"A Look Back"

The Stories presented here are about people and events during the early days when this corner of Colorado was first settled.

Byron Cooper – A man of integrity
By Shannan Koucherik for the Museum of NW COLO

Some of the people who helped to build Craig did so without benefit of publicity that comes from a long life. But lack of mention doesn’t mean lack of importance.

Byron Cooper was born on April 14, 1857 in Des Moines, Iowa. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Indiana for ten years before returning to Iowa. He stayed in Iowa until he reached manhood. His father died when he was very young.

At age 23, he struck out for Colorado. He brought his widowed mother along as he would the rest of his life. He landed in Leadville, Colorado where he spent five years working in the booming town. In 1885, they left Leadville and headed farther west, settling in the sparsely populated Bear River area that would eventually become Craig and the Yampa Valley. He worked hauling freight and earned a reputation for his honesty and integrity.

During the holiday season, he began offering sleigh rides on his large freight rig. He took youth out at Christmas and hosted the older people for a similar drive on New Year’s Eve. His six-up of horses were always decorated for the occasion and their sleigh bells could be heard all over town.

He was married to Miss Ossa Haughey on Sept 23, 1902 and the couple soon had two daughters, Maud born in 1903 and Thelma who was born in the spring of 1906.

Just weeks after Thelma’s birth, he came down with measles on and later spinal meningitis set in which finally caused his death on the 14 Sept, 1906. At age 49, he left a grieving family and a sorrowful town.

“Last Friday morning the town of Craig was greatly saddened by the news of the death of Byron Cooper. He had been suffering for about two weeks with a severe case of measles but Thursday morning he was thought to be improving. About noon on Thursday, however, he began to grow worse and the end finally came about seven o’clock Friday morning.

“Mr. Cooper was known in Craig as an honest and upright man and was one of the best citizens Craig ever had.

“The funeral occurred Saturday afternoon and was attended by a large crowd, despite the rain, who had gathered to pay their last respects to a man who was adored by all for his honesty and integrity.” (Routt County Courier Sept. 20, 1906)

Although he was still a young man when he died, Byron Cooper had the greatest gift that any person could have – the respect of his friends and neighbors.