. Coover are the parents of six children: Samuel M., W. Clyde, James Hervey, George E., Shriver C. and Helen E. Mr. Coover is a member of the Reformed Church, and a liberal contributor to its support. In political sentiment he is a Republican.