Harrison County, Missouri History - Christopher Cooper Page 1 THE CHRISTOPHER (SR) AND JANE BROWN COOPER FAMILY HISTORY Compiled By: Stevie Hughes January 2003 Email: Stevie1302@AOL.Com Christopher Cooper (Sr) Born: 1753/4 possibly in PA Married: Jane Brown, daughter of Jotham Brown (Sr.) and Phebe (possibly Johnston) on 10-20-1786, in Botetourt County, VA. Died: 5-29-1830 in Greene County, TN (age 76 or 77) Buried: place unknown; probably buried on his farm in Greene County along Bailyton Road near Babbs' Mill Road in District 12. Possibly "Old Cooper Cemetery" in Greeneville. Prior to the Christopher Cooper Sr family arriving in VA before the Revolutionary War, it is possible that this family came from PA. It is also possible that this Cooper family who would later intermarry with the Jotham Brown (Sr) family and into the Zopher Johnston (Sr) family migrated from PA to VA along with these two families; and albeit at different times, they all left VA and were in Greene County, TN by the early 1800's. Although I have not seen the record, one Brown researcher, has claimed to have found the marriage record of Jotham Brown Sr. to Phebe Johnston (probable sister to Zopher Sr.). The marriage took place at "Cooper's Creek, PA". Christopher Cooper served 5 Years in the VA Line, Continental Army from c. 1776-1781. This is based on affidavits associated with his widow, Jane Brown Cooper, who filed for a widow's pension beginning in 1844. In her pension application, Jane says that Christopher served as a private and an orderly-sergeant under General Stevens, and he was at the surrender at Yorktown (as was Zopher Johnston, Sr.). If Jane's assertion of "five years service" is correct, then Christopher's service dates would be 1776-1781. In the book, "A Seedbed of the Republic" by Robert D. Stoner, Christopher Cooper and his brother, John, are indeed listed on the Muster Rolls in Botetourt County, VA, Capt. Miller's 4th District. There is also a James Cooper in the Muster Rolls in Botetourt County in the 5th District. It is very probable that James is brother to Christopher and John. A Christopher Cooper is documented in Frederick County, VA in the 1782 Census with six whites. Since Christopher married Jane Brown in 1786, in all probability, the Christopher Cooper in this early census with a family is Christopher's father, Christopher "the elder". Also, this Christopher "the elder" was a large land owner in Botetourt County, VA, owning 856 acres by 1785. When the Christopher and Jane Brown Cooper family migrated to Tennessee, where the land was probably much cheaper than Virginia, the most land Christopher and Jane owned was 240 acres. For these reasons, I believe the Christopher Cooper we see in the 1782 Census, Christopher "the elder", is the father of Christopher who was born in 1753/54. Also in this 1782 Census, is Zopher Johnston "the elder", the father of Zopher who is buried at Kidwell Cemetery in Greene County, TN, the Revolutionary War soldier. Zopher the "elder" is shown with 8 whites in his household. His son, Moses, is shown with 6 whites in his household. Zopher the "elder's" son, Zopher, who is the Revolutionary war soldier, is shown with 2 whites in his household. There is also a David Johnston with 4 whites. The relationship of this David to "our" Johnston family is unknown. The Jotham Brown Sr. family is enumerated with ten whites in the household. Also in this census is a Thomas Brown with ten whites. Again, the relationship of this Thomas to "our" Brown family is unknown. All of these familiar names, Cooper, Johnston, Brown, who intermarry in VA and again in Greene County, TN, are found in Col. Homes District, Frederick County, VA, 1782 Census. Page 2 Other Coopers who appear in this 1782 Census are John, Phillip Jr; Phillip Sr and Thomas. Although not in the 1782 census of Frederick County, a mention has been found where a Leonard Cooper and a John Cooper are paid for service in the French Indian Wars in 1765. Although it is not known if this John is the same as Christopher's brother, it is possible that the Cooper family was in VA by 1765. I mention these other Cooper men in early Frederick County only because it is possible that we may ultimately find this family back in PA, prior to their migration to VA. It appears that Christopher Cooper "the elder" , with six whites in his household, was planning to leave Frederick County in 1782. He bought 400 acres of land on Brush Creek of Little River in Botetourt Co., VA on 2-7-1782. In November of that same year, he bought an additional 146 acres. On 8-16-1783, 110 acres and on 1-12-1785, he bought 100 acres. On 6-16-1785 another 100 acres. These land purchases, presumably by the father, Christopher "the elder", by 1785, totals to the 856 acres that he is listed as owning in the 1785 Tax List in Capt. Eason's District, Botetourt County. This is a very large amount of acreage, and it is very likely that Christopher was fairly wealthy (although he does not retain the formal title of "Esquire"). On 10-21-1784, John Cooper bought 42 acres on Meadow Run, near Little River. On 1-9-1785, John bought 63 more acres at this location, and on 7-5-1786, he bought 46 acres on Black Water and Roanoak River. I believe this John Cooper to be another son of Christopher, the large land owner, and brother to Christopher who married Jane Brown in 1786. In the 1790 Tax List of Botetourt County, Upper District, in the District of John Robinson (which by 1790, is now the "lower" district of Montgomery County), are found the following interrelated families: Christopher Cooper, and Jotham Brown and Moses Brown (probable brothers.) During this same time period, and living nearby is a Nimrod Brown (another probable brother to Jotham). In the 1792/93 List is James Cooper (another probable brother to Christopher), as well as a Robert Foster (Zopher Johnston's daughter, Martha/Marsy latter marries a Robert Foster in 1802 in Greene County, TN). Thus, in this 1790 Tax List, we find several families who are intermarried and living in close proximity in Greene County, TN after 1800. I believe it is reasonable to conclude that these families were part of a family unit long before they arrived in Greene County. As the population grew, the area of Botetourt County was divided and portions then became Montgomery County. These land transactions that occur both in Botetourt and Montgomery are the same land; the county has just been reformed. Originally, the land was included in Augusta County, VA, and in the year 1770, Botetourt County was formed from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Mississippi River and Great Lakes. Needless to say, this was a HUGE area. In 1777, Washington County was formed as well as Montgomery County from this huge expanse of land. More counties would later be created as the populations increased during the ever continuing westward migration. Creating confusion when reviewing records from Montgomery County is there are TWO Christopher Cooper families in early Montgomery County, VA; both of whom are Revolutionary War soldiers. Both later move to TN. "Our" Christopher, of course moves to Greene County. The "other" Christopher moves to Wilson County, TN where he collects a Rev. War pension until his death in 1833. This "unrelated" Christopher 's service has been "proven" and a descendant has been admitted to the D.A.R. This Christopher's pension was for his military service when he resided in Russell County, VA. Russell County was also formed from land previously in Montgomery County. Before the creation of the new county, in Montgomery County, he served as an executor for his father, Abraham's Will. Caution, then needs to be maintained when looking at Montgomery County, VA, records for "Christopher Cooper". There is no known relationship between these two Christopher Coopers, although in these very early years, it certainly is possible that a relationship between these Cooper families who shared the same name, were approximately the same age, and died within three years of one another, did indeed exist. Page 3 For "our" Cooper family, more land transactions in Botetourt County/later Montgomery County, for the Cooper brothers include: 7-7-1796 John Cooper buys 52 acres on Waters of Carter's branch of Little River and 100 acres on Brush Creek, land adjoining William Terry and "Jno" (John??) Cooper. 7-8-1796 John Cooper buys 63 acres on Brush Creek, "adjoining lands of brother, Christopher". This last land purchase which is documented in the Land Grants at the University of Virginia, clearly state that John and Christopher, both of whom lived on Brush Creek were indeed brothers. In 1797/1798, Christopher sells land in Montgomery County (previously Botetourt County) and again, on 4-28-1798, both he and wife, Jane, sell land on Brush Creek to Joshua Willson, Jr.for 100 pounds (note the double "ll" spelling of Willson for subsequent discussion). On 9-4-1798, John Cooper grants to Elizabeth Hammond Roles and John Cooper Hammond, her son, 65 acres in Montgomery for "love and affection and other considerations". This very much appears that Elizabeth may very well be John's daughter. 8-22-1800 Christopher sells another 100 acres on Brush Creek of Montgomery County, the land adjoining Willson's land. Once more, it appears that the Christopher who married Jane Brown Cooper in 1786 was a smaller land owner than the Christopher who owned 856 acres in Capt. Eason's District. I believe that Christopher's (and John's) father, was named Christopher, and it was he who had six whites in his household in 1782. From these land sales in 1798 and 1800 , it very much appears that the Cooper brothers are beginning to divest their VA land in preparation for the move to Greene County, TN. On 12-31-1803, Christopher bought 240 acres in Greene County, TN. The 1814 tax lists in Greene County identifies the location of this land at Grassy Creek or Grassy "Branch" ("branch" of Lick Creek). This appears to be the same land previously owned by a John Richardson, who in 1787/88 had received land grant #1914 from NC for 240 acres on "Grassy Branch of Lick Creek" in Greene County. There is possibly a relationship between our families and the Richardson and/or Willson families. In 1791 in Greene County, TN, a James Richardson was "second to a marriage" between Elizabeth Johnson and Samuel Edmundson. The bondsman was James Willson. Earlier, in 1782 in Washington Co., NC which later became Greene County, a James Richardson, Jr. married Anna Wilson. It is possible that the Willson family on Brush Creek in VA is the same family as the Willson family in Greene County, TN. I mention this only for future "linkage", if found. At this time, we do not know the names of Christopher Cooper's siblings, and there may well be later information that surfaces that ties the Cooper/Richardson/Willson families. For surnames to appear on land records in VA, then again, in Greene County, TN, is very "curious". It is also possible, that the wife of the Willson whose land back in Botetourt County, VA adjoining that of Christopher and brother, John, is a married sister to the Cooper brothers. This is purely speculation on my part at this time. There are other "early" Coopers in Greene County prior to the arrival of "our" Cooper family. In the 1783 Tax List, there is