Placer
County
Biographies
REUBEN H. COPP
Reuben H. Copp, one of the
supervisors of Placer County, residing at Rocklin, is the owner of the Secret
Ravine granite quarry at that place. He
is a native of New Hampshire, born on the 22nd of December, 1848,
and represents a family of English origin that was early founded in New England
by descendants of Sir John Copp, of England.
The Copp’s were among the earliest residents
of southwestern Maine, and Samuel Copp, the father of our subject, was born in
South Berwick, of the Pine Tree state.
Having arrived at years of maturity he was married there to Miss Jane
Tibbetts, a native of New Hampshire.
They were farming people who lived quiet but honorable lives. The mother of our subject was a second wife,
and by that marriage there were six children.
She died in the fifty-sixth year of her age, while the father passed
away at the age of sixty-eight years.
Through many generations the Copp’s were
influential members of the Methodist Church.
The parents of our subject both passed away in the old Granite state and
their remains were there laid to rest.
Reuben H. Copp, whose name
introduces this record, was the fourth in their family. He was reared to manhood upon a farm in his
native state, and as he worked in the fields he gained in mental and physical
strength that fitted him for life’s duties in later years. The public schools afforded him his
educational privileges, and when seventeen years of age he left home to make
his way in the world, going to Massachusetts, where he learned the granite
cutter’s trade, following that pursuit in Cape Ann and in Hallowell. He also worked at Fork’s island and in 1876
came to San Francisco, where he followed his chosen occupation for a year and a
half, arriving in Rocklin in 1877. Here
he accepted the position of superintendent of a granite quarry and later acted
as manager for G. Griffith for seven years, during which time he did a large
amount of granite work, including the work on the San Joaquin County Court
House, at Stockton, California, and then became the owner of his present
quarry. For the past eleven years he has
engaged in business on his own account, during which time he has taken and
executed many large contracts, supplying the granite for the Hall of Records at
San Jose, as well as for many large edifices in San Francisco. The granite from the Secret Ravine quarry is
of superior quality, being unsurpassed by any found in the state of California,
and the output of his quarry therefore finds a ready sale on the market and
commands excellent prices. He also
furnishes a large amount of granite for monumental work throughout the state,
for the stone is capable of receiving a very superior polish. He has at the quarry all the machinery and
appliances necessary for carrying on the best work in his line and his business
has increased in volume and importance until it has assumed extensive
proportions.
Mr. Copp has been a life-long
Republican, his study of the issues of the day resulting in the belief that the
platform of that party contains the best element of good government. However, he is not aggressively partisan, but is a man of liberal and generous spirit and
has made many friends in all parties. In
1898 he was nominated on the Republican ticket to the very important and
responsible office of supervisor, was triumphantly elected and is now filling
the position to the best of his ability, and that ability is of the highest
order, fully appreciating the importance of using good judgment and sound
business ability in the management of the affairs of the county. Socially he is connected with the Odd Fellows
Society, has passed all of its chairs and has represented his lodge in the
grand lodge of the state.
In 1870 Mr. Copp was married to Miss Laura
Goddard, of Vermont, but after two short years of happy married life death
claimed her. For six years Mr. Copp
remained single, but in 1878 was again married, in Rocklin, his second union
being with Mrs. Page, a native of New York and the widow of Dr. Page. They have a very comfortable and commodious
residence situated in the midst of large grounds and there their many friends
delight to gather, enjoying the social functions which are held in this
hospitable home. From early life Mr.
Copp has depended entirely upon his own resources, but the qualities of a
successful businessman lay dormant his in nature, needing only the awakening touch
of effort to make them result to his benefit.
His energy and keen discrimination in business affairs have enabled him
to wrest from fortune a comfortable competence, and he is now one of the
substantial citizens of his adopted county.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 719-720. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.