Start with cooperi (1 Viewer)

[Taphrospilus]

I have no clue how we can find William C. Cooper (1798-1864) in the key, but I want to start at least a discussion if there is a C. in the middle name as clamed in The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

Most souces contain no C. e.g. here, here or Wikipedia. The normally very reliant And Audubon to Xántus: The Lives of Those Commemorated in North American Bird Names even question the birth year as c. 1798.

Regarding the other Cooper in the book Björn showed evidence that The Eponym Dictionary of Birds once again is wrong. I do not see that James Graham Cooper was ever in Costa Rica and/or knew José Castulo Zeledón (March 24, 1846 – July 16, 1923) .

See also

No. 8 – cooperi in …
● Pacific Screech-owl (Scops/Otus) Megascops cooperi RIDGWAY 1878 a k a "Cooper's Screech Owl" with a clear dedication: ”I have named this species at the request of Mr. Zeledon, the collector of the type-specimens, after Mr. Juan Cooper, of Cartago, Costa Rica, a particular friend of his, to whom he is much indebted for many interesting contributions to his collection.”
= the almost totally unknown local collector Juan J. Cooper (xxxx–xxxx), that collected both birds and plants, as well as reptiles and mammals, in Costa Rica – for the same José Zeledon.

Last one here as Juan José Cooper Sandoval. Maybe someone get more information on him here

Familia Cooper

Para un libro que estoy escribiendo, necesito contactar a descendientes del naturalista Juan José Cooper Sandoval. Su hija Mariana Cooper se casó con Luis Esquivel, en tanto que su nieto José Luis Esquivel Cooper lo hizo con Aída Cabezas Guardia.

See also here....

(Adiantum, Begonia, Campyloneurum, Conostegia, Peperomia, Philodendron, Phoradendron, Physosiphon, Pleurothallis, Senecio/ Jacmaia/ Jessea, Stelis) in onore del botanico costaricense Juan J. Cooper Sandoval (1843-1911), figlio di Henry Cooper, ingegnere inglese emigrato in Costa Rica.

Several sources say similar e.g. here or here.

 

[PScofield]

His death certificate suggests: Juan Cooper Sandoval (1846-1911)

Place of death Mata de Plátano, Cartago, Costa Rica. See attached.

P

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Nice to see that old post (from back in 2014) returning to surface ...

Regarding cooperi as in:
● Pacific Screech-owl (Scops/Otus) Megascops cooperi RIDGWAY 1878, a k a "Cooper's Screech Owl"

In the Paper; Plant diversity and biogeography of the Golfo Dulce region, Costa Rica / Diversidad vegetal y biogeografía de la región de Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, by Werner Huber, et al (2008) "our guy" Juan J. Cooper is/was mentioned (here, on p.97) as "Juan José Cooper (1843–1911)", commemorated in the Plant "Ruellia cooperi".

Based on what I do not know.

Yet another case when 'Sandoval' (his Mother's maiden name) was added to his name, it the local, Spanish/Costa Rican way ... ?

Björn

PS. Sorry for cross-posting. Martin apparently found, and added the same link ("Today at 11:56"), latter one in post #1. It wasn't there when I started to type.
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[Taphrospilus]

His death certificate suggests: Juan Cooper Sandoval (1846-1911)

Place of death Mata de Plátano, Cartago, Costa Rica. See attached.

P

Yes, looks like 1. June 1911. (Primero Junio)

Maybe you have also the answer to William Cooper (1798-1864)? Born? and with C. or no C.?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

cooperi as in:
● Pacific Screech-owl (Scops/Otus) Megascops cooperi RIDGWAY 1878, a k a "Cooper's Screech Owl"

Re. Juan José Cooper (who apparently did pass away in 1911), the Son of "Henry Cooper, ingegnere inglese emigrato in Costa Rica", a k a Juan José Cooper Sandoval (in Costa Rica).

Was he, or wasn't he, born in 1843, alt. (like Paul claimed in post #2) in 1846 ... ?

 

[l_raty]

Was he, or wasn't he, born in 1843, alt. (like Paul claimed in post #2) in 1846 ... ?

"Juan Cooper Sandoval varón de cecenta y cinco años sollero costarricense y vecino del Carmen" (= Juan Cooper Sandoval, 65 year-old male, single, Costa Rican and resident of El Carmen) on the death certificate, on "el día primero de junio de mil novecientos once" (= the first day of June 1911), seems consistent with 1846 rather than 1843.

Yet another case when 'Sandoval' (his Mother's maiden name) was added to his name, it the local, Spanish/Costa Rican way ... ?

