Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Concerning the first wife of David Drayton Brooks, Frances W. Coleman

My great, great grandfather, David Drayton Brooks had two wives. His first wife, Frances W. Coleman, from whom I am descended was the daughter of Margaret Cooper and Benjamin Coleman. Not much is known about Margaret Cooper and even less on Benjamin Coleman. There are plenty of Coopers and Colemans in Abbeville and Edgefield Counties, South Carolina and I have been able to link Margaret Cooper to some of the Coopers, but Benjamin Coleman is one of my brick walls I encounter quite frequently in genealogy.

Margaret Cooper is the granddaughter of one Reuben Cooper, originally from Virginia who settled into Edgefield County, SC, perhaps just after the American Revolution, of which, he participated in on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia. I am not certain who Margaret's parents were. I believe that her father was Hadley Cooper, possible son of Reuben Cooper. In the 1800 SC census for Edgefield County there is a Hadley Cooper listing just after Reuben Cooper. Hadley Cooper is listed as a male and he has a young wife and daughter (aged 0-5 years). Margaret Cooper Coleman's date of birth is approximately 1800 from the US censuses in which she appears, namely 1850, 1860, and 1870. She is not on the 1880 census and from a family source (I call the Jane Brooks paper), Margaret's date of death is January 24, 1885. She is listed as being deceased in the Modoc Baptist Church records posted earlier.

Margaret Cooper and Benjamin Coleman married about 1820, however no record is found showing this information. They had at least three children: Elizabeth Hadley Coleman, Frances W. Coleman, and Hezikiah Coleman. From the first daughter Elizabeth Hadley Coleman, and the will of Reuben Cooper, and the 1800 census, I draw the conclusion that her father was Hadley Cooper.

In the 1824 will of Reuben Cooper, Margaret is listed as a grandaughter. There is a grandson Hadley Cooper also listed. The following is the lineage of Reuben Cooper to where it connects with my Brooks family:


Descendants of Reuben Cooper


Generation No. 1

1. REUBEN1 COOPER was born Abt. 1761 in Virginia, and died Abt. 1824 in Edgefield County, SC. He married ELIZABETH. She died Abt. 1833 in Edgefield County, SC.

Children of REUBEN COOPER and ELIZABETH is:
2. i. HADLEY COOPER2 (POSSIBLE).
ii. Sarah Cooper
iii. Matilda Cooper
iv. Campbell Cooper

Generation No. 2

2. HADLEY COOPER2 (POSSIBLE) (REUBEN1 COOPER)

Child of HADLEY COOPER (POSSIBLE) is:
3. i. MARGARET3 COOPER, b. 1800, Abbeville or Edgefield County?, SC; d. 24 January 1885, Abbeville or Edgefield County? SC.


Generation No. 3

3. MARGARET3 COOPER (HADLEY COOPER2 (POSSIBLE), REUBEN1 COOPER) was born 1800 in Abbeville or Edgefield County?, SC, and died 24 January 1885 in Abbeville or Edgefield County? SC. She married BENJAMIN COLEMAN. He was born in Abbeville or Edgefield County?, SC, and died Bef. 1850.

Children of MARGARET COOPER and BENJAMIN COLEMAN are:
4. i. ELIZABETH HADLEY4 COLEMAN, b. Abt. 1820; d. 10 July 1860, Abbeville Cty, SC.
5. ii. FRANCES W. COLEMAN, b. 09 September 1821, SC; d. 06 July 1892, Modoc, Edgefield County, SC.
iii. HEZIKIAH COLEMAN, b. 1825, Abbeville or Edgefield Cty, SC; d. Bef. 1910, Abbeville Poorhouse, Abbeville, Abbeville Cty, SC.

Notes for HEZIKIAH COLEMAN:
Hezikiah Coleman was in Confederate service in at least two different units. He saw action at Charleston where he was wounded. His record of service is listed with Daughters of Confederacy papers. More will be added later..


Generation No. 4

4. ELIZABETH HADLEY4 COLEMAN (MARGARET3 COOPER, HADLEY COOPER2 (POSSIBLE), REUBEN1 COOPER) was born Abt. 1820, and died 10 July 1860 in Abbeville Cty, SC. She married FRANCIS ATKINS, JR.. He died 1856 in Abbeville Cty, SC.

Children of ELIZABETH COLEMAN and FRANCIS ATKINS are:
i. REVENNA W.5 ATKINS, b. 18 September 1843, Abbeville Cty, SC; d. 28 August 1861, Virginia.
ii. JAMES FRANCIS ATKINS, b. 25 July 1846, Abbeville Cty, SC.

excerpt from Abbeville South Carolina Newspapers 1856

NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, MAY 8, 1856

OBITUARY DIED, at his residence on the 16th of March, Francis ATKINS, of this district. The deceased was a kind husband, a devoted father and humane master. He left a widowed wife and four children to mourn his loss.

