John Marchborn Cooley, the eldest son of the late Corbin Cooley, was
born at the Cooley homestead, on the Susquehanna river, in Cecil county,
a short distance below the junction of that stream and the Octoraro
creek, on the first of March, 1827; and died at Darlington, Harford
county, Maryland, April 13th, 1878.
In childhood he showed a taste for learning, and in early youth was sent
to West Nottingham Academy, where he received his education. While at
the Academy he is said to have been always willing to write the
compositions of his fellow students, and to help them with any literary
work in which they were engaged.
Mr. Cooley studied law in the office of the late Col. John C. Groome,
and was admitted to the Elkton bar on the 4th of April, 1850. He
practiced his profession in Elkton for a short time, during a part of
which he was counsel to the County Commissioners, but removed to Warsaw,
Illinois, where he continued to practice his profession for six years,
after which he came to Harford county, where he resided until the
outbreaking of the war of the rebellion, when he joined the Union army
and continued to serve his country until the close of the war. In 1866,
he married Miss Hattie Lord, of Manchester, New Hampshire, and settled
in Darlington, Harford county, Maryland, where he was engaged in
teaching a classical school until the time of his death.
Mr. Cooley was born within a few miles of the birthplace of William P.
and E.E. Ewing, and Emma Alice Brown and almost within sight of the
mansion in which Mrs. Hall wrote the poems which are published in this
book.
Mr. Cooley was a born poet, a voluminous and beautiful writer, and the
author of several poems of considerable length and great merit.
Mr. Cooley's widow and son, Marvin L. Cooley, still survive, and at
present reside in Darlington.