Cooley Family

[JenF]

Hello~
My husbands mother Evelyne Ann Cooley grew up in Howard.  His grandparents are Carl and Ruth Cooley and great grand parents are Grover and Ann Cooley. Grover and Carl were barbers in Howard. Any information or stories about family would be great. Thanks

[larryJ]

JenF, I just saw this.  While I can't help you with the Cooley family history, I will tell you that in my summertime stays with my Grandmother in Howard I was best friends with Johnny Cooley.  We did everything together.  I well remember going to the barber shop because the farmers would come into the shop early in the morning and see who was available to help them bale hay.  Johnny and I would go to the shop and wait for someone to come in and ask us to work for them.  We baled a lot of hay for a few summers.  Sadly, Johnny passed away just recently.  I do remember his father somewhat, but my memories of any other family members is gone.  I don't remember them at all.  I will be interested to see if anyone else can help you out here. 

Larryj

[W. Gray]

In the fifties, the two barber shops in Howard both operated underground, so to speak.

Cooley's barbershop was on the east side of Wabash Street in the basement next to the First National Bank at Wabash and Washington.

Gray's barber shop was on the west side of Wabash Street in the basement under the post office at Wabash and Randolph where Family Market is today.

I think at one time the owners of both shops worked for someone else in the old Metropolitan Hotel at Randolph and Wabash where the Ford dealer and then the First National Bank relocated.


Does anyone know if the barber shop in Moline is still operating?

[hhjacobs]

The shop in Moline closed about two years ago, was operated by I think Becky Dewitt.

[W. Gray]

I see from today's newspaper that Norgan is operating a barbershop on 3rd Street in Moline.

I think he was once in the building where Becky had hers.

[frawin]

I just came across these post while looking back for something else. Brings back a lot of great memories. Grover gave me my first Haircut, I was around 4 years old, my brother George took me to the Cooley shop for it. I have pictures they took before I went for the Haircut, my hair was long and Curly. My older Sister, Aileen told me that she and some of my older sisters were not happy about it. My first Girlfriend was Evelyne Ann, we were probably around 12 years old, we thought we were madly in love. We stayed friends throughout her life, sadly she died young, her first husband was Gary Fouts from Moline. Larry was really a good person, when I was farming around Howard Larry worked for me, when I was Baling Hay, he rode the Wagons and loaded them as the Bales came up from the baler., he was really Strong, sadly he also died young. Larry Married Martha Knabe, they had a good marriage. I think Johnny is still living, I have not seen him in years. When I was getting Married I went to Carl's Barbershop for my Haircut, Carl cut it, Grover had already passed away, when Carl finished I got my Billfold out to Pay him, he would not take any Money, he said "at one time I though you would going to be my Son-in-Law, and I still remember Grover giving you your First HIrcut when you were real small. As far as I know Johnny is still alive. Waldo, thanks for the great memories. You have been the best thing to happen on the Forum since I started following it around 10 Years ago.
In later years, after Carl had passed away I went to Waldo for my Haircuts,  Waldo and I talked a lot about Howard History. I think Waldo and my Brother Wes joined the Navy together, they have both been gone for Years. More great memories about both of them.

[patyrn]

Frank -  Johnny Cooley passed away September 11, 2011.  His obituary is in the Obituary section of this Forum.  Just a FYI.............

[gwendolynkfa]

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