Catherine. He married Rachel Douglass, whose brother, Alexander Douglass, was a quartermaster and adjutant of the Burlington county militia, of New Jersey, and at his home General St. Clair had his headquarters at the time of the battle of Trenton. After that engagement General Washington and his officers held their council of war at his residence, Mill Hill, which led to the battle of Princeton. George Cooper, the father of him whose name introduces this review, was born on the north shore of the Shrewsbury river, in Middletown township, on the 1st of July, 1779. In his youth he learned the trade of brick-laying at Philadelphia, following that occupation for many years, and at one time he was engaged in business with Thomas T. Taylor. He married Maria Micheau, who was born at Nut Swamp, Monmouth county, March 1, 1791. and was of French extraction. Her father, Benjamin Micheau, was a prominent merchant of Middletown, at which place he continued in business for a number of years. Benjamin Micheau was a son of Paul Micheau, of Staten Island, a native of France. George F. Cooper, the immediate subject of this sketch, was born at Nut Swamp, Monmouth county, New Jersey, on the 9th of September, 1827. He was reared in the place of his nativity, attending the district schools during his youth, and afterward entered the high school of Middletown, where he enjoyed superior educational advantages. He has made farming his life occupation, and in this branch of industry his efforts have been crowned with success. He owns one hundred and fourteen acres of valuable land in Middletown township, besides property at Farmingdale and town property at Red Bank. He was one of the promoters, organizers, stockholders, and since 1893 one of the directors of the First National Bank of Red Bank. Mr. Cooper has also been honored with a number of offices within the gift of the people, having served as commissioner of appeals and as surveyor of the highways, and in both positions he performed his duties with the utmost fidelity and honor. On the 11th of November, 1851, occurred the marriage of Mr. Cooper and Miss Sarah E. Applegate. who was born at Nut Swamp October 1, 1829. She is a daughter of Joseph S. and Ann Applegate, also of Nut Swamp, and their history will be found in the sketch of Hon. J. S. Apple-' gate in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have had five children, of whom four survive, namely: Mary E., Eleanor L., Edward M. and Anna A. The deceased child was Maria Louise, who died in infancy. Mary E. married George K. Hopping, an agriculturist of Middletown township, and they have four children—Charles K., Frank P., Maesne K. and Walter K. Eleanor L. married Edward J. Hopping, who died in 1888, leaving two sons, George C. and the late Harry Clay Hopping. The last named was a member of the Sixth United States Cavalrv, Companv F, which participated in the Spanish-American war, and Private Hopping died in the service, of typhoid fever, contracted through exposure in camp at Montauk Point, Long Island. Edward M. married Sarah H., a daughter of Samuel H. Patterson, and they have three children—George F.. Guy and Robert A. Anna A. married William T. Conover, whose sketch appears in this volume. Charles K. married Miss Mabel Wilson, and they have one child, Thelma. HENRY E. ACKERSON. Captain Henry E. Ackerson, whose farm of seventy-seven acres, sitdated near the station of Hazlet. is one of the most desirable farming properties in Monmouth county, was born in Warwick, Orange county. New York, July 24. 1821, and is a son of Cornelius Ackerson, who was a native of Orange county, New York. He was a son of Garrett Ackerson, a native of Rockland county, New York, whose ancestors emigrated from Holland to America at an early period in the development of this country. After arriving at years of maturity Cornelius Ackerson married Sarah Townsend, a daughter of Elijah Townsend, a native of Dutchess county. After residing for some years in Warwick, New York, the parents of our subject removed to Monmouth county, New Jersey, in 1832. and purchased a large farm, a part of which is now in possession of the Captam. They had five children, namely: John T., deceased; William W., deceased; Maria A., deceased, who married Joseph Hoff; Henry E., of this review; and Ann Eliza, the deceased wife of Joseph H. Gibson. The school privileges which Captain Ackerson received were very limited, but he was early instructed in the use of the hoe, plow and other farming implements, and at the age of twenty-one years he began cultivating land on shares, thus carrying on agriculture pursuits until his father's death, when there was a division of the property. After receiving his share of the estate he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the home farm, and has since engaged in horticultural pursuits with excellent success. He carries on his work along scientific principles and in addition to the old homestead of seventy-seven acres he has added a farm of ninetyfour acres near by. His entire attention is devoted to fruit raising, and his orchards contain several thousand trees, including apples, pears, peaches, cherries and plums, all in very fine condition. He has studied the best methods of fruit culture, thoroughly understands the needs and requirements of the different trees, and his enterprising efforts have developed one of the finest fruit farms in this portion of the county. In 1865 Captain Ackerson became interested in a stock company owning the propeller Holmdel, which for two years he commanded on her trips from Keyport to New York and return; but with the exception of this period his entire life has been devoted to the cultivation and improvement of his farm, on which he now has a very fine residence and all modern accessories and conveniences. Captain Ackerson has been twice married. He first married Miss Mary Hyer, a daughter of William Hyer, of Matawan, the ceremony being performed in 1840. Their children were: Sarah, the wife of Daniel I. Stillwell; Cornelius Ackerson (whose personal history is contained elsewhere |