----Source: 1891 History of Clark & Jackson Co., Wis., pg. 281-282

FRANK COOPER, of Black River Falls, is the second son of Joseph and Grace Cooper, and was born in Derbyshire, England, March 27, 1825. Joseph Cooper was a ship-builder by trade in the old country, but emigrated to America when Frank was four years old he purchased a tract of land in what was then the far west, Ashtabula County, Ohio, which he converted into a farm and made his home until his death, which occurred in 1884 he left a widow and five children: John, Frank, Joseph, Martha and Samuel. Three sons, George, William and Charles, preceded him to mystic future. Frank was the only one to stray permanently from the adopted calling of his father. Though his schooling was very limited, he early exhibited a liking for books, and the age of eighteen found him an apprentice in the Ashtabula Sentinel office. At the end of this apprenticeship he was employed for one year in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, and Lansing, Michigan. In 1847 he came to Wisconsin, landing in Milwaukee, and with the exception of a short residence in Michigan he has been a Badger ever since. He was married at Racine, Wisconsin, December 24, 1848, to Miss Catherine A. Fox, daughter of Francis and Cynthia Fox to them were born three sons: Charles J., September 18, 1849 George F., July 9, 1852 and Arthur S., April 2, 1856. Charles has been in the United States mail service for about fifteen years, and Arthur is a civil engineer, holding a responsible position in the South. George will be spoken of later. The mother died December 30, 1880, and Mr. Cooper was married again October 16, 1886, to Mrs. Nellie Darrow.

The spring of 1857 found Mr. Cooper in Fond du Lac County, without employment at his trade, and he was induced to go to Black River Falls and take the position of foreman of the Jackson County Banner. He continued in this capacity until March, 1864, when he enlisted on his thirty-ninth birthday to serve his country in the war of the Rebellion. He was mustered into the service at Madison, in Company C, Thirty-seventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, April 26, 1864. The regiment shortly afterward went to the front and was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps. He served as Second Sergeant until July 28, 1865, when he was mustered out. He was in the siege of Petersburg, and was twice wounded in the charge on Fort Mahone after six hours of unconsciousness he found himself in the rebel works, and crawled out, dragging his gun in his teeth he was sent to the hospital but, declining to take the medicine prescribed by the doctors, he was sent back to the regiment, where he remained, although unfit for service in April, 1864, he obtained a recruiting furlough of thirty days. After the close of the war he received from Governor Fairchild a brevet commission as First Lieutenant.

Upon his return to Black River Falls he found no opening in his profession, so, in company with A. J. Manley, he started, at Neillsville, Clark County, a paper called the Clark County Advocate. About a year later, however, he sold out to his partner, and returned to the Falls, purchasing a half interest in the Banner.

Mr. Cooper having spent the greater portion of his life since he started into business on the Banner, a brief history of the paper will probably not be out of place in this connection.

Mainly through the efforts of W. T. Price, and liberal subscriptions from other pioneers, seeing the necessity of a newspaper to represent the growing interests of the Black River Valley, the Banner was established, and made its first appearance August 14, 1856, with Charles Stewart and M. V. B. Young as publishers. These gentlemen did not succeed, however, and they sold out the following winter to F. O. Brainard and D. J. Spaulding, the latter having only a pro0rietary interest in the business, and in the spring of 1866, George W. Brown succeeded Mr. Brainard, but retired in the fall of the same year, selling out to Mr. Watrus. Under the management of the latter, the name of the paper was changed to Badger State Banner. In December, 1866, Frank Cooper purchased a half interest, and became an active partner in the concern. W. T. Price sold out to C. J. Cooper, and in the summer of 1873 C. J. Cooper retired, and George F. Cooper took his place, at the age of twenty-one years. With characteristic modesty the latter did not permit his name to appear as editor or publisher of the paper, but he has not spared himself in his efforts to make the paper all that can be expected of a country newspaper, and while he makes no pretensions to greatness, he does justly pride himself on understanding his business tack and painstaking interest the work that in a short time his father let the responsibility of the general management rest upon his shoulders.
In February, 1888, Frank Cooper sold his interest to his son, who is now conducting the business under the name of Cooper Co. Under this management the paper is generally classed as one of the best country papers in the State, and there is probably no better equipped establishment of the kind in this section of country.

Frank Cooper is yet in the vigor of life physically and mentally he spends the greater portion of his time in the Banner office, rendering his son much valuable assistance in the getting up and publishing of the paper. He is of a happy, buoyant disposition, prompt in all things, constant and conservative. In his younger days he was a very powerful man, and he has yet the strength and endurance of men of fewer years.