Blount County AlArchives Biographies.....Copeland, John Lewis. February 20, 1844 – October 18, 1915 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mary Ann Copeland, July 25, 2003 12:17 PM Military Service and family Information for John Lewis Copeland of Blount County: John Lewis Copeland was born 28 February 1844 in Blount County, Alabama. He was the son of Lewis and Jane Copeland, and married Amanda "Mandy" Gunter 2 September 1866 in Blount County. Mandy was born 2 October 1848 and died 14 June 1911. John died 18 October 1915. He and Mandy are buried in the Nixon Chapel Cemetery just over the Blount County line in Marshall County. John enlisted 12 August 1861 at Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama in Captain Tillman's Company K, 19th Alabama Regiment as a Private. He was on the muster roll from 14 August to 31 October 1861, and was wounded in the battle at Franklin, Tennessee in 1864. He reenlisted in 1865 at Blountsville with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in Stewart's Battery and continued in service until surrender at Guntersville, Alabama. The 1907-1908 tax census in Blount County shows his residence as RFD #1, Brooksville, Alabama. According to his Confederate pension applications, Copeland claimed he was wounded in the left thigh at Franklin, Tennessee in Dec of 1864; application witnesses included Aquilla J. Ketchum, S.C. Allgood, and W.S. Gunter, all of Blount County, who reported Copeland had lost the entire use of all of his limbs on one side, he being paralyzed; pension was approved. More information on the 19th Alabama Infantry Regiment can be found at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~alcwroot/lnk_units.htm 1870 US Census, Blount County, Page 294, Blountsville PO, Family # 119: Copeland, John L., male, age 25, a farmer, real estate value $150, personal property $235, born in AL, cannot write Copeland, M. M., female, age 20, keeping house, born in AL Copeland, W. A., male, age 1, born in AL Copeland, M. M. A., female, age 6/12, born in AL March, John W., male, age 11, born in AL, cannot read or write Gunter, Lucinda, female, age 34, a domestic, born in AL 1880 US Census, Blount County, Page 361C; Enumeration District: 1, Family #13 Copeland, John L., white, male, age 36, a farmer, married, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, Amanda, white female, age 32, wife, keeping house, heart disease, married, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, William, white, male, age 11, son, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, Milus E., white, male, age 10, son, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, Lewis C., white, male, age 9, son, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, Maborn M., white, male, age 7, son, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, David, G., white, male, age 6, son, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, Mary A., white, female, age 5, daughter, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, Martha M., white, female, age 5, daughter, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL Copeland, John A., white, male, age 2, son, single, at home, born in AL, father born in AL, mother born in AL 1900 US Census, Blount County, Bright Star, Page 62B, Family #9 Copeland, Jno L., head, white, male, born Feb. 1844, age 56, married 34 years, born in AL, father born in PA, mother born in AL, a farmer, Copeland, Mande M., white female, born Oct 1848, age 51, married 34 years, mother of 5 children, 5 living, born in AL, mother and father born in AL Copeland, William A, white, male, born Aug 1869, age 31, single, born in AL, mother and father born in AL, a farmer Copeland, Mary A., white, female, born July 1874, age 25, single, born in AL, mother and father born in AL Copeland, S____ A., white, male, born Sept 1880, age 19, single, born in AL, mother and father born in AL, farm laborer Copeland, Vellie L., white, female, born Nov 1884, age 15, single, born in AL, mother and father born in AL, at school Copeland, Columbia R., white, female, born Nov 1889, age 10, single, born in AL, mother and father born in AL 1910 US Census, Blount County, Bright Star, Page 60A, Family #62 Copeland, John L., head, male, white, age 66, married 44 years, born in AL, father born in PA, mother born in AL, a farmer, Copeland, Mandy M., wife, female, white, age 61, married 44 years, born in AL, father and mother born in AL Copeland, Mary A., daughter, female, white, age 38, single, born in AL, father and mother born in AL Copeland, Ella U, daughter, female, white, age 22, single, born in AL, father and mother born in AL Copeland, Tillman(?) E., son, male, white, age 24, single, born in AL, father and mother born in AL Copeland, Columbia R., daughter, female, white, age 18, single, born in AL, father and mother born in AL Copeland, Clarence (?) L., grandson, male, white, age 10, single, born in AL, father and mother born in AL Obituaries for John Lewis Copeland and Amanda "Mandy" Gunter Copeland: Supplement to The Blount County Journal, 29 Oct 1915 John Copeland Dead Uncle John Copeland died at his home, near McLarty, October 17th, after an illness of two years with paralysis, aged 73 years. The deceased was an old veteran of the civil war, and had lived in this community 47 years. He was never arrested nor had a lawsuit, and had been a Missionary Baptist for many years. He had many friends who were loyal to him until death. Had been a member of the I.O.O.F lodge for a long period of time. Being aware of his death shortly, he asked his sons to cut and haul a certain tree to the sawmill to be sawed into lumber to be used in making a coffin for him. The deceased is survived by eleven children—seven sons and four daughters—all living. The remains were laid to rest at Nixon's Chapel, funeral services being conducted by Rev. S.R. Burson. The Southern Democrat, 22 Jun 1911 Death of Mrs. John Copeland We regret to learn of the death of Mrs. John Copeland, which occurred at her home in Bright Star beat on June 12th. Mrs. Copeland's death was rather sudden. She had been complaining for several days but was able to sit up only a few minutes before her death. Mrs. Copeland was about sixty-five years of age and was a good Christian woman. She had been a member of the Baptist church for a number of years. [In another issue:] Sorry to report the death of Mrs. John Copeland, which occurred on the 15th inst. She was a kind affectionate wife and mother. She was a member of the Missionary Baptist church. This good Christian woman will be greatly missed in the community. She leaves a husband and eleven children to mourn. To the bereaved we extend our deepest sympathy. Her daughter, Miss Mary, is ill with the fever. The Blount County Journal, 23 Jun 1911 Death of Mrs. John Copeland Mrs. John Copeland, who for several years had been in declining health, died suddenly at her home at McLarty on Wednesday, June 14th. Mrs. Copeland, at the time of her death, was 60 years of age. She was a consistent member of the Baptist church and had been for 35 years. She was truly a good woman and her death not only brings sorrow to her companion and children but to her numerous friends as well. The funeral was held Thursday, Rev. Pessnal officiating. The Journal joins in extending sympathy to the bereaved ones. Ms. Golowka, Hello. My name is Mary Ann Copeland. I have been researching my Blount Co., Alabama "COPELAND" surname since the mid 1980s. Below you will find data, which might fit into your site. Sources are cited within articles. This is some of the data which I have compiled regarding my 2nd great grandfather, John Lewis Copeland, son of David Copeland, [2] "THE 19TH ALABAMA INFANTRY, COMPANY K- THE BLOUNT GUARDS: Copeland, John Lewis, born 28 Feb 1844 at Blountsville, son of Lewis and Jane Copeland; enlisted 12 Aug 1861 at Blountsville; on muster roll from 14 Aug to 31 Oct 1861; no further record...& ...According to the 1907 Blount County Confederate Census he was wounded at Franklin, Tennessee in 1864. Reenlisted as 2nd Lieutenant in 1865 at Blountsville in Stewart's Battery under Captain Tillman and continued until surrender at Guntersville, Alabama...