a John and a Jacob Cooper. In the 1791/92 Tax List, in Capt. McFarland's Company, Jacob is listed with 100 acres, no land for John. In 1791, A Nathan Cooper married Christina Hughes. According to a descendent of Nathan Cooper, he was a Presbyterian Minister in early Greene County. He is buried in the Meadow Creek Cemetery in Greeneville. Meadow Creek is located south of the Nolachucky river and south of the town of Greeneville. Our intermarried families of Cooper, Brown, Foster and Johnson/Johnston, ALL lived north of the town of Greeneville along Baileyton road. Page 4 In the 1800 Tax List of Capt. Whitehead's District, there is a John Cooper, owning 100 acres, and a Jacob Cooper with no acreage. In this same 1800 Tax List, is a James Johnston. It is possible that this James Johnston is a brother to Zopher Johnston, Revolutionary War soldier. What is unusual is that this Tax District appears to be SOUTH of the Nolachuckey River, when we know that our Cooper/Brown/Johnston/Foster/Maloney and all of the interrelated families live NORTH of the Nolachuckey River in Tax Lists after 1800. These Coopers who appear in Greene County before 1800 do not appear to be associated with "our" Cooper family. The Zopher Johnston family is the first of "our" inter related families who can be documented in Greene County. In November of 1790 Zopher purchased 100 acres from North Carolina; however, the location of this land is not stated in the Land Grant document. Since both John and Jacob Cooper are found in the 1783 Tax List in Greene County, and we know that John, brother to Christopher, is still in Virginia at this time, these Cooper men are most likely not part of "our" Cooper family. There is no relationship to these other Cooper families in Greene County that I have found, yet it bears mentioning in case we find information which might show a relationship between these early Cooper families in Greene County. These other Cooper families appear to have left Greene County by 1830, since only "our" Coopers are enumerated in the 1830 Census. A descendant of the Nathaniel Cooper/Christina Hughes family indeed confirms that this family went to Overton County, TN after 1813. One of their children, William, had a descendant who later went to Hamilton County, IL. This is where Zopher Jr. took his family in 1853. This could be simply an unrelated, coincidental event; however, when the same families are found in the same locations for a hundred years or more, it may be more than coincidental. By 1805, the Christopher Cooper Sr. family is well established in Greene County, TN: 1805 Christopher Sr. appears in Court Minutes for jury service and as overseer on a road 1806 He is mentioned in a court petition for a new road, that references his "plantation" on "Cooper Lane." 1807 Christopher was the bondsman for the marriage between Jotham Brown, Jr. and Margaret "Peggy" Maloney 1808-09 Christopher served on a Jury, and again in 1812. 1813 Christopher was appointed by the Court to be the Overseer of the road construction between his land and Zachariah Casteel's place. 1809-14 Christopher appears in Walter Clark's District during these years with 240 acres. The 1814 list identifies the acreage as located on Grassy Branch. 1815 He is shown in Capt Henry Bowman's district with 240 acres on "Waters of Lick Creek" and an additional 70 acres at this same location. 1816 He is shown in Capt. Isaac Justice District 240 acres and another 7 acres. (Isaac Justice married the possible daughter of Zopher Johnston, Mary/"Mercy" Johnston in 1802.) On May 18, 1816, Christopher paid $3.15 to the Estate of James Patterson. 1823 On August 5, 1823, Christopher places an ad in the Greeneville newspaper, offering a reward for a horse and saddle stolen from his pasture on Babb's Mill Road. Page 5 1824 Christopher acts as a surety for a John Blair, and on 4-27-1825, Christopher sued Blair to recover his court costs. 1825 On March 22, 1825, Christopher Sr. transfers 80 acres of land to his son, Christopher Jr. 1830 By the 1830 Tax List, Christopher JR is shown with 80 acres of land (Christopher Sr has died). No records have been found which explain the remainder acreage of 160 (original 240 acres). It is possible Christopher Sr transferred this land among his six daughters, but no records have been found to support this. In 1812, there is a very curious legal event. On July 29, 1812, by Sheriff's deed, a judgment on the lands of William "Stepelton" and Christopher Cooper was entered in the Court Minutes. This land consisted of 200 acres at Churn Camp Creek (along Bailyton Road, north of Babb's Mill road). The land adjoined that of Benjamin Neel and William "Stepleton". A daughter of Jotham Brown, Mary, married a William Stapleton in1793 in VA. The Stapleton family obviously had migrated with the other Brown and Cooper family members; however, they did not stay in Greene County. They returned to VA and resided in Lee County VA. One has to wonder if the lawsuit in 1812, and the judgment and forfeiture of their lands precipitated their more. The parcel of land was purchased for $195.66 by Elijah Billingsley and William Blair. The prior year, in 1811, William Blair is mentioned in the court minutes as being the overseer of road construction on the road from Plumb Creek to Big Gap Creek. These two creeks are adjacent to the Churn Camp Creek property sold by Sheriff's deed that Christopher and William "Stepelton" owned. Clearly, William Blair and Christopher were neighbors. One of Christopher's daughters, Jane, would married William H. Blair, son of William Blair, in 1823, in her father's home. There is more evidence of a relationship between these three families: Cooper, Blair and Stapleton. In July 1812, William Blair sued William Stapleton; Christopher Cooper was a juror. Probably in the same lawsuit, a year later, in July 1813, William Blair sued William Stapleton again, and this time the Surety was Christopher Cooper. It is probable that the lawsuit brought by Blair resulted in the judgment and sale of the Churn Creek land in 1812. In 1815, Christopher Cooper recovered his security of $42 from William Stapleton. From 1815 into the 1820's, Christopher Cooper Sr. was a Justice of the Peace, signing several wedding bonds, and he appears on the Tax Lists between 1809 and 1816. It has become apparent that some pages of the early tax lists in Greene County are missing. The first Tax List that either Christopher Cooper Sr. or Zopher Johnston Sr. appear is the 1809 List. We know for certain from other documents that both of these families were in Greene County before 1809. Between 1812 and 1825, Christopher Sr. sold land to various persons. He sold 6 acres to Benjamin Carter, and another parcel for 55 1/2 acres to Benjamin. In 1824, he sold some land (acreage unknown) to Hawkins, and on March 22, 1825, he transferred 80 acres to his son, Christopher Jr. (Christopher Jr. had been married in August 1822.) In May 1830, Christopher Cooper died while applying for a Revolutionary War pension. He is not found in the 1830 census, only his son, Christopher Cooper, Jr (age 30-40). Living next door to Christopher Jr, is John Cooper, age 60-70, clearly Christopher Sr's brother, John. In John's household is a son, age 10-15 and a girl, age 20-30, who is probably a daughter. Christopher Jr. and John, who live side-by-side, are the only Coopers in the 1830 Census. Page 6 Christopher Sr's wife, Jane Brown Cooper, outlived Christopher by many years. She was still alive by 1855. It is not known where either Christopher Sr. and wife, Jane, are buried. There are some descendants who believe Jane later went on to MO. to join her son, Christopher Jr.; however, Jane is known to still be in Greene County as late as 1855 and is 90 years old, still attempting to qualify for the Widow's pension. In the last affidavit, Jane was too feeble to go to town for her deposition. The Justice of the Peace went to her home. For this reason, I do not believe that Jane left Greene County at 90 years of age to make a 1,000 mile trip by wagon to MO. I believe both Christopher Sr. and Jane Brown Cooper are buried on their farm on Grassy Branch of Lick Creek, along a road called "Cooper's Lane", somewhere near Babb's Mill Road in Greene County . There is an interrelated family member, Sherwood Hatley, who it is said is buried in "the Old Cooper Burial Ground." Sherwood died in 1875. We have been unable to locate this cemetery. It is not in the Buford Reynold's book. Sherwood was the husband of Phebe Johnston (daughter of Rev. War soldier, Zopher Johnston Sr). Two of Christopher and Jane Brown Cooper's daughters, Phebe and Elizabeth, married sons of Zopher Johnston Sr. We do not know where these two Johnston sons are buried. If we can ever locate this "Old Cooper Burial Ground", a lot of our family members could possibly be buried there. CHILDREN OF CHRISTOPHER AND JANE BROWN COOPER I should point out that although Christopher Cooper was a land owner, a Justice of the Peace, and could read and write, no Will has ever been found for him. Also, there is no record of his estate being filed in the Court Minutes. Without a first hand document to name all of his children, we can not be absolutely assured of who these children were; However, from other documents, inter-family relationships and where they lived, it is most probable that we can identify his children with a high degree of accuracy. The following four children are named in the pension application (#R2298) by Jane Brown Cooper: Catherine, born 1788 or 1789; Phebe born 1791; Elizabeth born 1793; Christopher Jr born 1798. It is believed that page 2 of "Christopher's Book" that was submitted with the pension document is missing, and there were three other children: Sarah born 1794 or 1795, Lydia born c.1800 and Jane born 1802. The "missing page 2" appears entirely feasible because in the year 1855, when Jane Brown Cooper is continuing to apply for pension, she is living with her son-in-law, Ephraim Doty and Ephraim Doty is the husband of Sarah Cooper. Of the seven Cooper children, three would marry into the John Maloney family and two would marry sons of Zopher Johnston Sr. 1. CATHERINE COOPER. Catherine was born March 2, 1788 or (1789?). Catherine married Robert Maloney on 5-8-1805 in Greene County. Robert Maloney was the son of John Maloney who is believed to have been born c. 1750 in Ireland (of Scots Irish descent, since the family was Presbyterian). John and his wife, Nancy Elizabeth, had four known sons: Hugh born 1782 (In 1840, Christopher Cooper Jr. and Zopher Johnston Jr. witnessed Hugh's Will.); Robert born 1784; John Jr. born 1791; and William born 1796, and probably more based on the 1830 Census. The Maloney men, with the exception of Robert (whose name is spelled as "Malone") who lived in town (page 166 of the 1830 Census) all appear on pages 218, 219 and 220. In addition to the sons mentioned above, are several men with the spelling of "Malone" who would be the right age to be John's sons: Joseph who is on page 215; another William who is on page 220, and a widow, Temperance, who is age 40-50 on page 219. Two of John Maloney's sons would marry Cooper daughters, Robert who married Catherine Page 7 and William who married Lydia. John and Nancy Elizabeth Maloney also had three known daughters: Margaret "Peggy", who married Jotham Brown Jr in 1807; Elizabeth; and Jane, who married Christopher Cooper, Jr. in 1822. The daughter, Margaret "Peggy" was born in 1787 in Frederick County, VA. This places the John Maloney family in Frederick County in the same time frame as the Cooper, Brown and Johnston families. Son Robert, who married Catherine Cooper, was a tailor and a fairly important person in early Greene County. According to local historian, Richard H. Doughty, in his book, "Greeneville One Hundred Year Portrait 1775-1875", young, 15 year old Andrew Johnson is attributed to staying in Greeneville because "Robert Maloney was the only tailor in town and he was getting old." Andrew Johnson had been a tailor's apprentice in North Carolina before coming to Greeneville, and he gained both local and national prominence when he later became President after President Lincoln's death. The Robert Maloney family is discussed throughout Mr. Doughty's book, and a picture of Robert and his wife, Catherine Cooper, is included in the book (the quality of Catherine's picture is very poor). Because of his prominence in early Greene County, we are able to know something of Robert and Catherine's life, since he is mentioned in Richard Doughty's book. During the war of 1812, Robert Maloney was the Captain for Greene County volunteers. In 1827, Robert Maloney was the Bondsman for Andrew Johnson's marriage, and even made Andrew Johnson's wedding coat. It is more than likely that Robert and Catherine Cooper Maloney attended the Andrew Johnson wedding; and it is probable that so, too, did the Zopher Johnston Sr family. The Robert Maloney family was quite close to the Zopher Johnston Sr family. In 1809, Robert was the bondsman for the marriage of Zopher Johnston Sr's son, John, when John married Caty McKahen (McKeehen). In the 1830 Census, Robert and Catherine Cooper Maloney are living in town (District 10) where Robert operated his tailor business, but by the 1840 Census, Robert had retired and he and Catherine had moved out along Bailyton Road where other Cooper (and Johnston and Brown) families lived (District 12). Zopher Johnston Jr is listed on census page 45 and the Robert Maloney family is listed on page 46. Zopher Jr is married to Catherine's sister, Phebe. In the 1840 census, Robert Maloney carries the title of "Esquire", meaning that he is fairly wealthy and of "high standing" in the community. In 1841, Robert deeded 2 1/2 acres for a Church and Cemetery. Since Catherine was a charter member of the New Bethel Church, organized 4-15-1839, this land that was deeded in 1841 may well be for this Church. (It is curious that only Catherine signed the petition for the New Bethel Church in 1839, Robert does not.) However, it is also known that Robert deeded land for the Church Cemetery of the Mt. Pleasant Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Cross Anchor at the junction of Bailyton Road and Babb's Mill Road. Many of the Jotham Brown family members are buried at this Church Cemetery. In early Greene County records, I believe that the surname of Maloney may sometimes be written as Malone. The 1830 Census enumerates Robert as "Malone" rather than "Maloney". There is a Malone Cemetery located near the Casteel Farm "near Ottaway" (along Bailyton Road) where Maloney/Malone family members are buried. (A Thena Hatley who died in 1897 is also buried there, the fourth wife of Sherwood Hatley who earlier in 1822 had married Phebe Johnston, probable daughter of Zopher Johnston Sr.) More substantiation of the Maloney/Malone spellings of this surname is a William Malone's daughter, Rebecca married William Crumley in 1840. It is possible that this William Crumley is the son of William Crumley Sr. who married Betsy Johnston in 1817, bond by Jotham Brown. Betsy is another probable daughter of Zopher Johnston Sr. There is also a Maloney Cemetery located southeast of Warrensburg on the road named Maloney Way. Page 8 I do not know when Catherine died. Robert died before the 1850 census, and his Will was probated in Greene County in 1848. Catherine is still alive (age 62) in the 1850 Census. Their final resting place could be at either one of the two Malone/Maloney Family cemeteries; Or, they could be buried at the New Bethel Church, since Catherine was among the 1839 petitioners to establish this Church. It is also possible that Robert and Catherine Cooper Maloney are buried at the Mt. Pleasant Church where many of the Brown family members are buried. Robert Maloney deeded this land to the Church to create the cemetery. Robert and Catherine are not shown on the listing when the graves at the Church were transcribed by Bufford Reynolds during the 1960's; however, it is entirely possible that their gravestones had been destroyed through time or were unreadable. It is also possible that they are buried on their farm in District 12, or in the Cooper Family Cemetery the location of which has probably been forever "lost" through the passage of time. Although Robert left a Will that was filed with the Courts in 1848, we do not know all of the names of Robert and Catherine Cooper Maloney's children. One son, John, is confirmed in that he took over his father's tailor business. John was probably one of the oldest sons. In 1832, a John Maloney was a Town Alderman and he operated the Maloney Hotel in town. John was later Mayor of Greenville, and by 1852, John was chairman of the County Court and a Justice of the Peace. However, because Robert Maloney had several brothers all of whom lived in Greene County, and most likely, all of these Maloney's named a son "John" after their father, I cannot say for certain that this "John" was the son of Robert and Catherine. Perhaps he was a son of one of Robert Maloney's brothers. However, based on the 1850 Census, John Maloney who is an "innkeeper" does live near Catherine, who by now is a widow. In the 1830 Greene County Census Robert and Catherine are shown with the following children: MALES FEMALES 0 0-5 year 2 0-5 years 1 5-10 1 5-10 1 10-15 1 10-15 3 15-20 1 15-20 1 20-30 This would then be a total of 6 sons and 5 daughters. Also living with the Robert and Catherine Cooper Maloney family in 1830 is an elderly male, age 80-90. Since Catherine's father, Christopher Cooper Sr, is known to have died in May before the 1830 Census, this is possibly Robert's father, John (born 1740-50). However, living with William Maloney is also an elderly male, age 70-80. From this, it is most probable that Robert's father, John, came to Greene County with a brother. That would certainly explain the "duplicate" naming patterns in the 1830 census ( three Maloney/Malone's with the name of John and two with the name of William, all living in close proximity). The 1840 (page 46) Greene County Census shows: MALES FEMALES 0 0-5 year 0 0-5 years 1 5-10 0 5-10 0 10-15 1 10-15 1 15-20 1 15-20 1 20-30 This would then be a total of 2 sons and 3 daughters still at home by 1840. Page 9 In Robert Maloney's Will dated May 15, 1848 and probated on July 3, 1848, he named the following family members: Wife, Catherine. Children: Valentine, Robert, Mariah, John. There appear to be other unnamed daughters. The Will says " Daughter, Mariah,to be made equal with other girls." By the time of Robert's death in 1848, of the 11 children enumerated in the 1830 Census, it appears that only three of his six sons were still living. The names of the other sons not mentioned in the Will, are possibly deceased. Two of these could be William A., born in 1823, and Thomas born in 1837. However, it is more likely that the six males in the 1830 household are not all sons. In the age range of 15-20, there are four children listed. This would average one birth every 15 months. This would be fairly unusual. It is more likely that several of the six males in the 1830 household are other relatives, probably nephews. Of the unnamed daughters in Robert's Will, two are believed to be Elizabeth Jane, born in 1832, and Nancy A., born in 1835. It is possible that the unnamed children had already received their inheritance, hence were not mentioned in Robert's Will. This is only speculation. In Robert's Will, he gave 11 acres to his son, John. His land identified in the Will consisted of 200 acres on Chuckey Mountain on headwaters of Dry Fork of Camp Creek, and 25 acres on the south side of the Chucky River adjoining Pierce's Island. This land was located South of the Nolachucky River. We know from early tax lists that Robert Maloney owned land in several different areas of Greene Co., but he and his wife, Catharine, resided in District 12, which is North of the Nolachucky River. I believe it is reasonable to assume that before his death, Robert had already transferred the District 12 land to his children. Except for the small acreage bequeathed to his son, John, the 225 acres of land was to be sold to pay Robert's debts, then "divided equally" (among his heirs). The executors of the Will were William C. Maloney, son of Robert's brother, Hugh and Valentine Maloney, possibly Robert's oldest son. Witnesses to the Will were Charles Gass and Dawson Pitt. Unfortunately, we do not know all of the names of Robert and Catherine Cooper Maloney's children. It appears that some of the sons may have died. Of those who are named in the 1848 Will, it is not known whether they stayed in Greene County or left. In the 1850 census, there are only six males with the Maloney surname: James on page 171 and William A. on page 171 A who both live near the widow, Catherine Cooper Maloney, age 62 on page 173B; John on page 140B who lives in town and whose occupation is that of "innkeeper"; Another William on page 185B who is "born in VA" hence, probably not part of this family; William C. on page 327A who was the Executor of Robert Maloney's Will, and the son of Hugh Maloney, and Norman on page 312 who is "born in CT" and is definitely not part of the Robert Maloney family. The men who live near Catharine, William A. and James, certainly appear to be sons; however, they are not listed as heirs in Robert Maloney's Will. Since Robert Maloney had at least six sons (based on the 1830 census) AND since Robert had three brothers, all of whom lived in Greene County, it very much appears that many of the Maloney descendants had left Greene County by 1850. In fact, there are more males named Maloney/Malone in the 1830 census than there are in the 1850 census. Giving more credence to the assumption that many of the Maloney children did indeed leave Greene County, is the book "This Small Town Osgood (Missouri) by Ruth Ralls Fisher. Sometime after 1851 (the year is not given) a Martha Maloney "who lived near Scottsville" (Mo.) married Wiley Johnson. Wiley was the son of John Johnson (son of Zopher Sr) who had gone to Sullivan County along with his "widowed mother" after 1850. Page 10 CHILDREN OF ROBERT AND CATHERINE COOPER MALONEY 1. Valentine 2. Robert Jr. 3. John 4. Mariah 5. Possible son, William A. 6. Possible son, Thomas 7. Possible daughter, Jane 8. Possible daughter, Nancy A. 9. Unknown 10. Unknown 11. Unknown 2. PHEBE COOPER. Phebe was born 4-3-1791. She married Zopher Johnston Jr. in Greene County on 1-28-1817, bond by William Hankins. Zopher was born on October 15, 1790 (or 1791??) in Greene County, TN and, he was the son of Revolutionary War