(44) Thomas Cooper, Sr. (my 5th. great-grandfather) was born in Frederick County, Virginia around 1733. In early life, he made his living as a cabinet maker. There are many theories as to his parentage, but nothing definitive.
(45) Sarah Anthony (my 5th. great-grandmother) was born in Albemarle County, Virginia to (90) Joseph Anthony, Sr. and (91) Elizabeth Clark. Her brother, Joseph Anthony Jr., was a Second Lieutenant of the Bedford County Militia of Virginia during the Revolutionary War.
Captain Thomas Cooper served in the Virginia Militia of Bedford County during the French and Indian War (1754-1763) and Lord Dunmore’s War (1774). There is no official record of him being a Captain, but he is referred to as Captain in most documents.
He is mentioned in the October 1898 issue of Virginia Magazine as one of the men, from Frederick County, who voted to elect George Washington into the Virginia House of Burgesses, in 1758.
16 Nov 1759, the minutes of the Virginia House of Burgesses: “An account of arrears due to a party of the militia of Bedford Count in the service of this colony. And a claim of Thomas Cooper, for taking up a runaway therein mentioned, were feverally presented to the House and received, and referred to the consideration of the next session of assembly.”
Thomas Cooper married Sarah Clark Anthony on February 6th, 1762 in Bedford County, VA. Their marriage is noted in the 1762 Quaker meeting minutes of Bedford County, VA. It is also stated that the marriage has the consent of Joseph Anthony, Sarah’s father. Sarah’s mother’s family were Quakers, it is not known if her father was a Quaker.
In 1777, Henry County, VA was formed and Thomas Cooper was one of the men that signed a list renouncing allegiance to Great Britain and swearing allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The oath started, “I do Swear or Affirm that I do renounce and refuse all allegiance to George the Third, King of Great Britain, his Heirs and Successors, and that I will be Faithfull and bear true allegiance to the Common Wealth of Virginia, as a Free and Independent State.”
After the war, he represented Henry County in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1787 to 1790.
Thomas Cooper, Sr. represented Henry County at the Virginia Ratifying Convention of 1788 to ratify or reject the United States Constitution, which had been drafted at the Philadelphia Convention the previous year. The convention narrowly approved the Constitution by a vote of 89 for and 79 against. Thomas Cooper voted against. This probably means that Thomas was an anti-Federalist, as was Patrick Henry and George Mason, who also voted against. They thought that it should say, “We, the States” instead of “We, the People” and that the formation of a strong Federal government would weaken the rights of the individual states. It should also be noted that the majority of Virginians were against ratification, but the Federalists were better organized and aligned with George Washington.
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| Virginia Ratifying Convention of 1788 |
After the war, he took back up his trade of cabinet making. While he was at the Convention, his son Thomas Jr., who was also his partner in business, was left in charge and the business burned down. But, by the time of Thomas Sr.’s return Thomas Jr. had rebuilt.
In 1790, as part of the Virginia legislature, Thomas and his father-in-law, Joseph Anthony, voted for the following petition to be presented to the United States Congress Assembled:
“The petition of sundry of the inhabitants of Henry and Patrick counties humbly showeth that they find themselves oppressed by an act past last Assembly imposing nin cents a gallon on all spirits distilled, which discourages that branch of business and the consequence is that we must be deprived of one of the blessings God and nature have given us because we have not the money to pay the excise [tax].
The policy of all good government is to enact such laws as to keep the balance of trade in their favor. Our system of policy would be to tax importing and exporting equal to any nation we are in commerce with and encourage our own manufacturing if not by premiums let them at least be free from tax.
One dollar laid out in our own manufacturing is not missed by the community so much as that laid out in foreign manufacturing, for the consumers pay all, but policy wants it where her money centers, if it centers with us we are enriched if not we are impoverished. We therefore pray that this law may be repealed and your petitioners in duty bound shall ever pray.”
The above petition is interesting, because it further supports the theory that Thomas was an anti-federalist. They are unhappy about a national tax on alcohol manufacturing and claiming that money spent at the local level stays within the community, but taxes going to the Federal government is taking money away from the community.
Around 1793, his entire family relocated from Virginia to Georgia, except his daughter, Polly and her family. They settled on the waters of Beaverdam creek about three miles north of Powelton in Hancock County, GA. Sarah Anthony’s brothers (Joseph, Micajah, Mark, and Bowling) had moved to Wilkes County, GA in the 1780s, so perhaps they were following them.