"Hijo legitimo de Enrique Cooper agricultor y Margarita Sandoval" (whose profession I can't fully read at the moment -- "de oficios domesticos" something ?): Sandoval appears indeed to have been his mother's surname. But if he was Costa Rican, as the death certificate indicates, why should Costa Rican naming conventions not apply to him...?
(His mother -- Margarita Sandoval Perez -- seems to have been Costa Rican as well if I believe the bits I can see on genealogical websites. Thus he was presumably born there.)

 

[PScofield]

William’s father was James Cooper (c. Sept 1760-19/12/1801). Baptized 26 Sep 1760. Baptism Place: Spofforth, All Saints, Yorkshire, England

James married Francis Graham (not sure where).

According to James’s probate (from 1801) his son's name was William with no middle name. In such a document middle names (if they existed) would be required.

His obit. (attached) shows he died on April 20 1864 and was 66 years old.

William's own probate states his name simply as William Cooper.

Unfortunately, I cannot find a birth record for a William Cooper born c. 1798 in NY.

P

 

[Taphrospilus]

Some more on his life here https://hoboken.pastperfectonline.com/library/2DB01F63-5245-4190-95E6-473729316338 e.g.

Notable among them was New York native William Cooper (1798-1864), son of a wealthy English merchant, who later took up permanent residence in Hoboken. One of the founders of the Lyceum of Natural History (the members of which established the American Museum of Natural History in New York City), William Cooper was initially known for his study of "the fossil bones of gigantic animals," including pioneering work on a Mastodon giganteum skeleton discovered in New Jersey; but he soon developed a reputation for the careful collection and study of plants and birds of the Northern and Middle states.

And here https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v030n05/p0261-p0307.pdf p. 274 we find even a picture of him.

Note: Even our unknown Dr. Alexandre we find there (without any news). p. 264 (maybe one for Paul?) Remember...

● Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri BOURCIER & MULSANT 1846 (here) as "T. [Trochilus] Alexandri" a k a Alexander Hummingbird Nothing additional on this guy I´m afraid.

(Not even talk about the mysterious Mr. Riefer.)

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Re. William Cooper (c.1798–1864) ... with some minor comments (my blue).

I have no clue how we can find William C. Cooper (1798-1864) in the key, but I want to start at least a discussion if there is a C. in the middle name as clamed in ... The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

Most souces contain no C. ...

If we're to trust the Biographical Sketch of the late William Cooper of Hudson County, New Jersey ... (from 1887, here): "born about the year 1798 ...", I would say there shouldn't be any C (nor any other middle name], just like in Paul's records, as well as in all those other texts and sources [of course ]. Once again the The Eponym Dictionary of Birds seems (a bit) erroneous.

William’s father was James Cooper (c. Sept 1760-19/12/1801). Baptized 26 Sep 1760. Baptism Place: Spofforth, All Saints, Yorkshire, England

James married Francis Graham (not sure where).
...

Though, following the same Biographical Sketch ... I think he married a "Miss Frances Graham".

And onwards, according to Emerson's paper in the Bulletin of the Cooper Ornithological Club (here) they (the latter couple; William & Frances) were the Parents of "Dr. James G. Cooper" [i.e. James Graham Cooper, 19 June 1830 – 19 July 1902]; "one of our best ornithologists", and the guy commemorated in the name of the Cooper Ornithological Club itself!

Thus, making the Senior "James Cooper (c. Sept 1760-19/12/1801)" the Grandfather of the latter [who, in his turn, seems to have been born and bred in (and into) Natural History].

Anyone who disagree?

/B
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[Björn Bergenholtz]

Re. Mr/Señor Cooper as in ...

● the Pacific Screech-owl (Scops/Otus) Megascops cooperi RIDGWAY 1878, a k a "Cooper's Screech Owl"

... But if he was Costa Rican, as the death certificate indicates, why should Costa Rican naming conventions not apply to him...?
...

Well, I don't know, why shouldn't it, or why should it? I guess it all boils down to that single factor, if he was Costa Rican, or not, (that is, in the sense; if he was born there). And this far I´ve seen nothing (solid) pointing either way. It sure looks like he could have been, but that's not enough (at least not to me). Prior to this thread I hadn't seen 'Sandoval' mentioned anywhere.

To me a 'Costa Rican' (even if stated as such in a death certificate) could mean that he was born there, but I assume that 'Costa Rican' also could have been used on a naturalized (immigrant) citizen (who'd spent most, close to all, of his life there), who knows?