soldier, Zopher Johnston, Sr., who is buried at Kidwell Cemetery, just off of Bailyton Road 3 miles north of the town of Greeneville. Zopher Sr. had come from VA. to Greene County by 1790/91, when on November 17, 1790 he obtained Grant #850 from NC for 100 acres of land "adjoining land owned by William Hannah and Daniel Brittain." The purchase of the land grant from North Carolina in 1790, coincides perfectly with the birth year of Zopher Jr, the first son born in Tennessee. In 1793, Zopher Sr sold this land, identified on Lick Creek, to William Stanbury. On August 18, 1795, Zopher Sr acquired more land on Grant # 1336 for 100 acres on Little Chuckey at Pigeon Creek, "adjoining Frederick Hale and Henry Dunham". (Pigeon Creek currently runs behind the airport, just off of Bailyton Road, about one mile or so south of Roaring Forks Road). Earlier in 1795, Zopher Sr purchased 200 acres from Thomas McAmis on February 6, 1795, the land "located both sides of Limestone Fork of the Little Chuckey". This is believed by some researchers to be the Roaring Forks land where Zopher Sr raised his family. There is a discrepancy, however, between the 200 acres purchased in 1795, and the number of acres owned by Zopher Sr, in the 1809 Tax List. (The 1809 Tax List is the first in which Zopher Sr. appears, raising considerable questions.) In these and later Tax Lists, Zopher Sr. is listed with only 189 acres. This acreage is identified as the land at Roaring Fork in the Tax Lists. Zopher Jr. and wife, Phebe, lived along Bailyton Road in District 12, near Zopher's brothers, Joseph (who had married Elizabeth Cooper), John and James (??) , and sister, Martha (also known as Marsy) who married Robert Foster in 1802. Possible sisters also living nearby included Mary (also known as "Mercy") who married Isaac Justice on the same day in 1802; Elizabeth Betsy who married William Crumley in 1817; and Phebe who married Sherwood Hatley in 1822. Zopher and his brothers were farmers and also practiced the trade of "coopers" as noted in the 1850 Greene County Census. Up until the 1840's, the family surname has been interchangeably written as Johnston or Johnson. By 1850, the name had been permanently changed to that of Johnson. In September 1850, Zopher Jr purchased 103 acres of land from John Foster. John Foster, was Zopher Jr's nephew, John being the son of Marsy Johnston and Robert Foster. The John Foster family would leave Greene County and go to Sullivan County, MO shortly thereafter, most likely accompanying the Christopher Cooper, Jr family in 1851. Page 11 On October 13, 1852, Zopher Jr sold this 103 acres to Cornelius Harden, in preparation for Zopher Jr's family move to MO, presumably to join other family members who had previously gone to MO. Zopher Jr's possible brother, James who had married Margaret Cox, and several other members of the Cox family left Greene County after the 1850 Census and were in Vernon County, MO. Cox family "notes" indicate there was a bitter dispute within the Cox family, precipitating their move to MO. Sometime in 1853/4, the wagon trains of the Zopher Johnson Jr. family left Greene County. Believed to be on this wagon train were Zopher Jr and his wife, Phebe; their two grown sons, Christopher Cooper Johnson and John Henderson Johnson and their families, daughter Elizabeth and her husband, Hiram Johnson (another Johnson family from Greene County), although Hiram and Elizabeth MIGHT have gone to Hamilton County, IL before the rest of the family, since they are not in the Greene County 1850 census; single daughter, Mary and an orphan boy, George W. Gass (spelled "Guess" in the 1860 IL census). Other family members included Elizabeth Wampler Kerbaugh, wife of John Kerbaugh, and her son, William, and daughter, Ensebia/Eusellia. This Kerbaugh family were in-laws of Zopher Jr's family, Elizabeth Kerbaugh, being the mother of Katherine Kerbaugh who had married Christopher Cooper Johnson on December 31, 1840. Although the wagon train was bound for MO, the group stopped in southern IL when a family member died. This is known from a 1927 newspaper article on James A. Johnson, who told the interviewer how he came to IL as a young boy with his family. James A. was the oldest son of Christopher Cooper Johnson. Research has shown that the family member who died was John Kerbaugh. John died in Greene County in 1855/56. His Will was probated on March 3, 1856. It is my supposition, that IF Elizabeth was on the 1853 wagon train to Illinois, that upon learning of her husband's illness, she left the Johnson wagon train in IL and headed back to Greene County. The Johnson family members waited in IL for her return. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that Elizabeth Kerbaugh was not on the wagon train in 1853/54, and after her husband's death and his estate was settled, she went to IL at a later date. Elizabeth Wampler Kerbaugh and three of her four children are certainly in Hamilton County, IL by the 1860 census. The timing of these events leaves some confusion. The story told 70 years later by James A. Johnson to the newspaper may not be completely factual. After all, more than 70 years had passed, and James was just a boy of 12 at the time of the migration. It is more than possible that Elizabeth Kerbaugh was not on the wagon train at all, and would go to Hamilton County, IL later, after her husband died. Also, one has to question that the Zopher Johnson Jr. family "just happened" to be in Hamilton County when the death of John Kerbaugh occurred. I believe it is very likely the family had intentionally stopped in Hamilton County to visit Robert H. Johnson, who had left Greene County a decade earlier in the mid 1840's. Robert was one of only two sons of William and Nancy Morgan Johnson, also of Greene County, TN, but no known connection to "our" Johnson family. Zopher Jr's daughter, Elizabeth Jane had married Hiram Johnson in 1837 and Hiram was Robert's brother. Another mystery is that Hiram and Elizabeth Jane Johnson do not appear in the 1850 Greene County, TN census. It is more than possible that Hiram and Zopher Jr's daughter, Elizabeth, had already left Greene County before the 1850 census; and Zopher Jr had stopped in Hamilton County to see his daughter before continuing on to the intended destination in Missouri. We do not know where in Missouri the family intended to settle. Zopher Jr's relative, James, (who is either a brother or a nephew) was residing in Vernon County, MO by that time. The Christopher Cooper Jr. family had left Greene County in 1851 and were residing in Sullivan County, MO. Zopher Jr's nephews, Wiley, Elijah, Joseph A., and John Jackson, along with their widowed mother (Catherine McKahen Johnson) would go to Sullivan County before 1860. Either of these places in MO could have been the intended destination of Zopher Jr. and Phebe Cooper Johnson when they left Greene Co, Tn late in 1853 or early in 1854. Page 12 By December 1853, Zopher Johnson Jr had purchased land in Hamilton County, IL. And, there the family remained. They did not continue on to MO. Betsy Wampler Kerbaugh must have rejoined the group because by the 1860 census, in Hamilton County, Knights Prairie Township, she is living near the Johnson family with her daughter, Ensebia/Eusellia Kerbaugh Page who had married Solomon Page. Zopher Jr and his wife, Phebe, are also listed in the 1860 Hamilton County census, and still living with them is the orphan boy, George W. "Guess" (phonetic spelling of "Gass"), now 16 years old, who came with the family when they left Greene County. Phebe died on June 6, 1862 and was spared knowing about the deaths of her oldest daughter, Elizabeth Jane Johnson, a few months later, followed by the death of her oldest son, Christopher Cooper Johnson, who had been named after her father. In November 1862, Christopher Cooper Johnson died while his Civil War troop, IL 40th Co. A, was in winter quarters in Memphis, TN. Christopher's wife, Katheryn (Kerbaugh), along with her young baby, Ellsworth, had come to Memphis a few months earlier to nurse her husband and her oldest son, James A. who were both sick with dysentery. Katheryn died in September and soon after, so too did the baby, Ellsworth. With the deaths of both parents, this left three orphaned minors. In 1863, Zopher Jr, along with Betsy Kerbaugh gave depositions for pension applications for their minor grandchildren. Zopher Jr. died sometime between 1864 and 1870, as he is not in the 1870 census. Johnson descendant "family notes" give Zopher Jr.'s date of death as December 6, 1866. The final resting place of Zopher and Phebe Cooper Johnson is not known. Many family members are buried at the Macedonia Methodist Church Cemetery in Hamilton County; Zopher Jr. and Phebe are not included on the names of those buried there. It is believed Zopher Jr and Phebe are buried on their farm near the small town of Macedonia in Hamilton County, IL . No Will has been found for Zopher Johnson Jr. nor his wife, Phebe Cooper Johnson. Because this family remained in Hamilton County, IL for over four generations, and several descendants remain there to this day, we have almost absolute confidence that the identities of their children are known. Zopher and Phebe are believed to have had five children who survived to adulthood. Because of the very large families at these early times, it is most probable there were more children who died in infancy or childhood. If so, these babies were likely buried at Kidwell Cemetery in Greene County, and their names are forever lost to us. In the 1830 census and the 1840 census, we can "account" for six children, three males and three females. Because Zopher and Phebe were married in 1817, the 1830 and 1840 censuses should accurately reflect the number of their living children. In the 1830 Greene County Census Zopher and Phebe are shown with the following children: MALES FEMALES 2 0-5 year 2 0-5 years 0 5-10 1 5-10 0 10-15 0 10-15 0 15-20 0 15-20 Page 13 This would then be a total of 2 sons and 3 daughters in 1830. After 13 years of marriage, having only one child in the age range of 5-10 years, is surely indicative of early childhood deaths of their first born children. The 1840 (page 45) Greene County Census shows: MALES FEMALES 0 0-5 year 0 0-5 years 1 5-10 0 5-10 1 10-15 1 10-15 1 15-20 1 15-20 This would then be 3 sons and only 2 daughters still at home by 1840. It is known that daughter Elizabeth Jane married Hiram Johnson in 1837; and that oldest son, Christopher Cooper Johnson is still at home because he does not marry until December 1840. Thus, the family of three sons and three daughters can be confirmed. CHILDREN OF PHEBE COOPER AND ZOPHER JOHNSTON JR. 1. Elizabeth Jane, born 1817/18. She married Hiram Johnson on 9-4-1837. Hiram was the son of William and Nancy Morgan Johnson, no known relation to "our" Johnsons. Jane and Hiram were married by JP, Christopher Cooper Jr. This family settled in Hamilton County, IL; however, it is possible they left Greene County before the rest of the Zopher Jr. family. Elizabeth Jane died on September 13, 1862. Jane and Hiram had three children: Margaret Jane, born 1842 in TN; Phebe C, born 1846 in TN; Tennessee V.I. (Isabelle) born 1855 in IL. Hiram is remarried by 1864, and he had four more children with his second wife, Paralee (three daughters and one son). Elizabeth Jane is buried in unmarked grave in the Macedonia Methodist Church Cemetery. 