Guide to the Papers of the Cooper Family, 1943-1978
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Papers of the Cooper Family
- Creator
- Cooper Family
- Collection Number
- MSS#3
- Extent
- .5 cubic feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1943-1978
- Abstract
- The Cooper family papers focus primarily on two members of the Cooper family, Sarah Bedinger Cooper and Wade F. Cooper. The correspondence includes the years 1954-1975.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Biographical Sketch of the Cooper Family
The Cooper family papers focus primarily on two members of the Cooper family, Sarah Bedinger Cooper and Wade F. Cooper. Mrs. Sarah Cooper came to Pittsburgh and the Kingsley House in 1912 as the wife of Charles Champlin Cooper, (1874-1930), then Director of the Kingsley Association. The Coopers had four children: three sons Benjamin D., Wade Folger, and Jonathan C. and a daughter, Harriet Elizabeth Cooper, later Harriet Cooper Lundquist.
After the death of her husband in 1930, Sarah was appointed Director of the Kingsley House and remained as director until she retired in 1948. For the summers the Coopers moved to Lillian Fresh Air Camp, part of the Kingsley Association. As a part of Mrs. Cooper's work she led the drive that resulted in the establishment of Heart House, which was set up for children with heart conditions at Valencia.
In 1954, continuing her volunteer work, Mrs. Cooper went to Assuit College in Assiout, Egypt to teach orphan children. She did this throughout 1955. Mrs. Cooper spent the next year travelling through Europe with two of her girlfriends. She returned and resided in the Highland Park section of Pittsburgh.
Wade Cooper was born on June 16, 1916. He died at age 58 of cardiac arrest at Presbyterian Hospital of Pittsburgh. Wade led a very active life. He attended school at the Western Reserve Academy in Hudson Ohio, the Peabody High School in Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh, graduating in 1948 with a degree in Sociology, and Columbia University, New York City, with a Masters degree in Community Organizations in 1954. He worked in the Social Service field from 1954 to 1962 when he joined the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. In 1968 he became the Head of School of Administration, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius. He held this position until his untimely death in 1975.
Scope and Content Notes
The Cooper Family papers include correspondence from the years 1954-1975. The correspondence includes letters from family members to Wade and Sarah Cooper. The bulk are from Sarah written to her children while living in Egypt and teaching at Assuit College and her time traveling through Europe. Many of the other Correspondence is sent from Wade during his time spent living in Africa. The financial materials relate to Wade's medical bills as well as his estate settlement at the time of his death. Included in the miscellaneous are news clippings about the Kingsley House and articles as well as travel accounts of Wade's trip to Nigeria and the itinerary of Mrs. Coopers European vacation.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Benjamin Cooper on March 19, 1981. The materials were received in one accession.
Preferred Citation
Papers of the Cooper Family, 1943-1978, MSS#3, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania This collection has been previously cited: Cooper Family Papers, 1943-1978, Historical Society of Western PennsylvaniaGeneral
This collection has been previously cited: Cooper Family Papers, 1943-1978, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Julia A. Pretti on March 19, 1981.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Michael Bolam in February 8, 2000.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- Assiut College (Asyut, Egypt)
- Kingsley House (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- University of Mauritius.
- Cooper, Sarah Bedinger.
- Cooper, Wade F., -- 1916-1975.
- Africa -- Description and travel
- Egypt -- Description and travel
- Egypt -- Education.
- Europe -- Description and travel
- Mauritius -- Description and travel
- Mauritius -- Education.
- Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Education.
- Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Medicine.
- Education -- Africa.
- Education -- Mauritius.
- Medicine -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
- Social settlements -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
- Universities and Colleges
- Voyages and travels