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Below is a family biography included in The History of White County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Wm. Cooper, a resident and manufacturer of Holden Station, was born March 2, 1843, a son of Wm. and Margret (Moat) Cooper, both of whom were natives of Luzgin, Ireland. The father was born about 1810, and died in Belfast, about 1852. The mother was born at Carrick Fugus, about 1819, and is still living. Our subject received his education at Belfast, and immigrated to America in 1853. He worked at the carpenter’s trade until the late war, when he entered the Confederate service, Company C, Twenty-fifth Tennessee Infantry. He was captured at Cumberland Gap, but paroled at Williamsburg, Ky., and rejoined his regiment at Mobile, Ala. In 1863 he was captured at Rock Island, Tenn., but made his escape. Being unable to reach his old company he joined Carter’s cavalry, and remained with them until the close of the war. He returned home and resumed his trade; he spent 1870 in Delaware, and the following year was engaged in the saw-mill business in Texas. A year later he came back to Tennessee and again worked at his trade. In 1874 he built a saw mill in this county, and in the last few years has extended his business into Alabama, North Carolina and Arkansas. In 1884 in partnership with his brother, John S. Cooper, he erected the Tennessee Planing Mills. He is also engaged in the general merchandise business at Holden Station December, 1884. December, 1885, the firm changed to Holden & Cooper. February 4, 1865, he married Mary Jane Witt, who died in 1876, a consistent member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and mother of one child, Lyla. Mr. Cooper’s second marriage was with Amanda Webb, who has borne him one child, James W. Our subject is an enterprising, substantial and worthy citizen, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, also of the I. O. O. F. He is a Chapter Mason and a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 38 biographies included in The History of White County, Tennessee published in 1887.  The History of White County was included within The History of Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Warren & White Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Warren, White Counties of Tennessee

View additional White County, Tennessee family biographies here: White County, Tennessee

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