Cooper Family Tree

Candidates for the Siblings and Parents of Jesse Cooper (c. 1794 - 1842)

Our Jesse Cooper appears in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi, as head of family, age 16-26 years; one female child under 10 years; and one female, age 16-18 years. This would place Jesse Cooper's birth year from 1794 through 1804. On this very same page of this census record, and adjacent to Jesse's name, also appear: (1) Robert Cooper, age 16-26 years; 2 males under 10 years; 1 female under 10 years; and one female, age 45-over years; and (2) Nathan Cooper, head of family, age 26-45 years; 3 males under 10 years; 1 female, age 10-16 years; one female, age 16-26 years; one female, age 45-over years. This would place Robert Cooper's birth year from 1794 through 1804, and would place Nathan Cooper's birth year from 1775 through 1794. Robert Cooper is likely a brother to Jesse Cooper, and Nathan Cooper is likely a father to Jesse Cooper and Robert Cooper; however, this is not proven. Additionally, Jesse's father-in-law, Abner Hosey, appears on this same page of the census record. [Year: 1820; Census Place: Covington, Mississippi; Roll: M33_58; Page: 16; Image: 31]

John Cooper appears in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi, as head of family, age 45-over years; one male under 10 years; one male, age 10-16 years; 3 females under 10 years; 2 females, age 10-16 years; one female, age 16-26 years. This would place John Cooper's birth year at or prior to 1775. This John Cooper is likely a brother to Nathan Cooper and an uncle to Jesse Cooper and Robert Cooper; however, this is not proven. [Year: 1820; Census Place: Covington, Mississippi; Roll: M33_58; Page: 20; Image: 35.]

A search was then done, with results following in the summary below, in the 1790, 1800, and 1810 Federal Census records for North Carolina, South Carolina, and Missississippi for these same given names (Jesse, Robert, Nathan, John, and additionally two alternate spellings, Jessee and Nathaniel) to determine if, and where, these same Coopers may be located elsewhere prior to the 1820 Federal Census, Covington, Mississippi.

Formats of the 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1820 Federal Censuses are given.

Note: The narrative, The Cooper Family, History and Genealogy, 1681 - 1931, by Murphy Rowe Cooper, explains why and how some of the Coopers in North Carolina migrated to the Mississippi Territory.

1790 Federal Census

A Jesse Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, Martin County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years; one male, age 16-over years; and three females, ages not specified. [Year: 1790; Census Place: Martin, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0256] A second Jesse Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, Moore County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years; three males under 16 years; and two females, ages not specified. [Year: 1790; Census Place: Moore, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0433.] Either of these two Jesses listed in the 1790 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Jesse shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi. We do not know the names of any of these two Jesses' male children.

A Jessee (additional letter "e") is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, Bertie County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years; four males under 16 years; three females, ages not specified. [Year: 1790; Census Place: Bertie, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0204.] We do not know the names of any of Jessee's male children. Even if his given name were recorded as Jesse in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi, this Jessee listed in the 1790 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Jesse shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Robert Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, Franklin County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years. [Year: 1790; Census Place: , Franklin, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0029.] There is another Robert Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, Chester County, South Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years; two males, ages 16-over years; four males under 16 years; and seven females, ages not specified. [Year: 1790; Census Place: Chester, South Carolina; Roll: M637_11; Image: 0113.] We do not know the names of any of this second Robert's male children. Either of these two Roberts listed in the 1790 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Robert shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Nathan Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, New Hanover County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years; 2 males under 16 years; one female, age not specified. [Year: 1790; Census Place: , New Hanover, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0378.] We do not know the names of any of this Nathan's male children. This would place this Nathan Cooper's birth year at 1794 or earlier. A second Nathan Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, Union County, South Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years; and three females, ages not specified. This would place this second Nathan Cooper's birth year at 1794 or earlier. [Year: 1790; Census Place: Union, South Carolina; Roll: M637_11; Image: 0039.] Either of these two Nathans listed in the 1790 Census could be the same Nathan shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Nathaniel Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1790, Surry County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 16-over years; and three females, ages not specified. [Year: 1790; Census Place: Surry, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0299.] If his given name was recorded as Nathan in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi, this Nathaniel listed in the 1790 Census could be the same Nathan shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

There are seventeen Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1790, North Carolina, as heads of family, age 16-over years (Table 1). We do not know the names of any of these Johns' male children. These Johns who are age 16-over years in 1790 would be age 46-over years old in 1820, and thus they would then be a possible match for the John in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi.

