Memorable Manitobans: David Cooper (1885-1970)

David Cooper Click to enlarge

Accountant, businessman.

Born at Brechin, Scotland on 27 July 1885, he was educated there and at London, apprenticed in accounting at Brechin, then spent two years as assistant secretary and lecturer on accounting in London. He came to Winnipeg in 1907 and joined the accounting firm of D. A. Pender, Cooper, Slasor and Company. He established the Cooper Institute of Accountancy in 1909 and the Dominion Business College two years later. He formed Industrial Underwriters Limited in 1918, with himself as President. He was also President of Globelite Batteries Limited.

On 30 July 1909, he married Jean Cameron Reid (1887-1965) at the Agnes Street home of her mother in Winnipeg. They subsequently had three sons and two daughters. In 1934, the family lived at 1195 Wellington Crescent, built in 1926 at a cost of $16,000. The couple divorced in the late 1940s, after which he married Marjorie Walker (1901-1965), daughter of J. Bruce Walker. He was a member of Winnipeg Rotary Club, President of the Caledonian Society of Winnipeg, and President of the United Scottish Associations. He moved to Victoria, British Columbia in 1952, remaining there until early 1970 when he went to Calgary, Alberta.

He died at Calgary on 30 August 1970 and was buried at New Durham, Ontario.

See also:

Manitoba Business: Dominion Business College / Cooper Education Institute

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Bell Block (370 Donald Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dominion Business College Building / Mall Plaza Apartments / Abbott Clinic (274 Osborne Street North, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dominion Business College Building / Elmwood Building (189 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dominion Business College Building / Chapman Building (1864 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Personal and social [Cooper - Reid],” Manitoba Free Press, 23 July 1909, page 9.

1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

“Residences,” Contract Record and Engineering Review, 14 July 1926, page 55.

“Men of Winnipeg in Diamond Jubilee Sketches,” Winnipeg Free Press, December 1934. [Winnipeg Elite Study, G. Friesen Fonds, Mss 154, Box 15, File 8, University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections]

Death registration [Marjorie Cooper], British Columbia Vital Statistics.

We thank Nathan Kramer and Pam Cooper for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 12 September 2015

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!