Biographical data

Biographical Data
Cooper, James If you have images associated with this Person, please contact us at admin@nauticapedia.ca

Title	Captain (MM)
Official Number

Birth	(nk)	Death	(nk)
Place	(nk)	Place	(nk)
Area	(nk)	Area	(nk)
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Titles
Honours
Awards
Qualifications

Biography
He entered Hudsons Bay Company service in 1844. In 1849 he commanded the bark Columbia. In c1850 he became an independedent settler on Vancouver island. His family came out from Engalnd in the Tory in 1851. He brought out a small schooner, in pieces, for use in trading which was named as the Alice. She carried spars and timbers to California He settled at Metchosin on a farm managed by Thomas Blinkhorn with Sandwich Islanders for labour. He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver Island in 1851-56 representing Esquimalt District.In 13/01/1859 he was appointed as the first Harbour Master for Victoria. He was appointed as the Harbour Master for New Westminster 1860-1868. He was Harbour Master of the Port of New Westminster. He marked the channel with beacons (wooden buoys) when Captain Pender made his survey of the Sandheads and Fraser River. He was the pilot in the USS Suwanee in 1868 when she was wrecked at Shadwell Passage. He built a saltery in 1870 on Deas Island which he leased to John Sullivan Deas to operate as a cannery in 1872. He was appointed in 1875 as the first Dominion Fisheries Agent for British Columbia. In 1872-1879 he was the first Marine Agent of the Canada Department of Transport in Victoria BC. He was dismissed after being found guilty of fraud.

Biography

He entered Hudsons Bay Company service in 1844. In 1849 he commanded the bark Columbia. In c1850 he became an independedent settler on Vancouver island. His family came out from Engalnd in the Tory in 1851. He brought out a small schooner, in pieces, for use in trading which was named as the Alice. She carried spars and timbers to California He settled at Metchosin on a farm managed by Thomas Blinkhorn with Sandwich Islanders for labour. He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver Island in 1851-56 representing Esquimalt District.In 13/01/1859 he was appointed as the first Harbour Master for Victoria. He was appointed as the Harbour Master for New Westminster 1860-1868. He was Harbour Master of the Port of New Westminster. He marked the channel with beacons (wooden buoys) when Captain Pender made his survey of the Sandheads and Fraser River. He was the pilot in the USS Suwanee in 1868 when she was wrecked at Shadwell Passage. He built a saltery in 1870 on Deas Island which he leased to John Sullivan Deas to operate as a cannery in 1872. He was appointed in 1875 as the first Dominion Fisheries Agent for British Columbia. In 1872-1879 he was the first Marine Agent of the Canada Department of Transport in Victoria BC. He was dismissed after being found guilty of fraud.

Military Service

Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown
Named Features	Cooper Inlet (BC). Harbourmaster Point (BC);

Anecdotes
He is considered to be the second or third indpendent settler in the Vancouver Island Crown Colony.

References
Gresko, Jacqueline & Richard Howard (Eds.) (1986); Sooke Region Museum (1989); Walbran, Captain John T. (1909); Appleton, Thomas E. (1970); Wilson, Hill (2005);
Last update
2011-02-08 00:00:00

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Biographical Data

Cooper, James