Table 1
John Coopers Listed in the Federal Census for 1790, North Carolina, as Heads of Family

Count	North Carolina County, District, or Township	Number of Head-0f-Family Males Age 16-Over Years	Is This John a Possible Match to 1820 Census for Covington, Mississippi?
1	Bertic	1	yes
2	Burke	1	yes
3	Caswell	1	yes
4	Caswell	1	yes
5	Duplin	1	yes
6	Edgecombe	1	yes
7	Granville	1	yes
8	Edgecombe (Halifax)	1	yes
9	Iredell	1	yes
10	Mecklenburg	1	yes
11	Mecklenburg	1	yes
12	Montgomery	1	yes
13	Montgomery	1	yes
14	Nash	1	yes
15	Rutherford	1	yes
16	Sampson	1	yes
17	Stokes	1	yes

There are nine Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1790, South Carolina, as heads of family, age 16-over years. We do not know the names of any of these Johns' male children (Table 2). These Johns who are age 16-over years in 1790 would be age 46-over years old in 1820, and thus they would then be a possible match for the John in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi.

Table 2
John Coopers Listed in the Federal Census for 1790, South Carolina, as Heads of Family

Count	South Carolina County, District, or Township	Number of Head-0f-Family Males Age 16-Over Years	Is This John a Possible Match to 1820 Census for Covington, Mississippi?
1	Beaufort	1	yes
2	St. Thomas (Cheraws District)	1	yes
3	St. Thomas (Cheraws District)	1	yes
4	Chester	1	yes
5	Prince Fredericks (Georgetown)	1	yes
6	Prince Georges (Georgetown)	1	yes
7	Spartenburgh	1	yes
8	Spartenburgh	1	yes
9	York	1	yes

1800 Federal Census

A Jesse Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1800, Liberty Township, Marion District, South Carolina, as head of family, age 45-over years; one male child under 10 years; 2 females, ages 16-25 years; and one female, 45-over years. [Year: 1800; Census Place: Liberty, Marion District, South Carolina; Roll: 49; Page: 454; Image: 75.] We do not know the names of any of Jesse's male children. This Jesse listed in the 1800 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Jesse shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Robert Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1800, Louisburg Township, Franklin County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 26-44 years; two females, ages 16-25 years. [Year: 1800; Census Place: Louisburg, Franklin, North Carolina; Roll: 31; Page: 476; Image: 431.] There is another Robert Cooper listed in the Federal Census for 1800, York District, South Carolina, as head of family, age 26-44 years; and one female, age 26-44 years. [Year: 1800; Census Place: York District, South Carolina; Roll: 49; Page: 622; Image: 196.] Either of these two Roberts listed in the 1800 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Robert shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Nathan Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1800, Union District, South Carolina, as head of family, age 26-44 years; one male under 10 years; one female child under 10 years; 2 females, ages 10-15 years; one female, 26-44 years. [Year: 1800; Census Place: Union District, South Carolina; Roll: 50; Page: 232; Image: 453.] We do not know the name of Nathan's male child. This Nathan listed in the 1800 Census could be the same Nathan shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Nathaniel Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1800, Salisbury Township, Surry County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 26-44 years; one male under 10 years; one female under 10 years; one female, 26-44 years; and one female 45-over. [Year: 1800; Census Place: Salisbury, Surry, North Carolina; Roll: 32; Page: 641; Image: 607.] If his given name were recorded as Nathan in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi, this Nathaniel listed in the 1800 Census could be the same Nathan shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

There are twenty Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1800, North Carolina, as heads of family (Table 3). These Johns who are age 25-over years in 1800 would be 45-over years in 1820, and thus they would then be a possible match for the John in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi.

