Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Living married Nan DOE [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Alexnader James Cooper became a tailor and moved to Gore Bay.

After marriage in 1904, Alexander and his wife moved to Thessalon.
The first two children were born in Gore Bay, but perhaps Rebecca came home for the births (all the North Channel steamers were in operation).
Aletha, the 3rd child, was born in Thessalon.

It is thought that the move to Thessalon may have been for business reasons; presumably there were other tailors in Gore Bay and fewer in Thessalon, a newer town (founded 1890).

Alexander married Rebecca Alethea GOODMURPHY on 28 Jun 1904 in Gore Bay, Ontario. Rebecca (daughter of JOHN GOODMURPHY and Delilah Jane COOPER) was born on 17 Jun 1885 in Gore Bay, Ontario; died on 26 Nov 1951 in Thessalon, Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John was married on October 28, 1966, his younger brother Daniel was a witness, also as a witness, was Rueben Cooper, brother to the bride.

John purchased 1/4 acre of Lot 1, Concession 1, Hillier Twp, from his father Lawrence on April 28, 1867.
John in turn sold this property to Sarah E. Hollingsworth on June 28, 1867.

The 1871 Census has a John Murphy, his wife Jane, and daughter Mary residing in the Village of Wellington. John was a shoemaker by trade, and the family were
Quakers by religion.

John and his family moved to Gore Bay (on Manitoulin Island) sometime after the 1871 Census.
Presumably sometime after March 1875, as their son Obadiah was born in Wellington on March 23, 1875. Estimate move to be in 1880.

There is a John Goodmurphy listed as living in Gore Bay in 1883 and operating a Shoe Shop.

Their daughter, Mary Emma, was married on the island in November 1883.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Following information provided by John and Helen Whidden
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John died in Gore Bay and is buried in Gordon Cemetery.

1881 Census: Twp of Gordon and Mills: Goodmurphy, John, age 38, born Ontario
Religion: Quaker Origin: Irish
Occupation: Shoemaker

1891 Census: Tore of Gore Bay: Goodmurphy, John, age 48, born Ontario
Religion: Freethinker Origin: Irish
Occupation: Merchant

According to the book ("The Early Years of Gore Bay") John Goodmurphy was one of four early shoemakers in Gore Bay, and the map on page 105 of the book, shows
the Goodmurphy shoeshop as next to Jackson Brothers store, which was on the corner of Meredith & Eleanor Streets.
This was the store that John subsequently owned, and, from the evidence of the 1881 Census and 1891 Census, it is clear that he bought it between 1881 and 1891.
He later sold the business to the Smith Brothers, and his daughter sold the store and property to the Smiths in 1928 (documents in Records Office). That store, has
been Jackson's, Goodmurphy's, Smith's, and now Wood's, or, at least the corner property was occupied by Jackson's store of whatever type, whether the same
building or not.

Photograph (photocopy) on hand, of house built by John Goodmurphy, situated at corner of Laird & Eleanor Streets in Gore Bay. John built, lived and died in this
particular house.

Photocopy of photograph of John Goodmurphy (circa 1890's) on hand.

John did other things as well as shoemaking, he is listed as a farmer in 1902, which was not known in the family, and which may just mean that he owned some farm
land. On page 99 of the book, John is said to have "engineered the building of that mill at Murph's Harbour on the south shore; also the building at Srigley Bay..".
This, the family knew nothing about, either.

In his Will, John left all his property in Gore Bay to his daughter, Rebecca Alethea Goodmurphy Cooper. At the time of his death it consisted of Lots 6, 7 & 8 on the
East side of Laird Street (which included the stone house on Eleanor) part of Lot 6 and Lot 7 on the West side of Phipps Street, and part of Lot 6 on the East side of
Phipps Street. He clearly owned a good deal of land and all of it was subsequently sold by his daughter.

It is surmised that John's interest in starting the Ice rink (circa 1903) was because of his daughter's interest.

Above information provided through research, done by John & Helen (Cooper Wright) Whidden, taken from the Archives of Ontario.

Beatrice Goodmurphy (daughter of Joel & Lillie Belle) lived with and worked for the Coopers in Thessalon, before her marriage to Len Shewfelt in 1921.
She has very good memories of this period in her life.
The Cooper house has been recently restored.
According to Bea's memory, John Goodmurphy "was a miserable old guy".


Died:
Buried in Gordon Cemetery

JOHN married Delilah Jane COOPER on 28 Oct 1866 in Bloomfield, Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. Delilah (daughter of Obadiah COOPER and Rebecca BURLINGHAM) was born on 26 Sep 1842 in Bloomfield, Hallowell Township, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada; died on 30 Oct 1921 in Thessalon, Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Delilah Jane Cooper Goodmurphy, died of senility in Thessalon, Ontario and is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Thessalon.
She died in Thessalon while staying with her daughter Rebecca Alethea Goodmurphy Cooper.


Died:
Buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Thessalon