5. FRANCES W.4 COLEMAN (MARGARET3 COOPER, HADLEY COOPER2 (POSSIBLE), REUBEN1 COOPER) was born 09 September 1821 in SC, and died 06 July 1892 in Modoc, Edgefield County, SC. She married DAVID DRAYTON BROOKS in Abbeville ? County, SC. He was born Bet. 1832 - 1833 in SC, and died 21 March 1916.

Notes for DAVID DRAYTON BROOKS:
David's date of death is listed on his Widow's pension application for his service in the Confederacy in the war years 1861-1865, Co. A, 1st SC Cavalry. Pension application dated 21 March 1921 to McCormick County, SC.


Children of FRANCES COLEMAN and DAVID BROOKS are:

i. WILLIAM HEZEKIAH5 BROOKS, b. 1856, Abbeville Cty, SC; d. Aft. 1930, Miami Twp, Dade Cty, Florida; m. (1) MAUDE; d. Miami, Florida; m. (2) ELIZABETH MORGAN, Bef. 1884, Modoc, South Carolina; d. 1913, Live Oak, Florida.

Notes for WILLIAM HEZEKIAH BROOKS:
Appears in the 1930 Florida Census, Dade County, Miami Twp, wife is Maude.

ii. JAMES WARREN BROOKS, b. 11 October 1857, Abbeville County, SC; d. 10 June 1930, Elmodel, Baker County, Georgia; m. HULDAH IDA TUCKER, Edgefield Cty, SC; b. 26 December 1860, "Dark Corner" Edgefield Cty, SC; d. 03 March 1899, Modoc, Edgefield County, SC.

iii. MARGARET JANE BROOKS, b. 1859, Abbeville County SC; d. 1939, Jacksonville, Florida; m. THOMAS PINCKNEY HOWLE; b. 1864; d. 1940, Jacksonville, Florida..

iv. MARTHA ELIZABETH BROOKS, b. 1861, Abbeville County SC; d. Bef. 1893, Modoc, McCormick County, SC; m. PLEASANT DAVIS THURMOND, Family house of David D. Brooks.

The transcribed will of Reuben Cooper, 1824, Edgefield County, South Carolina:

EDGEFIELD DISTRICT SOUTH CAROLINA WILL OF REUBEN COOPER IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN.

I REUBEN COOPER OF EDGEFIELD DISTRICT SOUTH CAROLINA AFORESAID BEING IN A LOW STATE OF HEALTH BUT IN PERFECT MIND AND MEMORY DO MAKE THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT IN MANNER AND FORM AS FOLLOWS.

1ST. I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED WIFE ELIZABETH COOPER ALL MY LANDS DURING HER NATURAL LIFE LIKEWISE THE FOLLOWING NEGROES NED, MOLLEY AND HER CHILD BEN. ALSO ALL MY HOUSEHOLD AND KITCHEN FURNITURE TO HAVE AND TO HOLD THE SAME DURING HER NATURAL LIFE AND AFTER THE DEATH OF MY BELOVED WIFE IT IS MY WILL AND DESIRE THAT ALL MY LANDS SHALL BE MY BELOVED SONS CAMEL COOPER ALSO THE ABOVE NAMED NEGROES NED, MOLLEY AND HER CHILD BEN LIKE WISE I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED SON CAMEL COOPER THREE OTHER NEGROES BARBRY, JACOB AND GILEROY.

I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED GRANDSON HADLEY COOPER MY NEGRO GIRL CAROLINE TOGETHER WITH HER FUTER INCREASE.

I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED GRANDSON REUBEN COOPER MY NEGRO GIRL RACHEL TOGETHER WITH HER FUTER INCREASE.

I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED DAUGHTER SARAH CARTER THE FOLLOWING NEGROES SILLER, AMBROSE AND EDMUND TOGETHER WITH THE FUTER INCREASE.

I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED DAUGHTER MATILDA DOBEY THE FOLLOWING NEGROES, HARRY, JUDY AND SARY TOGETHER WITH THERE FUTER INCREASE.

I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED GRANDAUGHTER MARGARET COLEMAN FIFTY DOLLARS TO BE RAISED OUT OF MY PERSONAL ESTATE.

AND I DO CONSTITUTE MAKE AND ORDAIN MY BELOVED WIFE ELIZABETH COOPER AND MY BELOVED SON CAMEL COOPER EXECUTORS OF THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT AND I DO HEREBY UTTERLY REVOKE AND DISANNUL ALL AND EVERY OTHER FORMER TESTAMENT WILLS LEGACIES AND BEQUEATHS HERETOFORE MADE BY ME AND DECLARE THIS AND NO OTHER TO BE MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT IN WITNESS WHEREOF I HAVE HERE UNTO SET MY HAND AND SEAL THIS THE 17TH OF JUNE 1824.REUBEN COOPER,

HIS MARKSIGNED SEALED AND ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE PRESENCE OF JOHN MATHIS, JOHN HARRISON, FRANCES HARRISON RECORDED IN WILL BOOK "C" PAGE 153-154RECORDED 20 OCT 1824BOX 36, PKG. 1333 SOUTH CAROLINA EDGEFIELD DIST.