Table 3
John Coopers Listed in the Federal Census for 1800, North Carolina, as Heads of Family

Count	North Carolina County, District, or Township	Number of Males by Age (Head of family may not be oldest male.)			Is This John a Possible Match to 1820 Census for Covington, Mississippi?
Count	North Carolina County, District, or Township	16-25 Years	26-44 Years	45-over Years
1	Fayetteville (Anson)	-	-	1	yes
2	Burke	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
3	Duplin	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
4	Gates	2	1	1	yes
5	Hillsboro (Granville)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
6	Salisbury (Guilford)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
7	Hallifax (Halifax)	*	*	*	-
8	Capt Jones Captaincy (Heretford)	1	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
9	Lincoln	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
10	Salisbury (Mecklenburg)	-	1	1	yes
11	Montgomery	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
12	Hallifax (Nash)	1	2	-	yes if age 25-over years
13	Hallifax (Nash)	1	-	-	yes
14	Wilmington (Onslow)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
15	Wilmington (Onslow)	-	-	1	yes
16	Hillsborough (Person)	1	-	1	yes
17	Hillsborough (Person)	-	-	1	yes
18	Salisbury (Stokes)	-	-	1	yes
19	Salisbury (Stokes)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
20	Hillsborough (wake)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years

* Census log does not follow standard 1800 Federal Census format.

There are sixteen Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1800, South Carolina, as heads of family (Table 4). These Johns who are age 25-over years in 1800 would be 45-over years in 1820, and thus they would then be a possible match for the John in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi.

Table 4
John Coopers Listed in the Federal Census for 1800, South Carolina, as Heads of Family

Count	South Carolina County, District, or Township	Number of Males by Age (Head of family may not be oldest male.)			Is This John a Possible Match to 1820 Census for Covington, Mississippi?
Count	South Carolina County, District, or Township	16-25 Years	26-44 Years	45-over Years
1	Prince Williams (Beaufort)	†	†	†	-
2	St. Peters (Beaufort)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
3	Charleston	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
4	Chester (Chester)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
5	Darlington (Darlington)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
6	Liberty (Marion District)	-	-	1	yes
7	Liberty (Marion District)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
8	Williamsburg (Marion District)	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
9	Marlboro	1	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
10	Spartanburg	2	-	1	yes
11	Spartanburg	1	-	1	yes
12	Union	-	1	1	yes
13	Union	-	1	1	yes
14	Union	1	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
15	York	-	1	-	yes if age 25-over years
16	York	1	-	1	yes

† No data entered.

1810 Federal Census

A Jesse Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1810, Martin County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 26-44 years; one male under ten years; two females under 10 years; and one female, age 16-25 years. [Year: 1790; Census Place: Martin, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0256] This Jesse listed in the 1810 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Jesse shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Robert Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1810, Franklin County, North Carolina, as head of family, age 45-over years; two males under 10 years; three females under 10 years; and one female, age 16-44 years. [Year: 1810; Census Place: Franklin, North Carolina; Roll: 40; Page: 782; Image: 148.00.] There is a second Robert Cooper listed in the Federal Census for 1810, Georgetown County, South Carolina, as head of family, age 26-44 years. [Year: 1810; Census Place: Georgetown, South Carolina; Roll: 62; Page: 209; Image: 215.00.] There is a third Robert Cooper listed in the Federal Census for 1810, York County, South Carolina, as head of family, age 26-44 years; one female under 10 years; and one female, age 26-44 years. [Year: 1810; Census Place: York, South Carolina; Roll: 61; Page: 644; Image: 470.00.] Any of these three Roberts listed in the 1810 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Robert shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

