Mr. Cooper
Among the settlers who established themselves in the vicinity of Darrtown early in the century was a Mr. Cooper, who migrated from South Carolina because he hated slavery, though otherwise he liked that State exceedingly, and always considered his residence in Ohio as a serious sacrifice to the cause of freedom. One of his sons, born in Butler County, named Elias, became an able surgeon, and moved to San Francisco, where he occupied a prominent place in the medical profession, finally dying there about 1867.
A daughter of the pioneer Cooper, married to a Mr. Lane, gave birth, about 1833, near Darrtown, to a son, who received the baptismal name Levi Cooper. Under the influence of his uncle Elias he studied medicine, and after completing his education in Europe, became a surgeon in the United States na vy. This position gave him much leisure, which was probably his predominant motive in obtaining the appointment, and he devoted himself most industriously to his books, making himself thoroughly familiar with the minutiae of anatomy, physiology, and surgery, besides reading the Greek and Latin classics, and making himself familiar with the literature of France, Germany and Spain, and accustoming himself to speak the tongues of these nations fluently. About 1860 he left the navy to become the partner of his uncle Elias, and when the health of the latter began to fail, Dr. L. C. Lane assumed his place as professor of surgery in what was then the only medical college on the Pacific coast, speedily developing rare excellence as a teacher. His lectures were fluent, conversational in tone, clear in idea, full of original ideas in illustrating his subjects, humorous, pointed, and sometimes eloquent. In his surgical practice he was not less successful than in his lectures. The more the profession and the community learned of him, the more they liked him; and his reputation grew rapidly, until now he is the first surgeon on the Pacific slope, and the country physicians, from Alaska to Sonora, send their most difficult cases to him. Scarcely a day passes without a number of serious operations. With a very extensive experience in public hospitals (he has been visiting surgeon in several), as well as in his private practice, he has an excellent opportunity to learn nearly every thing that can be learned by the constant use of the knife for many years. He, however, does not trust to his observation alone, but every day studies some book on surgery or anatomy – English, German, French, or Italian – so as to keep all details fresh in his mind and ready for instantaneous use. He is extremely cool in the midst of the greatest responsibility, and full of the most careful consideration of the physical and mental sufferings of his patients. His manner is genial, commanding the highest confidence of all who come into his charge. He has the name of being extremely kind to the indigent, not only attending them without pay, but often providing for their wants until they are able to work. He is a successful author and a man of much influence. He had a narrow escape with his life while attacked by pneumonia, in February, 1881, and it was said, by well-informed persons, that there was no man in San Francisco whose death would cause deeper or more wide-spread sorrow.
From A History and Biographical Cyclopædia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers, Western Biographical Publishing Company, Cincinnati Ohio, 1882.