William Cooper (1752 - 1821)

Born 27 Nov 1752 in Duplin County, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Ann (Scott) Cooper — married about 1773 (to about 1801) in North Carolina

Husband of Martha Patsy (Thames) Dyess — married 23 Feb 1807 in Cumberland, North Carolina

Descendants

Died 14 Dec 1821 at age 69 in Bogue Chitto, Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Charles Cooper [send private message]

Biography

Rev. William Cooper, Sr. (son of Fleet1) was born 1752 in Duplin County, North Carolina, and died Dec 1821 in Bogue Chitto, Lincoln County, Mississippi.

The Rev. William Cooper was the third son of Fleet Cooper, Sr. He was born in 1752, in what was then known as Duplin County. Of his childhood, little is known other than that his parents provided private school teachers for their children thus they received a good education. He married about 1773, and that in 1790 he was the father of six children, four sons and two daughters.

William Cooper enlisted in the Revolutionary War, April 20, 1776. He was discharged honorably two and a half years later that he might become a minister. At the time of his discharge, he was paid a balance of 49 pounds, 5 shillings and 3 pence. He further received a land grant of 200 acres in 1782 and another grant of 106 acres in 1789, “on the west side of Great Coharie and at the mouth of Big Branch” In the will of his father, Fleet Cooper, Sr. dated 2nd Of July, 1795 was written, “likewise to my son William Cooper, 150 acres of land”.^[1]

Lieutenant William Cooper served with 5th North Carolina Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Rev. William Cooper performed Patriotic Service in North Carolina in the American Revolution.

William Cooper is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A025821.

William Cooper is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-138658
Rank: Soldier

Lieutenant in the 5th Regiment North Carolina Militia. ^[2] and the DAR states: took oath of allegiance to make land entry, Duplin Co., 1779-80. ^[3]

He is said to have married (1) Elizabeth Scott, daughter of Nehemiah Scott and Elizabeth. He married (2) Unknown Abt. 1773 in Sampson County, North Carolina. She was born Abt. 1752, and died Bef. 1814 in North Carolina. He married (3) Martha Thames Aft. 1790 in North Carolina. She was born 1776 in North Carolina, and died 1858 in Polkville, Smith County, Mississippi.

Murphy Rowe Cooper erroneously claimed Martha Patsey Thames was the wife of Rev. William Cooper in his book, "The Cooper Family History and Genealogy". She was the wife of his son Jonathan Cooper. Jonathan and "Patty" Thames were married in Cumberland County, North Carolina on 23 Feb 1807.^[4] The bondsman was Stephen Wiggins, who married Martha/Patty's sister Nancy Thames.

On 8 May 1821, (Rev.) William Cooper deeded land to his "daughter-in-law", Martha:

Know all men by these presents that I William Cooper of the county of Lawrence and State of Mississippi for the natural love which I have and do bear to my daughter-in-law Martha Cooper and her present children, and for the better providing for them, I give unto them a certain part or tract of land lying and being in the county and state aforesaid, South of the brook and west of the land I have laid off for my son Benjamin Cooper, beginning at a Spanish oak and a pointer, made this day, thence northward to a Red oak and pointer, thence westward to a White Oak and pointers at the mill path, thence north west to a white oak and pointer near the creek, thence up the creek with Benjamin Coopers line, at high water mark, then to continue on round, so as to include all the land as I have south of the brook and west of my son Benjamin Coopers, which land I gave unto my daughter in law Martha Cooper and her present children, to them and their heirs and assigns forever, with all the conveniences, woods, ways, water and water courses, to them and their heirs and assigns forever.

Whereof I the said William Cooper have hereunto signed in the presence of John Cooper, Wilson Cooper

/s/ Wm Cooper (Seal)

State of Mississippi, Lawrence County

Personally came before me the within named Wilson Cooper who acknowledged that he made and assigned the within instrument for the purpose therein contained. Given under my hand and seal this 8th May 1821.