A Nathan Cooper is listed in the Federal Census for 1810, Union County, South Carolina, as head of family, age 45-over; one male under 10 years; one male, age 10-15 years; 2 females, ages 10-15 years; and one female, age 16-25 years. [Year: 1810; Census Place: Union, South Carolina; Roll: 61; Page: 576; Image: 419.00.] This Nathan listed in the 1810 Census would be too old in 1820 to be the same Nathan shown in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

There are eleven Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1810, North Carolina, as heads of family (Table 5). These Johns who are age 35-over years in 1810 would be 45-over years in 1820, and thus they would then be a possible match for the John in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi.

Table 5
John Coopers Listed in the Federal Census for 1810, North Carolina, as Heads of Family

Count	North Carolina County, District, or Township	Number of Males by Age (Head of family may not be oldest male.)			Is This John a Possible Match to 1820 Census for Covington, Mississippi?
Count	North Carolina County, District, or Township	16-25 Years	26-44 Years	45-over Years
1	Caswekk	2	-	-	no
2	Duplin	-	1	-	yes if age 35-over years
3	Greensboro (Guilford)	-	1	1	yes
4	Guilford	†	†	†	-
5	Montgomery	1	1	-	yes if age 35-over years
6	Nash	-	1	-	yes if age 35-over years
7	Nash	-	1	-	yes if age 35-over years
8	Onslow	3	-	1	yes
9	Onslow	1	-	1	yes
10	Person	-	-	1	yes
11	Tyrrell	1	-	-	no

† No data entered.

There are nine Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1810, South Carolina, as heads of family (Table 6). These Johns who are age 35-over years in 1810 would be 45-over years in 1820, and thus they would then be a possible match for the John in the Federal Census of 1820 Covington County, Mississippi.

Table 6
John Coopers Listed in the Federal Census for 1810, South Carolina, as Heads of Family

Count	South Carolina County, District, or Township	Number of Males by Age (Head of family may not be oldest male.)			Is This John a Possible Match to 1820 Census for Covington, Mississippi?
Count	South Carolina County, District, or Township	16-25 Years	26-44 Years	45-over Years
1	St. Peters (Beaufort)	-	1	1	yes
2	Charleston (Charleston)	-	1	-	yes if age 35-over years
3	Chester (Chester)	4	-	1	yes
4	Chester (Chester)	-	1	-	yes if age 35-over years
5	Marion	-	1	-	yes if age 35-over years
6	Spartanburg	-	-	1	yes
7	Union	1	-	1	yes
8	Williamsburg	1	-	1	yes
9	York	1	-	1	yes

† No data entered.

Summary: Based on the 1790, 1800, and 1810 Federal Census comparisons to the 1820 Federal Census, any one John Cooper from any of the foregoing three Census periods may be the same John Cooper listed in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi, as follows: (1) seventeen Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1790, North Carolina, in Table 1; (2) nine Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1790, South Carolina, in Table 2; (3) nineteen Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1800, North Carolina, in Table 3; (4) fifteen Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1800, South Carolina, in Table 4; (5) eight Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1810, North Carolina, in Table 5; and (6) nine Johns listed in the Federal Census for 1810, South Carolina, in Table 6.

There are numerous Jesse Coopers, but none can be placed in Covington/Jones County, Mississippi, during the time period that our Jesse was there. One of the strongest possibilities—certainly stronger than the John Coopers listed in Table 1 through Table 6—for Jesse's father is the Nathan Cooper found adjacent to Jesse in the 1820 Covington County, Mississippi. This Nathan Cooper is likely, although not proven, to be the Nathan Cooper who was born in North Carolina in 1774 [Year: 1790; Census Place: , New Hanover, North Carolina; Roll: M637_7; Image: 0378.]