2. Christopher Cooper Johnson, born 1821. He married Katharine Kerbaugh on 12-31-1840, bond by John Hardin, marriage by J.P., Christopher Cooper, Jr. This family was on the wagon train along with their children, Elizabeth Jane (born 1841 and died 1882); James A (born January 7, 1843 (birth date is taken from information he gave in 1912 when he applied for Civil War pension) and died October 21, 1927); Zopher A (born October 23, 1845 and died September 4, 1887); Phebe Adeline (born November 15, 1847 and died April 30, 1923). Sarah A (born February 25, 1858) and baby Ellsworth (born after the 1860 census) were born in IL. Baby Ellsworth died at Memphis in 1862. Christopher Cooper Johnson, Corporal, IL 40th Company A, died on November 27, 1862. He is listed on the "Roll of Honor" and is buried at the National Cemetery in Memphis, TN. The National Cemetery was created in 1867. Soldiers who died before 1867 were moved to the new National Cemetery. Their names were written in chalk on their coffins. During the relocation process, it rained and many of the names were washed away. Over 7,000 "unknown" soldiers are interred in the National Cemetery at Memphis. Christopher Cooper Johnson is among the "unknown". Page 14 3. John Henderson Johnson, born November 30, 1829. He married Sarah Graham on 10-31-1850, bond by Ephraim Carter. Family "history" says they, too, were on the wagon train; however, in his 1919 obituary it says "....he grew up in Tennessee, first went to Missouri, then came to Illinois." The accuracy of this statement is in doubt. It is possible he went with the Christopher Cooper Jr. family to Missouri in 1851 but returned to TN. Although there are often mistakes in the data obtained in Federal Census, the 1860 Hamilton County Census states the place of birth of John's first son, Zopher H., in 1851 in TN; and the birth of John's second son, William, in 1852 in IL. It is possible that John and his family accompanied his sister, Elizabeth Jane Johnson Johnson and her husband Hiram, and indeed left TN and went to IL before the rest of the family in 1853/54. John's young wife, Sarah Graham, whom he had married in Greene County died in 1869, possibly in childbirth. By 1860, they had six children, Zopher H. born in 1851; William born in 1852; Christopher Columbus born in 1856; Nancy A., born in 1859; John L. born in 1861 and Lizzie Jane born in 1863. Sarah's estate was probated on November 6, 1869. John soon remarried to Talitha Cuma Sexton on December 26, 1869. With Talitha, Dr. John had seven children: Minnie born 1870, Winnie born 1872, Mary born 1874, Clara born 1877, John born 1880; Ada born 1882 and Ella. John was a doctor in Franklin County, IL for many years. Following the Civil War, one of John Henderson Johnson's children was born in Modina, Mo. in 1865. (Note that none of his identified children have a birth year of 1865; perhaps this child died in childhood.) It is possible that John left IL and went to Missouri for a short time to visit his cousins in Sullivan, Harrison and Grundy Counties in MO. However, from the places of birth of his children, Dr. John did not remain long in MO, and he soon returned to Franklin County, IL. (The town of Macedonia, IL is divided; one side is Hamilton County and the other is Franklin County.) In 1863, after his brother Christopher's death during the Civil War, John became the temporary guardian for his brother's three minor orphans, Zopher A, Phebe A. and Sarah A. Later, permanent custody of Phebe A. and Sarah A. was granted to their older sister Elizabeth Jane Johnson Johnson (who had married Enoch Johnson, son of Robert Johnson who was brother to Hiram who had married Elizabeth Jane, Zopher Jr.'s daughter. (These Johnson and Johnson intermarriages, continue to create confusion as to "which" Johnson one is discussing!) Dr. John Henderson Johnson died on June 19, 1919. He and his second wife, Talitha, are buried at the Macedonia Church Cemetery in Hamilton County, IL. 4. Mary, born 1828. In 1850, Mary is still living with her parents and is 22 years old. The many Johnson family researchers have been unable to learn more about Mary. Some researchers believe she married a Gass in Hamilton County, IL, but no records have been found to substantiate this. Because there is so very little that is known about Mary, I believe it is possible that Mary may have never come to Hamilton County, IL. It is likely either Mary died young and unmarried in Greene Co., TN; or that she went with her sister, Hila Johnson Willis to Grundy County, MO. It is also possible that Mary did come to IL, but since her brother, John, did go to MO for a short time, she perhaps accompanied him and never returned to Hamilton County, IL. There is no record of Mary's life in either Greene County, TN or in Hamilton County, IL. Page 15 The only POSSIBLE evidence of Mary's life is that in the 1860 Hamilton County, IL census, a two year old child named Sarilda Johnson, is living with Zopher Jr. and Phebe Cooper Johnson. In the 1870 census (after both Zopher and Phebe have died), Sarilda Johnson is living with another nearby family and is indicated as an "adopted daughter". IS Sarilda the child of Mary? And IF so, did Mary die in childbirth? There are as yet, no answers to these questions. On Sarilda's marriage record her father is named as Robert Johnson. Her mother is unnamed. 5. Hila Martha ("Hiley") born May 11, 1827, and married on 9-13-1847 to James Willis, bond by John Kidwell, married by J.P., Christopher Cooper, Jr. In the 1850 census, James and Hila Johnson Willis live next door to Hila's father, Zopher Johnson Jr. This family was not on the wagon train with the rest of the Johnson family members; however, they did go to MO. It is not known if they left before or after her father, Zopher Jr. Hiley and James are buried at the Mt. Zion Cemetery in Grundy County, MO (near Sullivan County where the Christopher Cooper Jr family settled.) It is probable that they left with the Christopher Cooper Jr family in 1851 bound for Sullivan County, Mo, and this is where the Zopher Johnson Jr. family was headed in 1853/4. 6. Otis. Nothing is known about this son. Family "notes" by elderly Johnson descendants indicate that Otis died in childhood. There is no record of Otis being in TN or in IL. He is not listed in the 1850 Greene County census with Zopher and Phebe. It is probable that Otis was born between 1835 - 1840 and died in childhood before 1850. He is most likely buried at Kidwell Cemetery in an unmarked grave. The Zopher and Phebe Cooper Johnson family prospered and multiplied in Hamilton County, IL leaving numerous descendants in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, Maryland, Nevada and California. 3. CHRISTOPHER COOPER JR. Christopher Jr was the only son of Christopher Sr and Jane Brown Cooper; at least the only son who survived to adulthood. Christopher was born 9-25-1798 in VA. On 8-1-1822 he married Jane "Jennie" Maloney, daughter of John Maloney. As was his father before him, Christopher Jr was also a Justice of the Peace during the 1840's and early 1850's in Greene County. In 1825, Christopher Jr. received 80 acres of land from his father, the only transfer of land by Christopher Sr. that has been found in the records of Greene County. There are three land transactions for Christopher Cooper that have been found in the Tennessee State Archives in Nashville: Grant #6919, dated October 9, 1821 for 7 acres; Grant #18747, dated May 14, 1834 for 12 1/2 acres. Grant # 28437 on December 2, 1851 for 67 1/2 acres. (The date of this last grant is "odd", since Christopher Jr. was supposed to have left Greene County in 1851 to go to Sullivan County, Mo.) Notice the last two land grants total 80 acres, the same number of acres Christopher Jr. received from his father, Christopher Sr. Perhaps the two dates are indicative of when the land deeds were actually recorded. This would explain the 1851 recording. Page 16 Christopher Jr. is found several times in the Court minutes. In January 1834, he owed the estate of James Galbreath $100; In 1836, he owed the estate of Joseph Hurley $7.52, collection was "doubtful". In 1838, Christopher was the Commissioner on the estate of Harmon McKee; In 1841, he was Commissioner of the estate of Thomas Maloney; and in 1842, for the Estate of Mary Key. On January 2, 1843, from the estate of Elijah Kidwell, Christopher purchased three tables; one leg chain (I wonder what THIS was for??? The purchase does not state if these leg chains were for human or animal use!); and two augers. He was also the Commissioner of this estate. Christopher Jr lived near Zopher Johnson Jr along Bailyton Road in the 1850 census. In 1851, the Christopher Jr family left TN and went to Sullivan County, MO. This is documented in an obscure little book "This Small Town, Osgood". Several Brown and Maloney family members are also mentioned in this book, and I would speculate that these families migrated together in 1851 on the same wagon train. In 1855, the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in Christopher Jr's home. Christopher Jr. and his wife, Jane Maloney Cooper, are buried at Campground Cemetery in Trenton, Sullivan County, MO. I believe some researchers have misidentified the burials at Campground Cemetery in MO of Christopher (Jr) and Jane (Maloney) Cooper for the parents, Christopher (Sr) and Jane (Brown) Cooper. The children of Christopher Jr. and Jane "Jennie" Maloney Cooper are enumerated in the 1830 and 1840 censuses. In the 1830 Greene County Census Christopher Jr and Jane are shown with the following children: MALES FEMALES 2 0-5 year 0 0-5 years 0 5-10 1 5-10 0 10-15 0 10-15 1 15-20 0 15-20 Since Christopher and Jane were married in 1822, the child in the 15-20 age range would not be one of their children. It is possible that this male is James Johnson, who was born in 1813 and would have been 17 in 1830. IF this was indeed James, it certainly would resolve some of the uncertainty of his paternity. (James COULD be a son of Zopher Sr., or he COULD be a son of Zopher Sr.'s son, John who had married in 1809.) The unidentified male could also be Thomas Cooper, who is in the 1850 household of Christopher Jr. Thomas in 1850 is age 32, born in 1818. In 1830, he would have been only 12. This would then be a total of 2 sons and 1 daughter in Christopher's young family as enumerated in 1830. The 1840 (page 45) Greene County Census shows: MALES FEMALES 0 0-5 year 1 0-5 years 1 5-10 0 5-10 2 10-15 0 10-15 0 15-20 0 15-20 Page 17 By 1840, there are now 3 sons and 1 daughter, age 0-5. The daughter, age 5-10 in the earlier 1830 census was in fact, not a daughter. This child was Mary Jane Maloney, daughter of Hugh Maloney. Hugh's wife, Susana Sevier Maloney died in childbirth. Hugh gave Mary Jane to his sister, Jane "Jenney" Maloney Cooper to raise. Thus the family of Christopher Jr. and Jane "Jennie" consisted of 4 children, 3 sons and 1 daughter by 1840. Little Mary Jane was truly left an orphan when her father, Hugh Maloney died. Christopher Jr. and Zopher Johnston Jr. witnessed his Will in 1840. No Will has been found for Christopher Jr. and Jane Maloney Cooper in MO. The names of the children can be identified