&... John married Mandy M. Gunter 2 Sep 1866, Blount County. Mandy was born 2 Oct 1848 and died 14 Jun 1911. John Lewis Copeland died 18 Oct 1915; he and Mandy are buried in the Nixon Chapel Cemetery just over the Blount County line in Marshall County." SOURCE: [3] ALSO : A fellow soldier of the 19th Alabama, Co. "K", William T. Grigsby of Rt. #2 Bangor, Alabama [this address effective 1909] writes regarding this battle at Franklin, Tennessee states"...to my memory, it was the HARDEST battle of the entire war... at Franklin, Tennessee..." {might explain the reason for John Lewis Copeland's injury at this battle.} [4] More about the 19th Alabama. "CONFEDERATE ALABAMA TROOPS 19th Regiment, Alabama Infantry 19th Infantry Regiment, organized at Huntsville, Alabama, in August, 1861, contained men from Blount, Cherokee, Pickens, Coosa, Chilton, and Jefferson counties. After serving at Mobile the unit was ordered to Corinth and later fought at Shiloh under J.K. Jackson. Transferred to General Gardner's command, it was active in the Kentucky Campaign, then was brigaded under Generals Deas, G.D. Johnston, and Pettus, Army of Tennessee. The 19th participated in many conflicts from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, was with Hood in Tennessee, and fought at Bentonville, North Carolina. It lost fifty-four percent of the 650 engaged at Shiloh, and reported 151 killed and wounded at Murfreesboro and 192 at Chickamauga. In December 1863, the regiment contained 347 men and 228 arms. It was badly cut up in the battles around Atlanta and many were captured at Franklin. Only 76 men were present when it surrendered. Colonels Samuel K. McSpadden and Joseph Wheeler, Lieutenant Colonels George R. Kimbrough and Edward D. Tracy, and Majors Solomon Palmer and James H. Savage commanded the unit. " Source: The following is from Volume VIII of the Confederate Military History, Extended Edition by Clement A. Evans. Broadfoot Publishing Company published the books in 1899, reprinted in 1987. The passage below is on page 117 and 118). The Nineteenth Alabama infantry was organized at Huntsville, August, 1861; served at Mobile and Pensacola until February, 1862, when it joined the army at Corinth; made a brilliant record at the battle of Shiloh, where it lost 219 killed and wounded; was in the Kentucky campaign and prominent at Murfreesboro, December 31st to January 2d; was engaged in the fighting incident to the retreat of the army from Tullahoma to Chattanooga, June 27 to July 4, 1863; added increased luster to its reputation at Chickamauga, September 19th and 20th, and was warmly engaged at Missionary Ridge, November 23d to 25th. The Nineteenth was in the Georgia campaign from May until September, 1864, taking part with great credit in the numerous battles of that heated campaign, including the fighting around Dalton, May 7th to May 9th; Resaca, May 13th to 15th; Cassville, May 19th to 22d; Kenesaw, June 9th to 30th; Peachtree Creek, July 20th; the great battle on the Decatur Road, July 22d; Ezra Chapel, July 28th; Jonesboro, August 31st and September 1st, and Lovejoy's Station, September 2d to 6th. The regiment went with General Hood into Tennessee, and fought will gallantry at Franklin, November 30th; at Nashville, December 13th to 16th, and also at Bentonville, N.C., March 19 to 21, 1865. Among the killed were: Captains William R. McKenzie, May 29th, at Corinth; R.J. Healey, at Murfreesboro; H.L. Houston, Atlanta; Capt. Nathan J. Venable, at Marietta; Capt. Ed. Thornton, at Jonesboro; Lieut. Joseph B. High, at Chickamauga. Its field officers were: Cols. Joseph Wheeler and Samuel K. McSpadden; Lieut. Cols. Edward D. Tracy, afterward brigadier-general and killed near Port Gibson, May 1, 1863, George R. Kimbrough and Nick Davis. Its majors were James H. Savage and Solomon Palmer NOTE: Alabama Department of Archives & History lists John L.{Lewis} COPELAND is noted to have be recorded in error as John "C" COPELAND in some military record transcriptions. Sources: The Civil War Service Database at the Alabama Department of Archives and History: http://www.archives.state.al.us/civilwar/search.cfm Company K, Blount Guards, 19th Alabama Infantry: http://home.hiwaay.net/~bobwonda/files/civilwarcompanies/19K.htm Gunter Marriages in Blount County: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/blount/vitals/marriages/guntmarr.txt US Census Records US Census Records