Jasper Cope
There has been some records that have mentioned Jasper Cope being the son of Harris Bradford Cope.I have recently recieved contact from Gilbert West,a descendent of Jasper,which has Jasper being the son of Joseph Cope and his first wife,name unknown.Joseph was the son of James Bradley Cope.Seems when Joseph remarried,he migrated to Arkansas,and the children from the first marraige must have stayed behind.I have made changes in my decendency chart to show this.Below is a excerpt from the message I recieved from Gilbert West.
For clarity and ease of reading, I am using a typed copy of info put together by a cousin who lives in McMinnville. She was faithful to the original letter. The letter was signed: J. A. Cope, A son of Joseph Cope, Dunlap, Tennessee. It was written to his half brother, Little Delaware Cope, in Arkansas. The letter begins with "Dear Brother and sister your letter is at hand I was glad to hear from you all I thought I never would hear from you a gain....." Then he continues by asking about family members, John, Jane, F.L. and his stepmother. "you never say any thing about your mother how long She has been dead how old She was when whe died" He continues "now I will tell you about my people Brother Jasper is dead has Been for some time his children lives Beyound McMinville in warren County tennessee Sister nanse I don't know any thing a Bout her Sister luerania was in texas last I heard of Her Sister Mary lives state Michgian I have not heard from her in some time" J. (James) A.'s letter seems to indicate that Joseph's second wife and their children went to Arkansas and the children of the first wife did not. The names mentioned in the letter are the children of Joseph and it seems pretty clear that Jasper is the brother of James A, Nancy, Luerania, and Mary (Maria S.E.O.M.), and, of course, half brother to Little Delaware, Jane, and John. And Jasper reared his family in the Short Mountain community located on the other side of McMinnville from where James A. lived in Dunlap. And most of Jasper's children remained in the general area "beyound McMinville."
Some new information on the family of Stephen Cope,the following came from Andrea Ummel of Missouri,she is descende from James H B Cope,the son and seventh child of Stephen & Comfort Bolin Cope.This was a short biography on James H B Cope which appeared in the book "History ofLaclede,Camden,Dallas,Webster,Wright,Texas,Pulaski,Phelps and Dent Counties,Missouri" published in 1889.
"James H B Cope,a farmer of Elk Creek Township,Wright Co.,Mo.,was born in Middle Tennessee in 1831,being the son of Stephan and Comfort(Bolin)Cope.The paternal grandfather was born in one of the Carolinas,was a farmer and a member of the Baptist Church.He was a pioneer settler of Warren County,Tenn.,was the father of four chiuldren and died in Tennessee at the age of 98 years.Stephen Cope was born in Warren County,Tenn.,in 1803,and was a farmer by occupation.He was always a Democrat in his political views and was constable in Warren County for six years.He was also justice of the peace for twelve years,and died in 1887.His wife,Comfort Cope,was also a native of Warren County..Tenn.,and is still living.They were the parents of sixteen children,James H.B. Cope being the seventh in order of birth.He grew to manhood in Warren and Grundy Counties,Tenn.,where he received a fair education in the common schools.At the age of twenty-six he married Miss. Minerva J. Roberts, a native of Tennessee,born in 1835 and died in 1863.They became the parents of four children:William,who died at the age of two years:Sarah A,died at the age of twenty-three years,was married and left one child;James T.,and Elizabeth,who died at the age of one year.In 1865 Mr. Cope married Mrs. (Nichols) Young,and the fruits of this uniion was seven children:Fannie E.,Alonzo,James Newton,Cinda,Flora,John,and Harvey.Mrs. Cope was the mother of two children from her former marriage:A. L. and Sarah J.
Mr. Cope immigrated to Missouri in 1857,locating in Wright County,and has made his home here ever since,with the exception of a short time during the war when he refugeed in Phelps CountyHe never took up arms against the Union,but his sympathies were with the South.He is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the Wheel.The maternal grandfather,Lewis Bolin,lived in Warren County,Tenn. He was a hero of the War of 1812,and the first man to enter the Britsh fort at the battle of New Orleans.He had fourteen holes shot through his coat as he went in.He witnessed the death of Peckenham and the general withdrawelof the Britsh from American soil.He afterward served all through the Texas war,and when it closed he wrote his family and said:"Come to Texas!" for he had enough land for all his children.He was never heard from afterward.He was a great traveler and had been all over the union."
Interesting stuff,I'll have to do some research on Texas in the near future,not to mention lookups on the War of 1812.A side note here,two of the siblings of Stephen Cope married into the Northcutt line,the children of another War of 1812 vet,and also fought in the Battle of New Orleans.
Seems that we've come across a new theory concerning the parents of James Cope(1776-1874).We know he was supposedly born in North Carolina,but never where.We do know that his sister,Sarah Cope,married Levi Rodgers(Rogers),and that they lived in Chatham County,North Carolina before migrating to Warren County,Tennessee.We also know that a son of James was named Harris Bradford.
Now,for the theory,there was a Harris Bradford that was from Granville County,North Carolina.He also migrated to Tennessee,settling for a time in Sumner County.This is where Richard Cope had settled also.Granville County is in the vicinity of Orange & Chatham Co's.Also,it is on the border of Virginia,with Halifax Co being in Virginia across the line.Now,on the tax list of Granville Co,North Carolina is a Williamson Cope,for the years 1755 to 1785.This is very probably the father of James and Sarah Cope.
Now also from the Granvile recordsof wills,1757,is mention of a will concerning Richard Bradford.It mentions his wife as Rachel,and his sons Richard & John,unmarried daughters Saphira & Elizabeth and married daughters Hannah Poe,Francis Bird and Mary COPE.This Mary Cope may be a daughter-in-law to Williamson COpe.As he is the only Cope in the area at the time.
Alos,Williamson Cope,was later found in Tyrell County,North Carolina in 1786,qalong with the families of Harris,Bradford,and Payne.The tax list mentioned that williamso Cope had one male age 21-60 years,three males under 21,and three females,all ages.So,Williamson COpe in Tyrell Co.,Norht Carolina in 1786 could be the son of Williamson Cope of Granville COunty.James is probably the son of Williamson Cope,Jr. and he had two brothers,and three sisters.One brother may have been Samuel Cope who settled in Richmond Co,North Carolina.The reasoning for this is that the wife of Samuel Cope was Elizabeth Everitt.In Tyrell County,there was also a few families of Everitt.