Daniel C. Cooper

Daniel C. Cooper (November 21, 1773 — July 13, 1818) was an American surveyor, farmer, miller and political leader.

He was born in the Passaic Valley at Long Hill, Morris County, New Jersey, the son of wealthy farmer George Cooper (20 August 1745 — 20 September 1801) and Margaret Lafferty.

Judge John Cleves Symmes, a land speculator from New Jersey, initiated much of southwestern Ohio's settlement and in late 1795, he sold Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory, General James Wilkinson, Israel Ludlow and New Jersey Congressman Jonathan Dayton the land that became known as the "Dayton Purchase."

Israel Ludlow named the village after his friend Jonathan Dayton, who ironically never set foot in the town.

In 1796, Dayton Township, a large area containing parts of current Montgomery, Greene, Miami, Clark, Champaign, Logan, and Shelby Counties, was formed.

In 1800, the United States Government offered to sell the property to the residents at the rate of $2.00 an acre, but this was far beyond the means of the inhabitants - and at a higher price than they had already paid Symmes.

Daniel Cooper petitioned the United States Congress, describing the town's land-title plight: Would it be right, he asked, to dispossess these settlers after they had worked so hard clearing land and raising cabins?

Sophia was born in Rhode Island, the daughter of Charles Greene, a member of the Ohio Company who had removed to Marietta in 1788.

Daniel Cooper built his "elegant mansion" of hewn logs and lined with cherry planks on the southwest corner of Ludlow and First streets in Dayton, and there he lived with his family until his death.

He operated a general store, and, when troops were stationed in Dayton during the War of 1812, organized the idle soldiers to build a levee at the turn of the Great Miami River to protect the village from flooding.

Cooper represented Montgomery County in the Third General Assembly of Ohio convened at Chillicothe the first Monday in December 1804.