Either way, in most other texts that I've seen up til this point he's most often mentioned as simply: "Juan J. Cooper" or "Juan Cooper", like, for example, in this Costa Rican piece/work, from 1924 (see pp.8, 13, 84 resp. 34), where there's no 'Sandoval' in sight ...

But of course, if he's born in Costa Rica, if so (and the main thing is that certain: if), sure, 'Sandoval' could be included (even if most often forgotten, or deliberatly left-out) in his actual full name [and this do seems to be the case, Margarita Sandoval (Perez), sure doesn't sound like a typical contemporary British/English lady ]

However; this far (without an exact Birth date, and ditto location) I wouldn''t dare to claim more than; Juan José Cooper (circa 1846–1911), or/alt./a.k.a. Juan José Cooper Sandoval, Collector in Costa Rica, and onwards (as earlier) ... with the added part of his parents; the English engineer Henry 'Enrique' Cooper [who'd emigrated (when?) to Costa Rica, where he became an agricultor/farmer?] and his wife ... and so on.

But, as always; don't hesitate to convince med that 'Sandoval' does belong in his true, full original name.

I rest my case (lost in translation) ... too many, far too many Spanish text (for my capacity) ...

Good luck (to anyone, more capable) finding the very last piece/s!

Björn

PS. Regarding his Mother, as mentioned in his (very hard-to-read) Death certificate (attached in Paul's post #2):

... -- "de oficios domesticos" something ?)...

Doesn't it say: ... do oficioe domesticoe p...something (like poita/posta/posto) ... ?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Cooper Sandoval's Screech Owl

I simply couldn't keep my fingers away from "Cooper's Screech Owl" ...

While trying to find his alleged Parents I happened to stumble upon this "Enrique Cooper", present in Costa Rica in 1838, but if he's the Father of "our guy" (Juan) I cannot tell, not from this text (all in Spanish), but I think so. The same "Enrique Cooper" is also mentioned here (on pp.225-226), but I think both those texts are mostly about his Work (building roads?).

Of (far) more value is the following quote/s:

Del primero de estos ingleses que tenemos datos claros es de Henry Cooper. Era ingeniero, vino a vivir a Costa Rica en 1826, procedía del Norte de Inglaterra, de la ciudad de York y después de trabajar en el monte del Aguacate vino a la Meseta Central y compró una casa en Cartago, se casó con Margarita Sandoval en 1839 y tuvo seis hijos. El hizo algunas sugerencias sobre los puertos y las carreteras. Fue Cooper quien tuvo la idea de hacer un puerto en Limón, lo que ayudó mucho a la economía del país por que se pagaron mejores precios por el café, ya que lo compraban en el Caribe y no tenían que hacer el viaje de dos meses por Cabo de Hornos. Gracias a sus sugerencias hubo un estudio hecho para la ruta entre San José y Puntarenas en 1844.

[from here, p.4]​

Google Translate: The first of these Englishmen ... is Henry Cooper. He was an engineer, he came to live in Costa Rica in 1826, he came from the North of England, from the city of York and after working on the Mount of Avocado he came to the Central Plateau and bought a house in Cartago, he married Margarita Sandoval in 1839 and had six children. He made some suggestions about the ports and the roads. It was Cooper who had the idea of making a port in Limón, which helped the country's economy a lot because they paid better prices for coffee, since they bought it in the Caribbean and did not have to make the two-month trip for Cape Horn. Thanks to his suggestions there was a study done for the route between San José and Puntarenas in 1844.

Thus, if "our guy", Juan José Cooper, was born in about 1846, as one of those (six) hijos of Henry (''Enrique") Cooper and Margarita Sandoval, he sure seems to have been born in Costa Rica, probably in Cartago, which would make him 'all Costa Rican', and as such (in the local tradition) Sandoval could certainly be included in his full name!

I doubt they left and went "home" to York, England, for little Juan's Birth.

However, still no exact Birth Date, nor any (confirmed/verified) location.

/B

PS. They seem to have had even more children (here)!
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[Taphrospilus]

Maybe it is possible to trace his birth thrugh his son James Graham Cooper - Wikipedia

His own William Cooper (conchologist) - Wikipedia is not that great.

That he was only 19 at his death like claimed here A History of the New York Academy of Sciences I do not believe.

The Condor/Volume 1/Number 1/Dr. James G. Cooper - Wikisource, the free online library

en.wikisource.org

In the spring of 1837, his father, William Cooper, moved to New Jersey and settled at Slougha, near Hoboken, where James commenced his school life, but it was not until he was ten years of age that his school life really began, as prior to this time he was subject to many and severe spells of illness.