Notes from Doug Bell
I have these 4 NARA case files on Nathan Cooper in Mississippi. They have just never been scanned in as yet.
COOPER, NATHAN      MS      Jones       5/1/1861      Paulding     15809
COOPER, NATHAN      MS      Jasper      1/5/1841      Augusta      2400
COOPER, NATHAN      MS      Jasper      1/5/1841      Augusta      5140
COOPER, NATHAN      MS      Jasper      1/5/1841      Augusta      974

The Section 10 land (latitude 31°45'44.75"N; longitude 88°40'56.47"W) listed in the Credit Land file #199 is about 6 miles Northwest of Waynesboro, Wayne county, Mississippi on the Chickasawhay river. I have been in the area. It's river bottom land that would be good for farming. The #199 is certainly an odd Credit land file. The original form was for Lewis Sewell of Washington county (later in Alabama) who bid on the land in 1811. He later lived in Monroeville, Alabama. Later in he signed over his interest in the land to Nathan Cooper (for some amount of money). Nathan Cooper then paid off the rest of the land and interest in a cash lump sum September 13, 1817. That is why there are no dates and locations of payments made over time. The patent was issued in October 1818. Nathan Cooper was in St. Stephens in September 1817 either living there or on a visit to the land office. He could have bought the land from Lewis Sewell before that and been in Wayne county as early as 1816. St Stephens was where you went to get supplies, sell items at a trading post, and was the port of entry to Mississippi Territory for ships coming from Mobile or wagons though the Creek nation.

This means that Nathan Cooper came to the territory about 1816 with quite a bit of cash. This pushes his presence back as far as we can in the area. This is as far as we can go back with him in Mississippi. There is no record of him there earlier so he must have been somewhere else before 1816. He would have been northwest of Waynesboro by 1818.

St. Stephens is the land office not where the land was.

As for the National Archives crossing out Mississippi and put Alabama on the form, well Alabama didn't exist in 1811. St Stephens, Alabama office sold land in Mississippi and was located in Mississippi territory, Alabama territory, and finally in 1819 in Alabama.

Nathan Cooper has another piece of land in Jones county, but I can't find an exact description of it.

The Spartanburg, South Carolina, Nathan Cooper is the same age as ours but there is no evidence he is or isn't ours.

A Nathaniel Cooper in Jefferson county Alabama buys land in 1824 in Tuscaloosa, but I don't know if he is connected to the Mississippi Coopers.

Nathan was in Jones County in 1820 and 1830, and also it appears that this Nathan Cooper was the same one who was in Holmes County, Mississippi, in 1840—although his age was incorrectly recorded in the 1840 Census—and in Jackson Parish, Louisiana, in 1850. In 1850, a Nathan is shown living with the James Compton Family, who was his son-in-law. He is listed as 76 year of age and born in North Carolina. [Year: 1850; Census Place: , Jackson, Louisiana; Roll: M432_231; Page: 386; Image: 448.] [Email from Clarence on 2008-06-01.]

Notes from Doug Bell
(2010-04-26)

RE: Granting Bount Land to certain Officers and Soldiers, Warrant No. 80,524

Names
Patentee: EDWARD HARPER
Warrantee: MOSES D COOPER
Military Rank: PRIVATE

Survey
State: MISSISSIPPI
Acres: 39.95

Title Transfer
Issue Date: 10/2/1854
Land Office: Augusta
Authority: September 28, 1850: Scrip Warrant Act of 1850 (9 Stat. 520)
Document Nr.: 80524
Accession/Serial Nr.: MW-0818-349

Aliquot Parts NW π of NW 1/4
Section 14
Township 1-N
Range 12-E
Meridian Choctaw
State MS
Counties Jasper

Moses D. Cooper
private in Captain Walkers Company
South Carolina Militia
War of 1812

That unit appears to be from the Chester and York county SC area. This is where that Moses Cooper was before Jones and Jasper county Mississippi where he followed James Compton and Nathan Cooper around.

Now to order the bounty land application from NARA. That should get the documents he wrote up about his military service in the War of 1812 to get his land.