Recorded 2d Sept 1841

/s/ George W. King CS (Seal)

? Caldwell, Clk

One can assume from this deed that William's son, Jonathan Cooper, was deceased by this time. Martha subsequently married Christopher Dyess in Lawrence County on 8 Oct 1826.^[5] In a deed dated 30 Aug 1844, "Martha Dyass, William Cooper, James Cooper, and Jonathan sons of Martha Cooper by Jonathan Cooper heirs joint. . .", sold this land for $200 to Joseph Cooper.^[6] Joseph was possibly another son of Martha and Jonathan; however, he is not specifically stated as such in this deed. He married Christopher Dyess's daughter, Winnie Dyess.

1780 – 1802 - pastor of Bull Tail (now Wells’ Chapel Bap. Ch., Harrells, Sampson / Duplin Co., NC). Called Bull Tail for a nearby creek, was the colony’s twenty-second Baptist church when it was founded in 1756.^[7]

1802 – ca. 1814 – During the years from 1780 to 1796-7 he co-pastored Cape Fear and Bull’s Tail. He served Bulls Tail for twenty-two years. He resigned to become pastor of the Beaver Dam Baptist Church in Bladen County.

He served at Beaver Dam until 1814, at that time he resigned to go to the Territory of Mississippi. In this company were Reverend William Cooper, William Cooper, Jr., Wilson Cooper, Sr., and his son Wilson Cooper, Jr., and Joseph Cooper and their wives and children. The route they followed from Sampson County the east central part of North Carolina was southwest through South Carolina to Fort Mitchell, Georgia; Fort Claiborne and Fort Stephens, Alabama; thence directly west to Monticello, Mississippi, the only town on the map north of Natchez in 1807.

He built a 2-story house in Monticello, MS. and built it so well that it was the only house in town that remained standing after the cyclone in 1889

Pastor in Bogue Chitto, (???)

He wrote many hymns.(???)

Presently sorting children out

Children of William Cooper and Elizabeth Scott are:

1. Johnathan (ca. 1785, NC - May 1, 1821, MS)
2. Joseph ( ca.1788, NC-p.1860, Hinds Co., MS)
3. Benjamin (ca.1795, Sampson Co., NC-a. Oct. 28, 1850, Lawrence Co., MS)
4. Fleet (1800-1861)
5. William
6. Elizabeth May Cooper, born Bet. 1796 - 1797 in North Carolina.
   
   Children of William Cooper and Unknown are:
7. Joseph Cooper, born Abt. 1774 in Sampson County, North Carolina.
8. Benjamin Cooper, born 1776 in Sampson County, North Carolina.
9. Fleet Cooper, born Abt. 1778 in Sampson County, North Carolina.
10. Wilson Cooper, Sr..
11. Timothy Cooper.
12. Clairborne Cooper
13. Mary Cooper, born 1798 in Sampson County, North Carolina; died 1818.
14. Nancy Cooper, born 26 Feb 1802 in Sampson County, North Carolina; died 1873.

Sources

1. ↑ Cooper broken link, domain for sale.
2. ↑ DAR https://sarpatriots.sar.org/patriot/display/138658
3. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed June 19, 2016), "Record of William Cooper", Ancestor # A025821.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. North Carolina, Marriage Index, 1741-2004 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. County Court Records - FHL # 0540270 and 0546446-0546454. Original data: North Carolina State Archives. North Carolina County Marriage Indexes. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina.
5. ↑ Lawrence County, Mississippi, Marriage Records, vol. i. p. 277.
6. ↑ Smith County, Mississippi, Deed Book D. p. 77.
7. ↑ Wells Chapel Baptist Church, NC-41 at SR 1113, Harrells, NC, USA

• Revolutionary War Records of Duplin-Sampson Counties by Virginia and Oscar Bizzell
• Find A Grave: Memorial #148960203; Burial: Unknown.

See also:

• His father Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed june 19, 2016), "Record of Fleet Cooper, Sr.", Ancestor # A025721. #934626