His father , William Cooper , was born in the year 1798 , and was the son of James Cooper , an English merchant who, coming to New York shortly after the Revolutionary War , accumulated a comfortable fortune , and died in 1801.

Is William Cooper (judge) - Wikipedia his father?

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

The Condor/Volume 1/Number 1/Dr. James G. Cooper - Wikisource, the free online library

Martin, the alleged "Condor/Volume 1/Number 1 ..." = Bulletin of the Cooper Ornithological Club (Vol. 1, No.1, here), the same text, by Emerson, was earlier (as well) posted in post #9 (see latter link).

BHL beats Wikisource! Every day of the Week ...

 

[PScofield]

There seems to be some confusion here Jose Copper is in no way related to William. Jose's great grandfather was Lancelot.

 

[Taphrospilus]

@Paul I do not think that this was ever claimed. There are several Coopers honored in bird names.

But the question remains where and when was William Cooper born?

 

[l_raty]

FamilySearch has him as William Cooper 1797 – 1864. (No sources attached to the record.)

 

[mb1848]

"William Cooper, was born in the year 1798, and was the son of James Cooper, an English merchant, who, coming to New York shortly after the Revolutionary War..." That war ended 1783ish. Most probably born in New York. In 1817 he was a founding member of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York.
The Condor/Volume 1/Number 1/Dr. James G. Cooper - Wikisource, the free online library .

 

[Taphrospilus]

Same as #12 and #13. But I am not 100% convinced about 1798 as it may just derived from #7 where 1864 66 years old was mentioned. This does not necessarily mean 1798.

 

[mb1848]

But I am not 100% convinced about 1798 as it may just derived from #7 where 1864 66 years old was mentioned. This does not necessarily mean 1798.

I agree , this date was guessed from the fact he founded the Lyceum in 1817 at the age of 19. I pick 1797.
I think WC was born in New York, New York. In 1810 New York was the most populous city in USA. The odds are good.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Re. Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii BONAPARTE 1828 (here), as "Falco cooperii" (earlier also known as Coopers hök alt./and cooperhök in Swedish, and as such incl. in my MS), as well as other taxa, like the today invalid (hybrid) Cooper's Sandpiper Pisobia/Calidris cooperi BAIRD 1858 (a k a "coopersnäppa", in Swedish)

... But I am not 100% convinced about 1798 as it may just derived from #7 where 1864 66 years old was mentioned. This does not necessarily mean 1798.

I agree , this date was guessed from the fact he founded the Lyceum in 1817 at the age of 19. I pick 1797.
I think WC was born in New York, New York. In 1810 New York was the most populous city in USA. The odds are good.

But, also see the background info, intertwined in this piece by W. H. Dall, in Science (New Series) Vol. 16, No.398 (1902), pp.268–269, reporting on the Death of (William's Eldest Son) "Dr. James. G. Cooper", who died "at the age of seventy-two years, July 19, 1902" [my blue/bolds]:

James Cooper, an English merchant, settled in New York shortly after the Revolution, accumulated a competency and died in 1801, leaving a son, William Cooper, born in 1798. At an early age the latter, who had inherited the love of nature from his mother, Frances Graham, determined to devote himself to the study of Natural History. At the age of eighteen young Cooper became one of the founders of the Lyceum of Natural History, now the New York Academy of Sciences, ...

Either way, in Biographies for Birdwatchers [The Lives of Those Commemorated in Western Palearctic Bird Names], by Barbara Mearns & Richard Mearns (Revised and Expanded Edition, 2022) we're told (in vol.1, pp. 97–99):

William Cooper
(c.1798-1864)
Cooper was born in New York, in or around 1798 ...
[... ]
... until his death on 20 April 1864.

Thus, and this far, I agree with the Mearns Couple, as I haven't seen anything all-convincing re. his exact Birth year (nor date), thereby, in my notes and MS, I (still) wouldn't dare to say more than William Cooper (ca.1798–1864).

But, of course, and as always, don't hesitate to prove otherwise.

A Birth record would surely be welcomed!

Björn

...
Is William Cooper (judge) - Wikipedia his father?

PS. He's not to be confused with his far more famous Cousin, James Fenimore Cooper (15 September, 1789 – 14 September, 1851), Author of (for example); The Last of the Mohicans (1826). This guy, in his turn, do however seem to be the Son of the "wealthy, landowning Judge William Cooper".