Couper, Wm. (William), 1884-

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Engineer and colonel in U.S. Army; graduate of Virginia Military Institute (Class of 1904); army officer, 1917-1920; engineer; Business Executive VMI, 1925-1954; VMI Historiographer, 1934-1954; retired VMI 1954; d. 1964.

From the description of A diary of the first few months of the World War, 1917 : typescript, 1917-1953 (bulk, 1917). (University of South Carolina). WorldCat record id: 32877561

William Couper was born September 20, 1853 in Norfolk, Virginia, son of John Diedrich Couper and Euphania Monroe Couling Couper. He acquired an interest in sculpture from time spent at his father's company, Couper Marble Works.

After studying at the Cooper Institute in New York, Couper won a scholarship to the Royal Academy at Munich in 1875. Disliking the atmosphere in Munich, he took a place in the studio of Thomas Ball in Florence, Italy in the same year. Couper married Mr. Ball's daughter, Eliza Chickering Ball in 1878, and remained in Florence for over two decades, returning to New York to open a studio in 1897.

In 1901, Couper received a bronze medal at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. His notable works include a series of thirteen heroic busts of scientists for the American Museum of Natural History, a relief sculpture for the Sailors' Memorial in Annapolis, a statue of Capt. John Smith at Jamestown, and a portrait bust of John D. Rockefeller.

Couper retired in 1913 and died later in 1942 in Easton, Maryland.

From the guide to the William Couper papers, 1872-1971, bulk 1872-1908, (Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Gianniny, Omer Allan. Al Gianniny Papers [manuscript], 1949-1996. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf William Couper papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Hardin, Mark Bernard, 1838-1916. Mark Bernard Hardin collection, 1899, 1902, 1916, 1953. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Peterson, Harry C. Papers, ca. 1880-1944 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Couper, Wm. (William), b. 1884. A diary of the first few months of the World War, 1917 : typescript, 1917-1953 (bulk, 1917). University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Ball, Thomas, 1819-1911 person
associatedWith Gianniny, Omer Allan. person
associatedWith Hardin, Mark Bernard, 1838-1916. person
associatedWith Peterson, Harry C. person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Quartermaster Corps. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
South Carolina--Columbia
Fort Jackson (S.C.)
United States
Columbia (S.C.)
Richland County (S.C.)
Subject
Sculpture, American
Military training camps
Sculptors
Sculpture, Modern
Sculpture, Modern
Sculpture, Modern
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1884

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