COOPER, RICHARD.	1758-1839 	SCREVEN, TATTNALL

Richard Cooper, Revolutionary Soldier ancestor of a number of Wiregrass 
Georgians, was born in Onslow County, N.C., in 1758. He lived in Duplin 
County, N.C., for nine years as stated in his pension application in 1835, 
and was a resident of that county at the time he volunteered for service in 
the War on Oct. 9, 1778. About 1790 he moved to Screven County, Ga., and 
lived there for ten years or more, then moved to Tattnall County, then back 
to Screven County. He moved to Montgomery County shortly before his death, 
and he died there July 3, 1839, in his 8 1 st year (as shown by notice of 
his death in "The Augusta Mirror" of Aug. 10, 1839). His wife was Lourana 
Howard concerning whom nothing is now known. They had four children, viz: 
(birth-years approximated):

1. David	b. 1784, m. (unknown).
2. William	b. 1786, never m. Died 1838.
3. George	b. 1788, m. Nancy Conner, Dec. 20, 1810, dau. of Wilson 
(Vol.111).
4. Rachel	b. 1790, m. David Carter, June 1, 1811.

Richard Cooper made his declaration (or application) to obtain a 
Revolutionary War pension, in Bulloch county on Oct. 31, 1835, before Judge 
William Law of the Superior Court, and stated under oath that he was then a 
resident of Screven County and was 75 years old, having been born in 1758 
in Onslow County, N.C.; that he was residing in Duplin County N.C., when he 
entered the service Oct. 9, 1778, in Capt. William Kenan's company, as a 
volunteer; that he served more than three years. He said he was in the 
engagement at Rockfish Creek bridge; that he resided in Duplin County nine 
Years after the war, and has since resided in Tattnall and Screven 
Counties, Ga. Several of his descendants have become members of the 
Daughters of the American Revolution on the record of his service. (Note: 
This Richard Cooper is not to be confused with the Richard Coopers, Sr., 
and Jr., who lived in Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties, one of whom 
was a Revolutionary Soldier and one of the "Sons of Liberty").
Richard Cooper first granted land in 1797 in Screven County. He registered 
in Screven County for the 1805 land lottery but drew no land. In Tattnall 
county he registered as a Revolutionary Soldier, to draw land in the 1827 
lottery, and drew lot 222, 5th district of Lee County. In Screven County he 
registered for the 1832 Cherokee Gold Lottery, and drew lot 858, Ist 
Section, Third District, in present Forsyth county.
William Cooper, son of Richard, was never married, and appears to have 
accumulated rather large estate for his day. He left a will dated May 13, 
1838, devising his estate to the three children of his deceased sister 
Rachel Carter, of Appling County, and. to the twelve children of his 
brother George Cooper, and named the latter as executor. The three Carter 
children named in the will were George, Jane and Rachel; and the twelve 
children named of his brother George, were Wilson, Mary, Penelope, Ellen, 
Lurana, George, William, Thomas, Rachel, James, Elizabeth and Randolph 
Cooper. These fifteen nieces and nephews were devised the entire estate in 
equal shares. George Cooper, the executor, disposed of his property in 
Montgorner; County where he had been living, and moved to Screven County to 
take charge of the large estate of his deceased brother, William. William 
Cooper owned about I 100 acres located on and near present U.S. Highway 301 
a few mfles south of Sylvania, and his elegant home later added to by his 
brother, George, still stands about ~6 mile west of the highway; it was the 
center of a village called "Coopervffle", which was the subject of a 
historical marker erected by the State in 1953 on the highway. It states 
that the village was the home of Wilson Conner Cooper, the educator, who 
established Cooper College Y4mile east of the highway; and of George 
Cooper, Jr., inventor of the "Cooper Plow"; and of William Cooper, the 
Baptist minister, whose imposing home stood near the marker; and of Dr. 
T.B. Cooper, the educator and Baptist minister; and of J. Randolph Cooper, 
a Confederate officer. "Men of Mark in Georgia," Vol. IV, pp.238-241, gives 
a detailed account of the numerous inventions of George Washington Cooper 
besides the Cooper plow.
Richard Cooper was a Justice of Peace in Screven County, commissioned May 
2, 1797; and in Tattnall county, commissioned July 29, 1805. He was 
appointed Nov, 22, 1810, a Commissioner of the Tattnall County Academy.
NOTE: Credit is due a descendant, Mrs. Mary Ketus Holland of Bunnell, Fla., 
for most of the data in the forgoing sketch. It was due to her hard, 
persistent work, entailing much travel, time and expense, that the Compiler 
is enabled to present it here.


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