from the 1850 Census. CHILDREN OF JANE MALONEY AND CHRISTOPHER COOPER, JR. 1. Hugh, age 22 born 1828 2. William, age 21 born 1829 3. Robert L., 16 born 1834 4. Nancy, age 12 born 1838. (From the Osgood, MO. book, little Nancy was blind.) Also living with the Christopher Jr. family in the 1850 census is a Thomas Cooper, age 32 (born 1818, hence too old to be a son and whose birth precedes Christopher and Jane's marriage in 1822.) It is quite possible that this Thomas is a first cousin, being the son of Christopher Sr.'s brother, John. It is also possible that Thomas COULD be the male age 15-20 who is living with Christopher Jr. in the 1830 Census. (Note, too, that there IS a Thomas Cooper who is in the 1782 Frederick County, VA census. The person, Thomas, who is in Christopher's 1850 household COULD be the "link" to the Thomas Cooper who is in Frederick County, VA in 1782. It is possible that brothers, Christopher Sr and John, and a possible brother, James, had a fourth brother, Thomas.) Living next door to the family in household # 577 is Christopher's aged mother, Jane Brown Cooper, age 85 in the 1850 census (born 1765). After 1851 when Christopher Jr. moved his family to MO, mother, Jane Brown Cooper lived with her daughter , Sarah who had married Ephraim Doty. The 1850 Census has the Christopher Cooper Jr family enumerated as household number 576. A George W. Gass, age 26 and his young wife Catherine, age 20, are next door in household number 575. Note that the young orphan boy living with Zopher Johnson Jr. and his wife, Phebe Cooper, is George W. Gass, age 6. Clearly these two Gass males who share the same name must be related! It is more than a possibility that the Gass family had intermarried with the Zopher Johnston Sr. family. In the death certificate of George W. Gass who went to IL with Zopher Jr's family, his mother's surname is given as Johnson, no first name stated. Yet, no marriage has been found between Gass/Johnson in the Greene County records prior to 1855. Shortly after the 1850 Census, Christopher Jr. moved his family to Sullivan County, MO. From the book on Osgood, MO, the children of Christopher Cooper Jr are given as: Hugh M. (who was later a judge in Osgood); 2. William; 3. Robert S. 4. Earnest; 5. Bessie; 6. Hundley; 7. Nathan and 8. Nancy. Nancy was blind. This information is not correct. The children Earnest, Bessie, Hundley, and Nathan were Christopher and Jennie's grandchildren by son, Robert.. Robert and his family lived with his parents on their farm near Galt, MO. Page 18 Seven year old Nathan poses another question. In 1791, while the Christopher Sr. family were still in Virginia, there was a Nathan Cooper who married Christina Hughes in Greene County, TN. Is this a coincidence, or is the name of "Nathan" a possible "connection" to this earlier Cooper Family in Greene County??? With the move of the Christopher Cooper Jr family from Greene County, TN to Sullivan County, MO, there were no other males left in Greene County to carry on the surname of "our" Cooper family. After the death of Christopher Sr in 1830 and the move to MO in 1851 by his only son, Christopher Jr, the Cooper surname is hardly mentioned in the two historical books on Greeneville, one by Richard H. Doughty, "Greeneville 100 Year Portrait 1775-1875" and the other by Edward C McAmis, "Tennessee's First Settlers and Soldiers"; thus, leaving us to our own devices to tediously research this family by scouring court minutes, land records and census lists. Christopher Cooper Jr. died in 1865 in Galt, Sullivan County, MO. He and his wife, "Jenny" (Jane) Maloney Cooper are buried in Campground Cemetery in Trenton, MO. 4. ELIZABETH COOPER. Elizabeth was the next daughter born to Christopher Sr and Jane Brown Cooper. As the other sisters, Elizabeth was born in Virginia on 7-8-1793. Elizabeth, too, married a son of Zopher Johnston, Sr. Elizabeth and Joseph Johnston were married in Greene County on 12-18-1816, bond by William Hankins. (He was also the bondsman for Zopher Jr and Phebe Cooper's wedding). Little is known about this family. In the 1830 Census, Joseph and wife, Elizabeth live next door to Joseph's father, Zopher Sr. They also live near Joseph's older brother, John, and to his sister, Martha/Marsy who had married Robert Foster in 1802. By 1830, Elizabeth and Joseph have two sons and four daughters: 1830 Census, Greene County MALES FEMALES 1 0-5 year 1 0-5 years 0 5-10 2 5-10 1 10-15 1 10-15 0 15-20 0 15-20 1 20-30 The female, age range 20-30, would not be a daughter. This female is presently unidentified. By the 1840 Census (page 47), their family now included: MALES FEMALES 1 0-5 year 0 0-5 years 0 5-10 0 5-10 0 10-15 1 10-15 0 15-20 1 15-20 1 20-30 Page 19 From the 1840 census, it appears that their second born son had died, and two of their four daughters had by now married. With the young male age 0-5 in the 1840 census, it appears that Elizabeth and Joseph had a total of three sons, one who possibly died in childhood and four daughters. However, because there are some "unidentified" Johnstons/Johnsons in the Greene County marriage records, we cannot discount the fact that in 1840 Elizabeth and Joseph's son, who would be 10-15 years old in 1840, is possibly living with another family member. He is possibly one of the unidentified males in Elizabeth's sister, Catherine Maloney's, household. In the Greene County marriages, there are two, Johnston males who are not yet identified. One of these is Wiley M. Johnston who married Eliza Ann Holt in 1844. Joseph's brother, John Johnston does have a son named Wiley; however, this Wiley was too young to have married in 1844. Another "unidentified" Johnston is Elijah. On 7-17-1854, Elijah Johnson married Polly Hawkins. On 2-28-1855, an Elijah Johnson married Martha Babb. Both the Hawkins and the Babb families lived along the Bailyton Road area. The Elijah Johnston who married Martha Babb in 1855 is the son of Joseph's brother, John. Another of John's son, Joseph A. Johnson, was the bondsman. This Elijah Johnston and his wife, Martha (Babb), are buried in the Mount Zion Cemetery in Grundy County, MO, where other Johnson family members are buried. It is MORE than a possibility that the male in Joseph's 1830 household who is not in his 1840 household, is indeed the Elijah Johnson who marries Polly Hawkins in 1854. Keep in mind that Catherine Cooper and her husband Robert Maloney have six males in their household; several of whom are not identified. Elijah Johnson, possible son of Joseph and Elizabeth Cooper Johnson, MAY be one of these "unidentified males" who is living with his Aunt's family in 1840. In the first full census enumeration that included all family names in 1850, Joseph is age 58 (born 1792 in Tennessee) and is living with his son, Joseph A., age 30, and his family in Household # 636. Elizabeth Cooper Johnson appears to have died before 1850. Also living in their brother, Joseph's household, are Mary J., age 25, and her sister, Hiley age 22. (Note that Joseph's brother, Zopher Jr who is married to Phebe Cooper also has a daughter named Mary and a daughter named "Hila".) I believe it can safely be assumed, that Joseph Sr had transferred his land to his son, Joseph A., although I have not found a deed transfer to confirm this. In household #635 is another Joseph A, age 24 (both Joseph A in #636 and Joseph A. in #635 have wives named Nancy!) This Joseph A. in household # 635 is the son of Joseph's older brother, John, who resides next door in Household #634. ( John, age 62 was born in 1888 and his birthplace is stated as Virginia.) In household #637, next door to Joseph Sr, is a Riley Johnson, age 32 and his wife, Lucinda (Cox) Johnson. Riley and Lucinda married on 11-12-1840, bond by John Foster, who was the son of Robert and Martha/Marsy Johnston Foster, Riley's Aunt. (The Riley and Lucinda Cox Johnson family left Greene County shortly after the 1850 census with several members of the Cox family who went to Vernon County, Mo.) Page 20 From the close proximity of these Johnson family members, I believe we can identify Joseph (Sr) and Elizabeth Cooper Johnson's family: Three sons, one of whom possibly died in childhood, but is more likely to be Elijah who married Polly Hawkins in 1854. The other two KNOWN sons are Joseph A and Riley. Two of their four daughters are still at home in 1850 and are Mary J. and Hiley. This leaves two daughters unidentified. A possible daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Cooper Johnson is Elizabeth Johnson who married William A. Crum on 2-22-1842. Although there are two, different families in Greene County, one with the surname of "Crumley" and one with the surname of "Crum", it is possible this is one and the same family (similar to the surname variations of the Maloney/Malone families). It is possible that this William Crum, MAY be the son of William CRUMLEY Sr. who married Betsy Johnston in 1817. Betsy is a probable daughter of Zopher Johnston Sr. Another possibility is Nancy Johnson who married William C. Hatley on 9-9-1845, bond by William Ross, married by JP, Christopher Cooper Jr. William C. Hatley was a son of Sherwood and Phebe Johnston Hatley, who is a probable daughter of Zopher Johnston Sr. (Adding further "proof" of a relationship with this family, is that Nancy Johnson Hatley shows up in Hamilton County, IL living close to Zopher Johnson Jr.) Because of the known interfamily marriages between the Johnsons and Hatleys, I believe it is more probable that Nancy Johnson who married William C. Hatley in 1845 is indeed a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Cooper Johnson. Nancy would have been "triple" related to the Cooper/Johnson family. Both her Aunt Phebe, on the Cooper side, and her Uncle Zopher Jr, on the Johnston side are blood relatives. And, her husband's mother, Phebe Johnston Hatley, is also a blood Aunt on Nancy's Johnston side! Also, the fact that Nancy Johnson Hatley and her children are in MO between 1854 and 1859, then move to Hamilton County, IL in 1860 to live beside Zopher Jr. and Phebe Cooper Johnson after Nancy is deserted by her husband, is pretty conclusive evidence she is the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth. Both Elizabeth and Joseph were dead by 1860; so, too was her Uncle John Johnson. The only male relative Nancy could turn to to help provide for her family was her Uncle Zopher Jr. and her Aunt Phebe. Both of these female names, Elizabeth and Nancy clearly run in the Johnston family. However, it is also possible, but unlikely these girls are not daughters of Joseph, but daughters of Joseph's brother John. In John's 1855 Will, he names his sons, but only names one of his four daughters! By 1840, John Johnston had only one daughter in his household. We believe this daughter is Sally, who married Absolom Lonas on 7-1-1850. With marriage dates of 1842 for Elizabeth and 1845 for Nancy, Joseph and Elizabeth Cooper Johnston, would have to be their parents IF they are associated with "our" Johnston family.....which I believe them to be. To my knowledge, there are no Greeneville descendants of Joseph and Elizabeth Cooper Johnson who are researching this family. This leads me to suspect that their children left Greene County. It is known that their son, Riley who married Lucinda Cox indeed left shortly after the 1850 census and went with other Cox family members to Vernon County, MO. It would not surprise me at all to eventually learn that their other son, Joseph A. and possibly the daughters likewise left Greene County and went to Missouri. Page 21 CHILDREN OF ELIZABETH COOPER AND JOSEPH JOHNSTON 1. Riley, born about 1818. Riley married Cindy Cox on 11-12-1840, bond by John Foster (his cousin) and Mitchel Delashmit (a neighbor). Riley and his wife, "Cinda", accompanied several members of the Cox family in 1851 when they went to Vernon County, MO. However, by 1857, Riley and his family had left Vernon Co. and were in Sullivan Co., MO where his cousins (sons of John Johnston) had moved. Riley had two known daughters, Margaret J. born 1843, and Elizabeth born about 1850. 