by Linda Maloney, MMNN Contributor

My grandfathers was the first house as you came into Millbrook. He was the go to person when you had any questions or were looking for anyone, he knew everyone in the community.

My Grandfather was one of the first entrepreneurs in Millbrook. My grandparents had seven children. Eddie, Raymond, Mary, twins Emily/Irene, Ethel and Arthur.

He acquired and managed numerous businesses over the years, back as far as in the 1930’s and into the mid 60’s.

He started a farm which had all of what was needed to be operational. A barn, which housed, cows, horses, a tractor and wagon for hay.

He put in large vegetable gardens and had a storage cellar to store them in his basement. (My grandmother was a midwife and had access to all of the resources

Listed above. She delivered babies and attended anyone with other ailments, such as whooping cough flu scarlet fever etc.).

My grandfather also had a mink farm. (Which my father Michael Bernard was hired to help raise the mink. And he then eventually married my mom and had six children).

Last but not least he started a drywall business. This was passed down from his sons to his grandchildren. He hired men in the community and also non-natives that lived in the surrounding area. The Cope family traveled extensively where ever they found work. They were well known for their expertise in the drywall Industry. (There were other families in the community that worked in the industry as well).

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