GREENE COUNTY, TN - CEMETERIES - Old Cooper Graveyard ----¤¤¤---- PREFACE The Old Cooper Graveyard was "rediscovered" in 2004. This old family cemetery has been left undisturbed for about 100 years. At the time of my visit in April 2004, the graveyard was almost impossible to enter because of undergrowth, vines, trees and general debris. At least 20 stones were visible; many of them small stones which probably indicate the graves of infants or children. The old Cooper Graveyard is on Spider Stine Road off of Baileyton Road. The cemetery is on the John W. Smith farm. The Smith and Stine families were entrusted with the safekeeping of this family burial ground in 1851. These duties have been faithfully undertaken for 150 years. HISTORY OF THE OLD COOPER GRAVEYARD Christopher Cooper (Senior) came from Montgomery County, VA to Greene County, TN about 1803 with his wife, Jane Brown Cooper, and their seven children. On December 31, 1803, Christopher Cooper (Senior) purchased 240 acres of land on Grassy Creek from Jesse Mossley. Christopher Cooper died in May 1830 while applying for a Revolutionary War pension. A few years prior to his death, he conveyed 80 acres of his farm to his son, Christopher Junior, on 3-22-1825. Most of Christopher and Jane Brown Cooper's children left Greene County, TN. Jane who was wife of William H. Blair (Junior) left with her husband and family in the 1840's and removed to Laurel County KY. Phebe who was the wife of Zopher Johnson Junior, left with most of their children in 1853/4 and migrated to Hamilton County, IL. Lydia who was the wife of William Maloney, migrated with their younger children to Obion, TN; Christopher Cooper Junior and his wife, Jane "Jenny" Maloney, migrated with their family into Sullivan County, MO in 1851. Only three of the seven children of Christopher Cooper (Sr.) and Jane Brown Cooper remained in Greene County, TN. They were Catherine, wife of Robert Maloney; Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Johnson, and Sarah, wife of Ephraim Doty. Sarah and Ephraim are buried at nearby Doty's Chapel. The final resting place for Catherine Cooper Maloney and Elizabeth Cooper Johnson and her husband, Joseph, have not been located. It is presumed they are buried in the Old Cooper Graveyard. In 1851, when Christopher Cooper Jr. migrated to MO. he sold the land to John Stine. The farm has remained in this family for over 150 years. PAGE 2 TRANSCRIPTION AT THE TIME OF THE AUTHOR'S VISIT TO THIS CEMETERY, THE UNDERGROWTH WAS SO PROFUSE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CLOSELY EXAMINE THE GRAVESTONES. ABOUT 20 STONES WERE OBSERVABLE. ALL WERE HAND-MADE MARKERS. NO NAMES COULD BE DISCERNED. KNOWING THE MIGRATION DATES OF THIS COOPER FAMILY, AND THEIR RELATED INLAWS, IT IS PRESUMED THE FOLLOWING FAMILY MEMBERS ARE INTERRED IN THE OLD COOPER GRAVEYARD. SURNAME GIVEN MAIDEN Birth Death COOPER Christopher 1753/54 5-29-1830 Date of Death taken from his widow's pension application. Jane Brown c. 1765 After 1855 and before 1860 Date of Death based on the (wife of Christopher) final correspondence in her pension application files and the 1860 census. FOSTER Robert c. 1780 Before Oct. 1833 husband of Mercy Johnston Mercy/Martha Johnston c. 1782 Before April 1850 (d/o Zopher Johnston Sr.) (married 1802) (Dates of Estate Inventories) GRAHAM Sally Johnston c. 1785 wife of James Graham (d/o Zopher Johnston Sr.) (married 1806) unnamed Graham Female c. 1900 last remembered burial HATLEY Sherwood 1791-93 3-17-1875 War of 1812 Soldier, Capt. Wyley's Co., NC Militia Phebe Johnston c. 1800 Before 9-20-1849 1st wife of Sherwood Hatley (d/o Zopher Johnston Sr) (married 1822) Date of Sherwood's remarriage PAGE 3 HATLEY Sally Clarke Spring 1865 Burial and Date of Death from (3rd wife of Sherwood) James Graham affadavit dated 1878 on behalf of Sherwood Hatley's 4th wife, Bethena Hatley (Bethena is buried at the Malone Cemetery near Ottaway. JOHNSON Elizabeth Cooper 7-8-1793 Before 1850 wife of Joseph Johnson (d/o Christopher & Jane Brown Cooper) Joseph 1792 1873 husband of Elizabeth Cooper (son of Zopher Johnston Sr.) (last year in tax rolls) John 1788 Nov 1854 to Feb 1855 (son of Zopher Johnston Sr.) (Date of Will and Probate Date) MALONEY Catherine Cooper 3-2-1788/89 After 1862 wife of Robert Maloney (d/o Christopher & Jane Brown Cooper) (Robert Maloney is buried at the Cross Anchor Presby. Church. There is no marker for his wife, Catherine Cooper.) OTHER INTERFAMILY MEMBERS PROBABLY BURIED HERE INCLUDE THE SURNAMES OF: GRAHAM, JOHNSTON/JOHNSON, MALONEY, SAMPLES, WILLIS THE LAST "REMEMBERED" BURIAL TOOK PLACE AROUND 1900 FOR A "GRAHAM WOMAN". ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Stevie Hughes Stevie1302@aol.com ___________________________________________________________________