2. Joseph A., born about 1820. Joseph A. (probably "A" for "Addison)'s wife was Nancy, and she is probably Nancy Reynolds. They were married on 6-25-1841 by Christopher Cooper Jr. We do not know if this family remained in Greene Co, or if they, too, went to MO. 3. Son who possibly died in childhood, or more probable, the Elijah Johnson who married Polly Hawkins in 1854. This family MAY have also moved to MO. As in Greene Co. there are two marriage records in Sullivan Co., MO for an Elijah Johnson. Because Elijah, son of John, is buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery with his wife Martha Babb Johnson, one if not both of these two MO marriages is most likely by Elijah, son of Joseph and Elizabeth. 4. Mary, born 1825. Nothing is known about Mary. There are no marriages in the Greene County marriages up to 1855 for a Mary Johnston/Johnson which appear to be for our family. 5. Hilley, born 1828. On December 3, 1855, a "Martha" Johnson married David T. Patterson. The females in our Johnston/Johnson family are frequently named "Hila Martha". The bond was by William Hankins. I believe this "Martha" is probably the Daughter, Hilley, of Joseph and Elizabeth. 6. Probably Nancy, born about, 1831, who married William Calvin Hatley on 9-9-1845, bond by William Ross, and married by Christopher Cooper Jr. Nancy and William Calvin Hatley had six children, William S. born 1849, James M. born 1851, Nelson V born 1859 (the last child born in MO), Mary Elizabeth born 1847, Martha Jane born 3-19-1854 (the first child born in MO) and died 8-4-1934 in DuQuoin (Perry County, IL) and Nellie born 1856. When the 1860 Census was taken, Nancy and her six children are in Hamilton Co., IL living beside Zopher Jr and Phebe Cooper Johnson. Believing her first husband, William Calvin Hatley, was dead, Nancy Johnson Hatley married a second time to Alexander Summers on March 21, 1864 in Franklin Co., IL. After the marriage, Nancy learned her first husband was still alive! She then divorced her first husband for desertion, the divorce petition being filed in 1865; then immediately remarried Alexander Summers. After Alexander's death, Nancy married a third time to Thomas Reed. With Thomas, Nancy had another son, Cornelius, was born on 10-8-1873. He died as a young man of 17 on 4-9-1891 and is buried in the Macedonia ME Church Cemetery where other family members of the Zopher Jr. and Phebe Cooper Johnson family are buried. We do not know when Nancy Johnson Hatley Summers Reed died. She is still alive in 1897. It is possible she went to Indiana to live with her son, James, and died there. Page 22 7. Possibly, Elizabeth born c. 1820. We have no information on Elizabeth. It is possible she married William Crum on 2-22-1842. It is also possible that the fourth daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Cooper Johnston died young or left TN and went to MO. 5. LYDIA COOPER. Another daughter born to Christopher Sr and Jane Brown Cooper was Lydia. One family researcher has Lydia's birth year in 1797; although her age is stated in the 1830 census as 40-50, ie a birth year of 1780-1790. Lydia married William Maloney, the son or John Maloney, on 3-23-1822. Again, very little is known about this family. In the 1830 census, the William Maloney family is listed on page 222. All of the Cooper children, except Catharine Cooper Maloney who lives in town at this time, are living nearby: Phebe Cooper Johnston (wife of Zopher Jr.) on page 220; Jane Cooper Blair is also on page 220; brother Christopher Jr. is on page 219 and Elizabeth Cooper Johnston (wife of Joseph) is on page 226, and Sarah Cooper Doty is on page 214. From the 1830 Census enumeration, we can find their children: 1830 Census, Greene County MALES FEMALES 0 0-5 year 0 0-5 years 1 5-10 1 5-10 1 10-15 1 10-15 1 15-20 1 15-20 William (age 50-60) is considerably older than Lydia (age 40-50). Since Lydia and William were married in 1822, the four oldest children would not be Lydia's children. It would appear that William had been married before and had a "first" family. By the 1840 census, it appears that both William and Lydia Cooper Maloney have either died or have left Greene County. There is a William Maloney family on page 56; however, this William is age 40-50 and his wife is age 30-40. This family is living near Ephraim and Sarah Cooper Doty family who is on page 55. Sarah is a sister to Lydia Cooper Maloney. This William is probably William Jr., the son of William Maloney by his first marriage. Because of the large number of Maloney sons and grandsons in Greene County by 1850, it is impossible to identify the names of William and Lydia Cooper Maloney's children. No present day descendants of William and Lydia Cooper Maloney have been identified; hence no detail information is known about this family nor their children. CHILDREN OF WILLIAM AND LYDIA COOPER MALONEY At least two children. None have yet been identified. Page 23 6. SARAH COOPER. Another daughter of Christopher and Jane Brown Cooper is Sarah. In 1855, in Jane's ongoing pension claim, she is living with "son in law" Ephraim Doty . Ephraim Doty's marriage to Sarah Cooper is not in the Greene County marriages as transcribed by Burgner; however, the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming that Sarah was the daughter of Christopher and Jane. In the 1850 census, Sarah and Ephraim are living with their son, William C. Doty, age 34. Sarah's age is given as 56 (born 1794), however, her tombstone records her birth year as 1796. In this census Ephraim is 55 (born 1795) which agrees to his tombstone. Also living with the family is Ephraim's aged father, Azariah, age 105 (born 1745 in New Jersey). It is very possible that Azariah was descended from Edward Doty who came over on the Mayflower in the year 1620. Azariah is a documented Revolutionary War soldier with the D.A.R., serving for North Carolina (with pension records on file.). He came to Greene County very early in 1783. In the 1809 Tax List, he is shown with 200 acres on Horse Fork of Lick Creek. Horse Fork is slightly north of where most of our Cooper/Brown/Johnston and other related families live. Azariah lived to be 106 years old when he died of a "snake bite"! Ephraim Doty must have been a prosperous and well respected citizen of early Greene County. He is indicated as "Captain" in the early Tax Districts. From the 1830 and 1840 Census, we get a "glimpse" of Ephraim and Sarah's family: 1830 Census Ephraim and Sarah do not live as close to the other Cooper/Brown/Johnston family members. They are on census page 214, whereas the others are around page 220. MALES FEMALES 0 0-5 year 1 0-5 years 0 5-10 1 5-10 1 10-15 1 10-15 0 15-20 0 15-20 Also in the 1830 Census is Jesse Doty, also on page 214. Jesse is obviously a brother to Ephraim. Ephraim and Jesse are the only two persons with the Doty surname in the 1830 census. By the 1840 Census(page 55), their family now included: MALES FEMALES 0 0-5 year 0 0-5 years 0 5-10 0 5-10 0 10-15 1 10-15 0 15-20 1 15-20 1 20-30 1850. (Note that Ephraim and Sarah name a son William Calvin, and Phebe Johnston, probable daughter of Zopher Johnson Sr, and her husband Sherwood Hatley also name a son William Calvin.) Page 24 William C. is age 34 (born 1816) in the 1850 census, household # 1908. Also in the 1850 census is a Jesse Doty, age 52. There are several younger males with the surname of Doty: Alpheus, age 26; Azariah age 24; Calvin age 30; Charles , age 16, and who still resides with Jesse; and Samual, age 19. All of these males appear to be the sons of Jesse, brother to Ephraim. Without reviewing the Greene County Marriages book by Burgner, I cannot positively state the names of the three daughters. One of the daughters is mentioned in the book by Edward C. McAmis. This was daughter, Jane, born 1818. Jane married William McAmis. From looking at the 1850 Census, it is possible that one of the daughters was also named Sarah and may be living next door in household #1910 and is married to Joseph Milligan. A record found on the internet, the accuracy of which I do not know, names the children of Sarah Cooper and Ephraim Doty as: William Calvin; Jane; Polly and Sally ("Sally" is a Scottish nickname for "Sarah"). A check of the Marriages is required to accurately identify the daughters; however, these names do appear to be reasonable. CHILDREN OF EPHRAIM AND SARAH COOPER DOTY 1. William Calvin, born 1816 is a known son. He and his family are buried along with his parents at Doty's Chapel, near Baileyton Road in Greene Co., TN. 2. Jane, who married William McAmis, both of whom are also buried at Doty's Chapel 3. Possibly Polly (whose name is probably "Mary") born c. 1828 4. Possibly Sally (whose name is probably "Sarah") born 1-24-1820 From her tombstone, Sarah Cooper Doty died in 1865. Her husband, Ephraim, died in 1869 at 94 years old. They are buried at Doty's Chapel United Methodist Church, just off of Bailyton Road. Also buried there is their son, William C., and their daughter, Jane Doty McAmis, and several other Doty family members. Additional research remains to be done on this family. It appears, however, that the Ephraim and Sarah Cooper Doty family did remain in Greene County, TN. However, it is possible that the third generation did begin to leave TN. In the Sullivan County, MO, marriage records is a marriage on 3-26-1896 between Mary B. Doty and Alf Johnson. This is very probably a continuing interfamily marriage between the same Greene County families who migrated into MO. 7. JANE COOPER. The last, and probably the youngest daughter of Christopher Sr. and Jane Brown Cooper is Jane, born 2-7-1802. The place of birth is given as Tennessee; hence the Christopher Sr. family could have arrived in Greene County as early as 1802. Jane married William H. Blair, Jr. in Greene County on 1-29-1823 in the home of her father, Christopher Cooper Sr. with "a large crowd attending." The bondsmen were John Harden and Benjamin Carter. Specifically noted as attending was a Simeon Hatley, who is the brother of Sherwood Hatley. Sherwood married Zopher Johnston Sr's probable daughter, Phoebe, one year earlier in 1822. Page 25 William was the son of William, Sr., who in 1811, owned 167 acres on Grass Creek and by 1812 owned land on Churn Camp Creek. It is possible that the "Grass" Creek property is really on "Grassy Branch", which is where Jane's father, Christopher Cooper Sr lived. Churn Camp Creek is slightly north of Roaring Forks where the Cooper/Johnston and most of the other intermarried families