History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

1370

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

side Grandfather Coleman was born in New York State of Irish descent.
Calvin T. Covell was born in Washington county, New York, July I809,
and died in 1879, while his wife was born in the same year, also in New
York State, and died in 1856. They were married in I830. Calvin T.
Covell, spent all his active career as a Pennsylvania farmer. He was a
member of the Universalist church, is Republican in politics, and for a
number of years held the office of justice of the peace. He and his wife
were the parents of twelve children, six of whom are living and Mark B.
was the tenth in order of birth. The children still living are mentioned as
follows: Lyman T., living retired in White Hall; Rebecca, wife of Mr.
Staples, of White Hall; Augusta Lewis, a widow, living in White Hall;
Charles E., who is in business with his brother Mark; Mark B., David
Wilmot, a farmer in Muskegon county.
Mark B. Covell had a common school education in his native county
of Bradford, his early experiences and environments were those of his
father's farm, and when twenty-one years of age, about I870, he came
west and located in Michigan. His first employment here was in a lumber
camp. At his arrival in this state, his purse contained only two dollars
and a half. Two years in a lumber camp was followed by employment as
bookkeeper, after which he and a brother and Capt. P. D. Campbell
operated the boat line to Chicago, had a grocery store, and were active in
various lines, which paid them a sure but steady profit, and thus they laid
the foundation of success. Their early fortune was acquired largely in
the lumber business, which they followed during the seventies and eighties.
In i89I, Charles E. Covell bought out the other brothers, and he and
Mark have since been partners in the lumber mill and real estate business
' at White Hall.
In I902 Mark Covell assisted in the organization of the State Bank of
White Hall, with a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, and a surplus at this time of six thousand dollars, and has served as president of
that substantial institution ever since.
In 1875 Mr. Covell married Miss Mary Myhra, who was born in Norway and died in I891 without children. In 1893 he married Mary A.
Wilson, who was born in Scotland, a daughter of William Wilson, a
moulder by trade. They are the parents of three children: Emeline W.,
who lives at home; Mary Elizabeth, who is a student in the Ypsilanti
Normal School; and Mark B. Jr., also in school. The family are members of the Congregational church, Mr. Covell is affiliated with the
Masonic Order, and in politics is Independent. His public service includes
tenure of the offices of treasurer and president of the village and at this
time he is serving in the village council. His possessions include large
land in the vicinity of White Hall, city real estate, and varied connections
with business enterprise.
JOHN T. COOPER, M. D. A graduate in medicine in I902, Dr. Cooper
has been in active practice at Muskegon since I905. Muskegon is his old
home, having been his place of residence since I868, at which time his
parents located there. Dr. Cooper is a very capable physician and surgeon, and at the present time is holding the office of county physician.
John T. Cooper is a native of the Netherlands, in which country the
name was spelled Kuiper. He was born there, February 7, i862, a son
of Thys and Maaite (Wiersme) Cooper. The father was born in the
Netherlands in 1833, and died in I885, and the mother was born in 1824,
and died in I9Io. They crossed the Atlantic, and settled at Muskegon in
i868. The father was a laborer on first arriving in Michigan, later took
up the dairy business, and was on the road to a generous prosperity at
the time of his death. There were three children, two of whom are yet