Cope, Capt. Edmund L.

 Submitted by Mike Miller

Captain Edmund L. Cope, president of the board of harbor masters of the port of New Orleans, with office at room 5, 187 Gravier street, was born in Manchester, England, fifty-four years ago. He was partially educated in the city of his birth, but at the age of twelve years he left British soil, taking "French leave" of his friends to become a cabin boy on a sailing vessel bound for the port of New York. The year of 1854 found him in the city of New Orleans and in three years' time he became second officer of a vessel of 1,200 tons burden, and in 1863 became master of an ocean vessel and in 1865 took charge of a United States government transport and was stationed on the coast of Florida. He was mustered out of the service at New Orleans in 1866, after which he became manager of towboats on the lower Mississippi river, of which he was master and owner until 1888--the "Vulcan" and "Aspinwall "--in which year he disposed of them, having been appointed to the position of harbor master by Governor Nicholls. Soon after this he was made president of the board of harbor masters, and subsequent to the recent election was reappointed by Governor Foster and re-elected to president of the board. Captain Cope received his education principally at sea while before the mast, and during this time he visited almost every port in Europe and all the divisions of that country bordering of the Mediterranean sea: Turkey, Italy, Spain, France, Russia and others, and it was his good fortune to always sail in an American vessel. In February, 1867, he took out naturalization papers and thereby became a citizen of the United States. His present position is the only political office he has ever held. He was one of the first men to join the anti lottery league, and was vice-president of the Anti-lottery club of the Seventh ward. He has fought the lottery from the start and has been a delegate to every anti-lottery convention held. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Legion of Honor, the Chess, Checker and Whist club, the Jefferson club, New Orleans Maritime association, Southern Yacht club, American Brotherhood of Steamboat Pilots and the Lafayette club. Though not a politician he has been active and much interested in politics, especially so during reconstruction times and in the fight against the lottery. As president of the board of harbor masters in seeing that all port regulations are enforced Captain Cope has been very rigid and has been a very faithful and efficient officer. Twenty-two years ago he was married to Miss Isabella Peterson of this city, a daughter of William Peterson, and of the children born to their union there is one surviving member, Edmund B. Although English born Captain Cope is a thorough American at heart and upholds her laws and institutions on all occasions, and has proved a great acquisition to the city of New Orleans.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 474. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.