Jesse Cooper had Lifelong Interest in Agriculture

A young man from Hall County, Texas, moved to Moore County in September of 1937 and began leaving his mark on agriculture and business endeavors.
Jesse Cooper was from Estelline, born April 4, 1913. He married Winona Whiteside on June 9, 1935.
The couple moved to Dumas in 1937 and he joined with a partner, Jim Crabb, to open a Western Auto store in the 500 block of South Dumas Ave. The store was a distributor for U.S. Farm Tires for the territory north of the Canadian River and a dealer in Graham Hoeme plows. Jesse ran the store until 1942.
In 1938, he began farming on land near Cactus. His interest in agriculture continued throughout his life. He put down the first irrigation well in 1953 and had a crowd of 300 on the site when it was started. Shamrock Oil and Gas had drilled a gas well near the well site so gas would be available to run the well.
With a partner, J. B. Waide Jr., he leased 2200 acres of land from Elgin Boulware in the Etter area in 1952. He, Waide, and another partner, John W. Harris, bought Etter Grain. Later, Pete Schroeter was added to the partnership. They built storage for 2,000,000 bushels of grain.
Jesse was interested in flying and earned his Commercial Pilot's License in 1938. He joined Army Air Corp Reserve and in 1942, was called to active duty. He served as a flight instructor at Kelly Field in San Antonio. He served for three years and twelve days. He received his honorable discharge in 1945 and returned to Dumas.
He was accused of flying his airplane upside-down along Dumas Ave at the end of World War II. Sheriff Fuqua Younger gave the young pilot a "scolding".
Jesse Cooper was from Estelline, born April 4, 1913. He married Winona Whiteside on June 9, 1935.
The couple moved to Dumas in 1937 and he joined with a partner, Jim Crabb, to open a Western Auto store in the 500 block of South Dumas Ave. The store was a distributor for U.S. Farm Tires for the territory north of the Canadian River and a dealer in Graham Hoeme plows. Jesse ran the store until 1942.
In 1938, he began farming on land near Cactus. His interest in agriculture continued throughout his life. He put down the first irrigation well in 1953 and had a crowd of 300 on the site when it was started. Shamrock Oil and Gas had drilled a gas well near the well site so gas would be available to run the well.
With a partner, J. B. Waide Jr., he leased 2200 acres of land from Elgin Boulware in the Etter area in 1952. He, Waide, and another partner, John W. Harris, bought Etter Grain. Later, Pete Schroeter was added to the partnership. They built storage for 2,000,000 bushels of grain.
Jesse was interested in flying and earned his Commercial Pilot's License in 1938. He joined Army Air Corp Reserve and in 1942, was called to active duty. He served as a flight instructor at Kelly Field in San Antonio. He served for three years and twelve days. He received his honorable discharge in 1945 and returned to Dumas.
He was accused of flying his airplane upside-down along Dumas Ave at the end of World War II. Sheriff Fuqua Younger gave the young pilot a "scolding".

He operated an airplane spraying service for ten years and served several years on the Administration Board at the airport.
His interest in agriculture included raising whiteface cattle. He operated a ranch in Sherman where he raised cattle on five sections of grass and 3600 acres of dryland.
Political and business interests usually found Jesse Copper involved. He served as Moore County Democratic Chairman for 25 years. He served as a director for Soil and Water Conservation District for 13 years and was a director for XIT Rural Electric Cooperative for 12 years and was a director for North Plains Electric Cooperative.
Cooper and six others formed Cactus 287 Corporation and bought the Cactus Housing Project from the federal government in 1965 when the Cactus Ordnance Plant closed. Cost of the project was reported to be $222,287.87. The coroporation finally bought the whole town, incorporated it, and sold the properties at a reasonable cost to residents.
As a way to help promote agriculture business in Moore County, ten businessmen in the county formed Dumas Industrial Development and established Schroeter Industrial Park and served as a DID director.
He was part of a group of men who brought cattle feeding to the area when they built Dumas Cattle Feeders which later sold to George and Howard Diedrichsen.
He served on the Texas Commission for Higher Education for six years and during that time North Plains Agriculture Experimental Station was established through Texas A&M University. He also served on the Governor's Highway Safety Commission for six years.
Projects here in Moore County always found a strong supporter in Jesse. He was chairman of a committee to raise money to build the Sneed Hotel and was one of five men who secured money from the Killgore Estate to build a library. He helped work to create Moore County Hospital District and to create Memorial Hospital.
He was a member of Dumas Noon Lions Club, First Presbyterian Church and the Dumas Masonic Lodge.
Winona was involved in several Moore County organizations. She was a member of the Dilettantes Study Club, Order of Eastern Star, Daughter of the Nile and served on the Moore County Child Welfare Board. She was a member of the Moore County Arts Association.
The couple had two daughters, Sue and Ann. Declining health caused Jesse to retired in 1979. Both daughters remained active in the family farming business for several years.
Jesse died February 10, 1986 and Winona died September 2, 1989.
His interest in agriculture included raising whiteface cattle. He operated a ranch in Sherman where he raised cattle on five sections of grass and 3600 acres of dryland.
Political and business interests usually found Jesse Copper involved. He served as Moore County Democratic Chairman for 25 years. He served as a director for Soil and Water Conservation District for 13 years and was a director for XIT Rural Electric Cooperative for 12 years and was a director for North Plains Electric Cooperative.
Cooper and six others formed Cactus 287 Corporation and bought the Cactus Housing Project from the federal government in 1965 when the Cactus Ordnance Plant closed. Cost of the project was reported to be $222,287.87. The coroporation finally bought the whole town, incorporated it, and sold the properties at a reasonable cost to residents.
As a way to help promote agriculture business in Moore County, ten businessmen in the county formed Dumas Industrial Development and established Schroeter Industrial Park and served as a DID director.
He was part of a group of men who brought cattle feeding to the area when they built Dumas Cattle Feeders which later sold to George and Howard Diedrichsen.
He served on the Texas Commission for Higher Education for six years and during that time North Plains Agriculture Experimental Station was established through Texas A&M University. He also served on the Governor's Highway Safety Commission for six years.
Projects here in Moore County always found a strong supporter in Jesse. He was chairman of a committee to raise money to build the Sneed Hotel and was one of five men who secured money from the Killgore Estate to build a library. He helped work to create Moore County Hospital District and to create Memorial Hospital.
He was a member of Dumas Noon Lions Club, First Presbyterian Church and the Dumas Masonic Lodge.
Winona was involved in several Moore County organizations. She was a member of the Dilettantes Study Club, Order of Eastern Star, Daughter of the Nile and served on the Moore County Child Welfare Board. She was a member of the Moore County Arts Association.
The couple had two daughters, Sue and Ann. Declining health caused Jesse to retired in 1979. Both daughters remained active in the family farming business for several years.
Jesse died February 10, 1986 and Winona died September 2, 1989.