BY JOHN SIMKINS ESQ. ORDINARY PERSONALLY APPEARED BEFORE ME JOHN HARRISON WHO BEING DULY SWORN SAITH THAT HE SAW REUBEN COOPER SIGN, SEAL AND DELIVER THE WITHIN TO BE AND CONTAIN HIS LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT AND THAT HE TOGETHER WITH FRANCES HARRISON AND HENRY MATHIS DID SIGN THEIR NAMES AS WITNESS THERE TO AT THE REQUEST OF THE TESTATOR AND IN HIS PRESENCE AND THAT THE TESTATOR WAS THEN IN PERFECT MIND AND MEMORY TO THE BEST OF THIS APOINTES BELIEF -

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND THE 15TH SEPT 1824. QUALIFED CAMPBELL COOPER EXEC. THE SAME TIME. J. N. SIMKINS, O. E. D.FROM THE ESTATE PKG OF REUBEN COOPER (NOT IN ESTATE PKG IN THIS ORDER)1824SEP 15,
PAID THE ORDINY $5.00DEC 27,
PAID THE ORDINY $1.00PAID TAX $15.12 ?
PAID WM. SAMUEL $3.251825JAN 17,
PAID JOHN DOBY $.75NOV 11,
REC.D FROM B. R. ? $9.50DEC 14,
REC.D FROM A. BUTLER $9.68 3/71826JAN 5,
PAID ELI MORGAN $18.18 3/7JAN 10,
PAID B. COLMAN $50.00JAN 22,
PAID MOSES QUARLES $5.25JAN 24,
PAID ELI MORGAN 5.00JAN 28,
PAID JOHN DOBY $5.06 ?FEB 6,
PAID THE ORDINRY $3.50JAN 2,
REC.D FROM S. MAYS $2.68 3/7JAN 6,
REC.D FROM J. M. KELLEY $21.50JAN 9,
REC.D FROM ? LUCAS $5.49JAN 17,
REC.D FROM L. B. RANDAL $.50JAN 25,
REC.D FROM J. SAMUELS $22.81 1/7JAN 27,
REC.D FROM D. DOBY $4.31 1/7JAN 28,
REC.D FROM J. STEPHEN $2.00FEB,
REC.D FROM J. CRAWFORD $24.18 3/7FEB,
REC.D FROM J. MAN $23.12 ?FEB,
REC.D FROM J. CLARK $19.37 ?FEB,
REC.D FROM J. MORRIS $22.93 2/7FEB,
REC.D FROM D. PRESCOT $2.06 ?FEB,
REC.D FROM T. MACKELHAM $19.56 1/7FEB,
REC.D FROM ELI MORGAN $168.42FEB,
REC.D FROM ELI MORGAN $50.37 ?FEB,
REC.D FROM ? SMITH $34.25FEB, R


Transcribed will of Elizabeth Cooper, widow of Reuben Cooper:

EDGEFIELD DISTRICT SOUTH CAROLINA
WILL OF ELIZABETH COOPER

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I ELIZABETH COOPER OF THE DISTRICT OF EDGEFIELD AND STATE AFORESAID BEING OF SOUND MIND MEMORY AND UNDERSTANDING, DO MAKE AND PUBLISH THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT IN MANNER AND FORM FOLLOWING.

1ST. I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO MY BELOVED GRANDDAUGHTER MARGARET COLEMAN ONE FEATHER BED AND BEDSTER, ONE BED QUILT, SHEET AND COUNTERPIN? TO HER AND HER HEIRS FOREVER.

2ND. I WILL AND BEQUEATH UNTO THE CHILDREN COLLECTIVELY OF MY DEC'D DAUGHTER SARAH CARTER THE SUM OF TEN SHILLINGS TO BE PAID OUT OF THE PROCEEDS OF MY ESTATE.

3RD. IT IS MY WILL AND DESIRE THE REMAINDER OF MY ESTATE OF WHATEVER IT MAY CONSIST, BE SOLD AND EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN MY SON CAMBELL COOPER, MATILDA DOBY, AND MY GRAND DAUGHTER MARGARET COLEMAN, TO THEM AND THEIR HEIRS FOREVER.

4TH. I NOMINATE CONSTITUTE AND APPOINT MY SON CAMBELL COOPER EXECUTOR TO THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.

IN WITNESS WHERE OF I HAVE HERE UNTO SET MY HAND AND SEAL THIS 26TH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTYONE. AND OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE THE FIFTY FIFTH.

ELIZABETH COOPER,
HER MARKSIGNED SEALED AND PUBLISHED IN PRESENCE OF US.

GEORGE TILLMAN
ANN COLEMAN
ANSEL DEVORE,

HIS MARK RECORDED IN WILL BOOK "C" PAGE 363
RECORDED MARCH 29, 1832BOX 7, PKG. 225
(TRANSCRIBED BY WPA)

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