Sarah Brown Ingersoll Cooper
Encyclopedia
Sarah Brown Ingersoll Cooper (December 12, 1835 – December 11, 1896) was an American philanthropist and educator.
Born in Cazenovia, New York
as the eldest of three daughters, she was educated at the Cazenovia Seminary
and the Troy Female Seminary. She met her future husband, Halsey Fenimore Cooper, at Cazenovia, and the couple were married in 1855. The couple moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee
and worked as editors on The Advertiser, with Sarah assisting Halsey. They had daughters Harriet (1856) and Mollie (1861) before they were forced to flee the south at the start of the Civil War.
They briefly settled in Washington D.C., then moved to Memphis
, Tennessee
in 1863. In 1864, after her daughter Mollie died, Sarah began to suffer from depression and illness. For two years she attempted to recuperate in St. Paul, Minnesota, then she recovered when the family moved to San Francisco in 1869, where Halsey worked for the IRS
.
At her new home, Sarah became a teacher at the Bible Class of the Calvary Presbyterian Church. She founded the Jackson Street Kindergarten Association in 1879, then went on to open the first Kindergarten
in the American West.
In 1879, Halsey lost his job as Deputy Surveyor and the family suffered financial difficulties. As a result of the strain, he committed suicide in 1885. After attempting to clear her husband's name, Sarah continued her philanthropic career. She taught both the Bible School and Kindergarten, and was involved with women's rights groups. Her daughter had quit her teaching job to assist Sarah, but suffered from bouts of depression, especially following the death of her father. Harriet asphyxiated her mother and herself on December 11, 1896.
Born in Cazenovia, New York
Cazenovia, New York
Cazenovia is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 6,481 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Theophilus Cazenove, an agent of the Holland Land Company.The Town of Cazenovia has a village also named Cazenovia...
as the eldest of three daughters, she was educated at the Cazenovia Seminary
Cazenovia Seminary
Cazenovia Seminary was an academic seminary of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was located in Cazenovia, New York, U.S.A.. It was founded in 1825, at the instigation of George Peck and several other prominent clergymen in the area...
and the Troy Female Seminary. She met her future husband, Halsey Fenimore Cooper, at Cazenovia, and the couple were married in 1855. The couple moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and worked as editors on The Advertiser, with Sarah assisting Halsey. They had daughters Harriet (1856) and Mollie (1861) before they were forced to flee the south at the start of the Civil War.
They briefly settled in Washington D.C., then moved to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in 1863. In 1864, after her daughter Mollie died, Sarah began to suffer from depression and illness. For two years she attempted to recuperate in St. Paul, Minnesota, then she recovered when the family moved to San Francisco in 1869, where Halsey worked for the IRS
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
.
At her new home, Sarah became a teacher at the Bible Class of the Calvary Presbyterian Church. She founded the Jackson Street Kindergarten Association in 1879, then went on to open the first Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
in the American West.
In 1879, Halsey lost his job as Deputy Surveyor and the family suffered financial difficulties. As a result of the strain, he committed suicide in 1885. After attempting to clear her husband's name, Sarah continued her philanthropic career. She taught both the Bible School and Kindergarten, and was involved with women's rights groups. Her daughter had quit her teaching job to assist Sarah, but suffered from bouts of depression, especially following the death of her father. Harriet asphyxiated her mother and herself on December 11, 1896.