This is pointing to that Nathan Cooper and John Davidson in York county South Carolina.

Doug

Notes from Austin Cooper
(2010-04-27)

On the 1800 Census page for York District, South Carolina, where Alexander Ramsey is listed, there are the following Coopers: John Cooper, Robert Cooper, John Cooper Senr. [Attachment 1880 York (1)].

For John Cooper: 1 male under 10; 1 male, 26-44 (estimated birth 1756-1774)
For Robert Cooper: 1 male, 26-44 (estimated birth 1756-1774)
For John Cooper, Senr: 1 male, 16-25; 1 male, 45 and over. (estimated birth for John – 1755 or prior)

I suspect (don’t know) that John and Robert Cooper were brothers (ages 26-44) and were the sons of John Cooper, Senr. (age 45 and over).

From Doug Bell’s research, we have the following citation:

YORK COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA NEWSPAPERS
July 3, 1824 York District, South Carolina JOHN COOPER age 85, died June 22, also June 26 his wife ELIZABETH COOPER, age 87, married 60 years. (This would place John's birth at 1739 and Elizabeth's birth at 1737.)

I suspect (don’t know) that John and Elizabeth Cooper were the parents of John and Robert Cooper.

From Doug Bell’s research, we have the following citation:

SOME SOUTH CAROLINA GENEALOGICAL RECORDS page 390-391
YORK COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA
MARGARET COOPER - Will July 10, 1824 York County
Brother: ROBERT COOPER
Brother: WILLIAM COOPER
Brother: JAMES COOPER
Sister: ELIZABETH DAVISON--her daughter Eliza Mary
Sister: MARY WALLACE
Brother: JOHN COOPER's daughter MARGARET

I suspect (don’t know) that Margaret, Robert, William, James, Elizabeth, Mary, John were all children of John Cooper (died June 22, 1824) and his wife, Elizabeth (died June 26, 1824).

From Doug Bell’s research, we have the following citation:

SOME SOUTH CAROLINA GENEALOGICAL RECORDS page 390-391
YORK COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA
ROBERT COOPER - Will proved: November 18, 1842 York Probate P-46
Wife: MARY COOPER
Brother: JOHN COOPER of Kentucky and his daughter Jane Ferguson
Brother: JAMES COOPER of Georgia
Brother: WILLIAM COOPER of Tennessee and his son JOHN
Sister: ELIZABETH DAVISON of York Village
Sister: MARY WALLACE of Virginia and daughter Elizabeth Powell
Nephew: ROBERT son of WILLIAM of Tennessee
Neice: Mary Ellen Alston
Legatees of my wife MARY COOPER, deceased - viz: the children
Nancy Wallace of Alabama
Jane S. Davison of Alabama

I suspect (don’t know) that Robert (deceased), John, James, William, Elizabeth, and Mary were all children of John Cooper (died June 22, 1824) and his wife, Elizabeth (died June 26, 1824).

From Doug Bell’s research, we have the following citation:

SPARTANBURG COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA DEED ABSTRACTS BOOK A-T 1785-1827 page 46.
January 6, 1790 Richard Barry (Spartanburgh) to John Davison and "present" wife MARGRET (York Country); John with consent of his wife and her son NATHAN COOPER binds NATHAN as apprentice to Richard, saddler, until NATHAN is 21; NATHAN is now 15 years old since August 5, 1789; NATHAN can't play cards or dice or frequent taverns or the ale house or get married or practice fornication; Richard is to provide clothes, meat, drink, washing, and lodging with one year of schooling and, when the time expires, one suit.
Witness: D. Gordon, Thomas Moore, and Robert Hanna.
Signed Richard Barry, John Davison, NATHAN COOPER'S mark, and MARGRET DAVISON's mark. Witness oath September 21, 1790 Thomas Moore to Andrew Barry.

