Alice Maria Paxton Cooper Obelisk

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Originally from Pennsylvania, John L. Cooper married Alice on the East Coast in 1852, according to his diary, which has been archived online. However, the Sacramento Daily Union newspaper suggests that they tied the knot on July 4, 1859, in Santa Cruz. Without a physical copy of the diary pages, it's possible that "1852" was an error and 1859 was actually the year they got married. As a successful businessman in Santa Cruz, John L. Cooper played a significant role in shaping the city's history. He moved west from Pennsylvania in 1849, becoming one of the earliest settlers in the area. For many years, he served as Santa Cruz County Supervisor, leaving an indelible mark on local politics. John and his brother William, who later became the city's first mayor in 1876, donated land for the construction of the county courthouse.