lived. It is possible that by the time of William's marriage to Jane, William's father, William Sr., may have moved out of District 12 into District 1, or owned land in both of these areas. On 7-23-1821, an Aveline Blair, "daughter of Phebe King, purchased 200 acres at Camp Creek (which is SOUTH of the Nolachukey River in District 1) from Benjamin Carter, the land "adjoining William Blair and others". Surely, the Benjamin Carter who was the bondsman at the 1823 wedding, and the Benjamin Carter who sold land to Aveline Blair were one and the same. A descendant of Jane and William has extensively researched this family, and the information I present is from her research. William Sr. had several "run ins" with the Courts. In 1813, Christopher Cooper (presumably Sr.) acted as a surety, and later sued William to recover his court costs. A few years later, William was indicted for adultery. In 1820, he was again indicted "for an affray". In 1823, he was charged with "bastardy" for "...begetting two bastard children begotten of the body of Phoebe King...". This "bastard child" is most probably the Aveline Blair, "daughter of Phebe King" who in 1821 purchased 200 acres of land at Camp Creek that adjoined the lands of William Blair. In 1829, William once again was indicted for assault and battery on his wife, Nancy Blair. By 1830, William Sr. had left Greene County and went to Laurel County, KY where he probably died. His wife, Nancy, died in 1872 in Arkansas. The questionable character of the father, however, did not seem to "rub off" on the son. William Jr. from all appearances was a citizen in good standing. In October 1826, William Jr. was appointed by the courts as an overseer of a public road from Christopher Cooper's place to Zachariah Casteel's Branch. William and his wife, Jane Cooper Blair, obviously lived very near Jane's father in 1826. By 1830 there is only one Blair family in the Census, and this was the William Jr. and Jane Cooper Blair family: 1830 Census William Jr. and Jane are on page 220 of the census. Zopher Johnston who had married Phoebe Cooper is also on page 220; Brother, Christopher Cooper, Jr. is nearby on page 219. MALES FEMALES 1 0-5 year 2 0-5 years 0 5-10 0 5-10 0 10-15 0 10-15 By 1830, seven years after their marriage, Jane Cooper and William Blair, Jr., had three young children, all under the age of 5! Page 26 The William and Jane Cooper Blair family left Greene County in the mid 1830's. The last references of this family being in Greene County occur in 1834, when a note was due on William Blair for $1.00, due to the estate of James "Goss" (probably "Gass") marked "doubtful" and in July 1836, when William Blair owed $1.12 to the estate of David Rankin. William and Jane Cooper Blair had left Greene County, TN and migrated to KY sometime in the middle 1830's. There is a William Blair family in the 1840 Census of Greene County; however this family does not reside near the Cooper/Johnston families along Bailyton Road. In this household is one son, age 5-10. This is not "our" William Blair family. There were several people with the Blair surname in the early 1800's in Greene County In addition to "our" William H. Blair, there was a John Blair, a Sally Blair, and an Aveline Blair. Their relationship to our Blair family is unknown; however, they likely were family members. By 1834, "our" William and Jane Cooper Blair family had removed to Laurel County, KY. William is listed on the 1834 tax list, the 1840 list and the 1841 list. The 1840 tax list shows the William Blair family owning 154 acres on Laurel River, with one horse, three cows and four children. In the 1840 Census, there are two William Blair families, one is William B. Blair, age 20-30; and the other is William Blair, age 30-40 with a wife, aged 30-40 and 5 children. The later is "our" William and Jane Cooper Blair family. They were founding members of the Methodist Church in Laurel County, KY. CHILDREN OF WILLIAM JR. AND JANE COOPER BLAIR From the notes of a descendent and researcher of this family, the children of William Jr. and Jane included: 1. James Alexander, born 1825 2. Mary Polly born 1827 3. Jane born 1829 4. William born 1831 5. John born 1835. All of the children later stated their place of birth was TN; so it is possible that the William and Jane Blair family left Greene County, TN sometime after the birth of their last child, John, in 1835, and removed to Laurel County, KY. Since the family does appear in the 1834 tax list, it is possible that William had gone to KY to purchase his land, then returned to TN to be with his pregnant wife. Then, after their last child was born in 1835, the family removed to KY. William Jr. died on December 14, 1870. Jane died on June 6, 1866. They are buried at the Campground Cemetery in Laurel County, Ky. POSTSCRIPT: THE FAMILY OF CHRISTOPHER AND JANE BROWN COOPER The seven children of Christopher Sr. and Jane Brown Cooper all continued a very close relationship together. Through successive generations, intermarriages between the Cooper, Brown, Johnston, Foster, and Maloney families continued. Most of these families lived within very close proximity to each other, along Bailyton Road, north of Greeneville, in District 12. Page 27 Nothing seems to underscore this more than looking at estate sales when neighbors died. In 1831, when neighbor Jacob Bowman died, debts were owed to the estate by Jotham Brown Jr. for 110 pounds of iron ore, and by Christopher Cooper Jr. who owed $4. In 1836, when neighbor Joshua Kidwell died, several members of these interrelated families purchased estate items on February 12, 1836: Zopher Johnston Jr. purchased a tree (68 cents). Zopher Jr's brother, Joseph, purchased one pot rack ($1.09) and a bridle (88 cents). Jotham Brown Jr. purchased a saddle bag for $4.01; Christopher Cooper Jr. purchased one "pair of bedsteads" for $1. Robert Foster owed the estate $6.37. When neighbor David Rankin died in 1836, Christopher Jr. owed the estate $7.52 (which was annotated as "doubtful"). Upon the death of neighbor, Elijah Kidwell, our interrelated families turned out in force to purchase items sold from the estate on October 14, 1842. Christopher Cooper Jr. purchased an auger for 55 cents; William Brown, son of Jotham, purchased a bee stand for 75 cents and a horse for $30.25; James, son (or grandson??) of Zopher Sr purchased 2 augers for $1.07; and Riley Johnson, grandson of Zopher Sr. purchased a saw for 14 cents. These same family members and more, had outstanding debts to Elijah Kidwell's estate: Christopher Jr. owed the estate $7; James Johnson owed the estated $9.05. John Johnson owed $4.25; Sherwood Hatley, husband of Phebe Johnston Hatley, owed the estate $23.77 (the account was annotated as "desperate"); William Brown owed $5. With the westward migration beginning in the 1830's, these families who had been intertwined for so long began to move apart. By the mid 1850's, many if not most had left Greene County. Through the intervening century and a half, descendants of these early families were often not even aware that the Cooper/Brown/Johnston/Foster/Maloney families had migrated with each other, lived near each other, and had intermarried into the same families over an unknown number of generations; in essence, we had "lost our roots". It has now been over 200 years since the Cooper/Brown/Johnston and other intermarried families left Virginia and arrived in Greene County, TN. Today, we are spread out across the nation. It is the hope of the present day descendants who have provided all of the information used in this Cooper Family History that by the compilation of this information, even more descendants of these brave pioneer families will be able to "find" their Greene County, TN roots and contact us. The Branches of our Cooper tree are just beginning to be identified. We look forward with great expectation and anticipation that other Cooper descendants will add to our knowledge. After more than 150 years in time and thousand of miles in distance have separated our families, it is our hope that WE COOPER DESCENDANTS are beginning to come together. Please let us hear from you. Stevie Hughes. Email: Stevie1302@AOL.Com Page 28 COOPER FAMILY REFERENCE SOURCES: 1. 1782 Federal Census, Frederick County, VA 2. "A Seed-bed of the Republic" (Virginia) by Robert D. Stoner 3. "Muster Roll, Revolutionary War, Botetourt County, VA" by Anna Lowry Worrell, Col. William Preston Chapter, D.A.R., Roanoke, VA 4. "Montgomery County, VA Tax Lists and Abstracts" transcribed by Netti Schneiner-Yantis 5. "Virginia's Colonial Soldiers" by Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck 6. "Archives of the Pioneers of Tazewell County, VA" transcribed by Netti Schreiner-Yantis 7. Annals of Southwest Virginia" , Vol. 1, by Lewis Preston Summers 8. "Washington County, Va Will Book 1, 1777-1792" by Shelby Ireson Edwards 9. 1830, 1840, 1850 Federal Census, Greene County, TN 10. 1860 and 1870 Federal Census, Hamilton County, IL 11. Virginia Land Records, University of Virginia 12. Early Tax Lists, Greene County, TN 13. Land Records, Hamilton County, IL 14. Daughters of American Revolution (D.A.R.) Patriot Index, Vol. I 15. National Archives, Revolutionary War Pension Records of Zopher Johnston Sr. and Christopher Cooper Sr.'s widow, Jane Brown Cooper 16. "Of Plymouth Plantation" 1620-1647 by William Bradford, editor S. E. Morison 17. "First Families of Tenneffee" , East Tennessee Historical Society 18. "Tennessee's First Settlers and Soldiers", by Edward C. McAmis 19. "Greeneville, One Hundred Year Portrait 1775-1875" by Richard H. Doughty 20. "Early Johnsons of Hamilton County, IL" by Rev. James W. Dupree 21. "Legacy of Kin, Hamilton County, IL" by Harold G. Felty 22. "Greene County Marriages" by Goldene Fillers Burgner 23. "Tennessee Marriage Records, Greene County, Volume 1, 1783-1818" by Gertrude L. Soderberg 24. "Greene County Cemeteries" by Buford F. Reynolds and Carl N. Hayes 25. "Greene County Wills, 1783-1890" by Goldene Fillers Burgner 26. "Records of Greene County, Wills-Inventories 1802-1810 and 1828-1843" copied under Work's Progress Administration, 1936 27. "Greene County Deed Abstracts, 1805-1810" by Joyce Martin Murray 28. "Greene County Court Minutes" TN Historical Records Survey by WPA 29. Various Records, Tennessee State Archives, Nashville 30. National Archives, Civil War Pension Papers for Christopher Cooper Johnson and his son, James A. Johnson, IL 40th Company A. 31. Zopher Johnston Sr. descendants' "Family Notes" and Research 32. Christopher Cooper Sr. descendants' "Family Notes" and Research 33. Jotham Brown Sr. descendants' "Family Notes" and Research 34. Matthew Cox Sr. descendants' "Family Notes" and Research 35. Sullivan County, MO Marriage records 36. Hamilton and Franklin County, IL Census Records 37. Hamilton and Franklin County, IL Marriage Records 38. Macedonia ME Church Cemetery Records, Hamilton County, IL 39. Cemetery records DuQuoin, IL (Perry County) 40. Sullivan County, MO 1860 Census 41. Mt. Zion Cemetery records, Grundy County, MO 42. Laurel County, KY Census Records 43. Laurel County, KY Tax Records 44. Campground Cemetery Records, Laurel County, KY ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Stevie Hughes ====================================================================