[YORK COUNTY]
from Camden District 1785 formed Cherokee 1897

1790 CAMDEN DISTRICT YORK SOUTH CAROLINA CENSUS
Page 28: WILLIAM DAVIDSON no slaves
Male: 2 16+ born     -1775   Female: 2 5 0-15 born 1775-1790

Page 29: ELIAS DAVISON no slaves
Male: 1 16+ born     -1775   Female: 1 4 0-15 born 1775-1790

Page 29: JOHN DAVISON no slaves
Male: 2 16+ born     -1775   Female: 4 5 0-15 born 1775-1790

Page 30: JOHN COOPER no slaves
Male: 3 16+ born     -1775   Female: 4 2 0-15 born 1775-1790

It is not clear who the husband of Margaret Cooper, whose son was Nathan Cooer, was prior to her marriage to John Davison. We do not know Margaret Cooper's maiden name.

This Nathan (the one under the watchful eye of Richard Barry) would have been born in 1774, which is the same year of birth for our Nathan (living in Jackson Parish, LA, in 1850, born 1774, and father of our Jesse). Can these two Nathan be the same?

From the Covington County, MS, records:

There is a John Cooper appearing in the 1820 Coving County, MS, Census, age 45-over. (Estimated birth for this John: 1775 or prior.)
There is a Nathan Cooper appearing in the 1820 Coving County, MS, Census, age 26-45. (Estimated birth for this Nathan: 1775-1794.)
There is a Robert Cooper appearing in the 1820 Coving County, MS, Census, age 16-26. (Estimated birth for this Robert:1775-1794.)
There is a Jesse Cooper appearing in the 1820 Coving County, MS, Census, age 16-26. (Estimated birth for Jesse: 1794-1804.)

From the Covington County, MS, Census recordes, it appears that this John Cooper (1820 Coving County, MS, Census, age 45-over) had two sons: Nathan (age 26-45) and Robert (age 16-26); however, this Nathan may not be the son of John Cooper, rather this Nathan may be the same Nathan whose mother was Margaret Cooper, who remarried John Davison. If this is the case, than this Nathan may be a nephew to John.

Further, it appears that Jesse Cooper (age 16-26) was the son of either Nathan (age 26-45). Note: the 1850 Jackson Parish, LA, 1850 Census indicates that Jesse (age 16-26) was the son of Nathan (age 26-45). This is likely the same Nathan Cooper.

Questions for Discussion
Is it too risky to assume that:
(1) John Cooper (born 1755 or prior in York, SC, ) had two sons, John and Robert? This seems reasonable.
(2) the John Cooper (born 1756-1774 in York, SC) and the John Cooper (born 1775 or prior in Covington, MS) are be the same person? (The birthdate ranges would permits this.)
(3) John Cooper (same John Cooper from York, SC, whose estimated birth is 1756-1774) relocated to Covington, MS, with his son Robert.
(4) Nathan (age 26-45, Covington Census) may also be the son this John (same John Cooper from York, SC, whose estimated birth is 1756-1774) or Nathan may be the same Nathan whose mother was Margaret Cooper, who remarried John Davison. If this is the case, than this Nathan would be a nephew to John.
(5) Nathan Cooper (born 1775-1794) is the father of Jesse Cooper (born 1794)?

With the exception of the foregoing Nathan Cooper, and possibly Nathaniel Cooper, no other given names (Jesse, Jessee, Robert) examined in the 1790, 1800, and 1810 Federal Censuses appear to be those same individuals listed in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi.

Additional effort is now needed in obtaining a copy of a will and/or land transactions records for Nathan and John Cooper, both listed in the 1820 Federal Census for Covington, Mississippi. Also, the Mississippi Territory Census records needs to be carefully reviewed for candidates.

Active: If a claim for pension or bounty lands were ever made for this service a copy of the documents can be obtained from the National Archives. A list of pension and bounty land claimants is contained in a series of Mississippi Genealogical Exchange publications many years ago

Last Modified: Sunday, June 20, 2010 5:51 PM