Biography

Alva was born in 1879. He was the son of John Thomas and Louisianna Tankersley. ^{[1] [2]}

In 1880, he was living with his grandparents in Clayton County, Georgia. ^[3]

On 28 Dec 1883, a guardianship bond was executed with Alva Cooper's father, John W. and his grandfather, John T. Thomas as guardians of Estelle, Walter & Cooper Thomas. ^[4] This may indicate that their mother had died or abandoned the family.

He married Cora A. Mcclure on July 20, 1915 in Morgan County, Alabama. ^[5]

In 1955, he was living in Union Grove, Marshall, Alabama. ^[6]

He died at age 87 on June 5, 1966 in Marshall County, Alabama. He is buried at the New Cannan Baptist Church Cemetery in the adjacent Morgan county. ^{[7] [2]}

Research Notes

Thomas is a very common surname. The Alabama Deaths and Burial index record^{[1] [2]}is evidence that the Alva Cooper Thomas who died in Alabama in 1966 is the same Alva Cooper Thomas who was the son of John Thomas and "Lou" Tank(er)sley and was born in Georgia.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 FHL Film Number 1909091 Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - "Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881–1952." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2010.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JXZK-1LB : 11 January 2021), Alva Cooper Thomas, 1966.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8LV-W8D : 24 August 2017), Cooper Thomas in household of J T Thomas, District 1088, Clayton, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 35, sheet 507B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0140; FHL microfilm 1,254,140.
4. ↑ "Georgia, Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-30448-19407-51?cc=1999178&wc=9SB9-J47:267652501,267652502 : accessed 13 February 2015), Clayton > Administration and guardian bonds 1859-1929 vol A-B > image 168 of 424; county probate courthouses, Georgia.
5. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRVC-1TY : 19 February 2021), Alva C Thomas and Cora A Mcclure, 22 Jul 1915; citing Morgan, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 2,257,942.
6. ↑ The Atlanta Constitution, Saturday, March 5, 1955, pg 20, Obituary of Mrs. J. B. Rainwater
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #69047588

See also:

• Family Search ID: L5BY-4GZ