Taylor County, West Virginia Biography: James A. COPLIN ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , April 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 134 JAMES A. COPLIN, of the Flemington community in Tay- lor County, has continued the worthy work of his ancestors in this state. He is a successful grazer and stockman, his ranch being the old Brohard farm in Barry's Run, two and a half miles from Flemington. He was born January 7, 1852, in Harrison County, near the old "Uncle Joseph" Morris place on Brushy Fork and close to the scenes where his ancestors performed their labors as pioneer developers of this region. It was the homo of his grandfather, and his own father, Amazia Cop- lin, was born just below Gasilla in that neighborhood. Jacob Coplin, his grandfather, settled near Clarksburg in Harrison County about 1819. He and his brother Benja- min lost their property as sureties for borrowed money, and it is said that when these brothers left Clarksburg they had not even a bed and for a time slept on their overcoats. After locating on the Brushy Fork they recuperated their fortunes, taking up large tracts of land and building up a prosperous business as farmers and grazers. Jacob Coplin is buried at Bridgeport, where the family donated the land for the cemetery. He married a member of the Davidson family, and of their seven sons and five daughters the fol- lowing are recalled: David, Andrew, Jacob and Amazia; Matilda, who married John Dix, a Revolutionary soldier; Sarah, who married Andrew Ratliff and went to Ohio; while another daughter married and went to Texas. Amazia Coplin, one of the youngest sons, demonstrated his ability as a farmer on Brushy Fork, near Bridgeport, accumulated a fine body of land, and lived there until his death, March 13, 1865, being buried in the local cemetery. He married Emeline Mays, of Virginia, daughter of James Mays, whose home was on Cowpasture River, near the Bath Alum Springs. She survived her husband many years, pass- ing away in February, 1902. Of her children only two grew up, Nancy Ellen, who married J. B. Sandusky, of Bridgeport, where she died, and James Andrew. Brushy Fork community was a somewhat primitive dis- trict during the youth and boyhood of James Andrew Cop- lin. He never had the opportunity to attend school three consecutive months. He and the other boys and girls sat on a slab bench, and among the teachers he recalls the names of John McKinney, Billie Morris and James Samples, and of these only Samples was a competent teacher. Out- side of school he grew up in the "clearing," and the handling of ax and saw was almost a part of his daily activities. The family raised provisions for home use and grazed cattle, horses and sheep on the newly made pasture. After his marriage he continued working the old home place, and he still owns the land and the home where he learned to work and laid the foundation of his success. When he finally abandoned that district he came to his present place in Taylor County. He early established a reputation for honesty and effi- ciency, and his neighbors learned to confide in him and he was given places of trust and responsibility. He was a member of the Board of Education and was also overseer of highways. His father was opposed to slavery, was a Union man, and republican, while his mother was the daugh- ter of a slaveholder and of distinct southern sympathies. When it came time for him to vote his first ballot went to General Grant, and in later years he came to share the doubt of many thinking men as to the sincerity of party creeds and platforms, and has paid more attention to the man than the party. In 1920 neither he nor his wife voted for president. Mrs. Coplin is a member of the Methodist Church. July 8, 1876, in the "centennial year" Mr. Coplin mar- ried Miss Jane Pell, daughter of Kelso and Zeppie A. (Ross) Pell. Her mother was the sister of Cyrus Ross a wealthy farmer and slaveholder. Kelso Pell grew up on Cheat River, near Albright, in Preston County, and died on his farm at Bridgeport, where he and his wife are buried. Their children were: Benjamin; Rebecca, wife of Morgan Lodge; Mrs. Coplin; Charles; Lillian, Mrs. Floyd Taylor; Mrs. Lot Swagger; and Mrs. Nannie Gawthrop. Mrs. Cop- lin was educated at Bridgeport, and had experience as teacher of a subscription school before her marriage. The brief record of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Coplin is as follows: Emma, wife of Edward Thompson, of Clarks- burg; Rosa, who married Bert Bond; Maggie, who is Mrs. John Parks; Boss, who married Ralph Pepper; Zeppie, who married Dorsy Brown; Olive, Mrs. Noah Parks; Pearl, wife of Ester Stout; Martha, wife of Albert Corder; Miss Edna, the only one at home; and Pauline, who married Brent Bailey, a World war soldier, and is the mother of one daughter. The other grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Cop- lin are nineteen in all: Mrs. Thompson has five; Mrs. Rosa Bond, two; Mrs. Maggie Parks, two; Mrs. Pepper, two; Mrs. Olive Parks, a son; Mrs. Brown, two; Mrs. Stout, two; and Mrs. Corder, three.