In February of 1794, Thomas Sr. purchased over 800 acres of land in Wilkes County, GA. In the next few years, he and his son’s would purchase land in many of the surrounding counties such as Hancock, Greene, and Putnam counties. Most of their land was along the valuable waterways such as the Oconee River. His son, Joseph Cooper, owned land on both sides of the Oconee and operated a mill, a toll bridge, and operated a ferry across the river.
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| Example of an Old River Ferry |
After the Revolutionary War, Georgia had begun using a headright system to encourage settlers to move to Georgia and cultivate the land further into the interior of the state. The timing was perfect for this, as cotton was becoming the dominate cash crop and the soil in middle Georgia was perfect for its’ growth. According to James E. Callaway in “The Early Settlement of Georgia, “Around 1796, there was raised in Hancock County what was claimed to be the first crop of [short-staple] cotton ever grown in Georgia.” Long-staple cotton had been grown for many years, so he must have been referring to short-staple cotton.
Under the headright system, any settler would be granted 200 acres of land and fifty more acres per family member, including slaves, up to 1,000 acres. Thomas probably took advantage of this, as this line from his will attests, “I give to my two sons John and Micajah my two bounties of land on Sand Run.” Thomas’s older children also took advantage of this system, acquiring their own lands. Much of the land being given away, had been confiscated from the Creek and Cherokee Indians.
The area they settled in was also advantageous because it sat at the intersection of popular wagon roads between Augusta, Greensboro, and Milledgeville. In fact, in 1804, the town of Powelton in Hancock County, was considered to be the new capital of Georgia, when it was being relocated from Louisville, but lost by two votes to Milledgeville.
Slavery had originally been banned in the Georgia Colony, but had been steadily increasing since the Revolutionary War. In 1790, there were 29,264. By 1810, after the cotton explosion, there were 105,218 enslaved people in Georgia.
About 37% of free families owned slaves, and only about 7% owned more than 20. Most Georgian’s were considered yeomen farmers. These farmers owned less than 50 acres of land, lived in modest cabins, and raised hogs, chickens, and cows. They would have produced a few subsidence crops. They might have had no slaves or perhaps one or two at most. They would have traded what they produced for goods and services such as clothing, shoes, and farming equipment.
Thomas would have fallen into the planter category, as by the time of his death, he had accumulated 1,500 acres of land and 22 slaves. His son’s, Joseph and Thomas, might not have had as large a holdings as their father, but they had significant holdings by 1820. His son (22) Micajah seems to have been much less successful, as we will see.
In early 1796, Captain Thomas Cooper, Sr. and Sarah Anthony Cooper, seem to have died around the same time, but their causes of death are not known. Thomas’s will was filed for probate on 13 Feb 1796, in Hancock County.
This is Thomas Cooper’s last will and testament:
In the name of God, Amen! I Thomas Cooper of Green County and State of Georgia being in perfect health and sound mind calling to mind the mortality of the body do make and constitute this my last will and testament.
First, - I give my soul to god who gave it to me, and my body to the grave to be decently buried in hopes of a resurection to eternal life through the merits of Jesus Christ.
I give to my loving wife Sarah Cooper one negro woman named Winney, one horse and saddle, one feather bed and furniture and two cows and calves to her and her heirs forever. I lend to my during her life two negroes named George and Hannah.
I lend by wife one other negro named Judah until my youngest daughter comes of age or marries.
I lend to my wife during her widowhood, the trace of land whereon I now live together with the mill thereon and it is also my will that by the consent of my wife my executors shall dispose of the land whose title shall be valid and with the money purchase a tract of land northerly where I wish my wife and family to remove to and further it is my will that after my wifes decease or marriage the above willed land shall be sold and equally divided between all my surviving daughters.
I give to my daughter Elizabeth, two negroes Rachel and Charles.
I give to my son Joseph, two negroes Milly and her youngest child together with a tract of land lying on Logden [Long or Logan] Creek, containing two hundred and seventy acres.
I give to my daughter Agnes, two negroes Vinney and Toney.
I give to my son Thomas one negro named Will, one feather bed and furniture, two cows and calves together with my upper tract of land on Logdam [Long or Logan] Creek containing two hundred and seventy acres.
I give to my daughter Polly, two negroes Boland and Davy.
I give to my daughter Penelope four negroes, Jim, Biddy, Thency and Benn, one feather bed and furniture, one horse and saddle and two cows and calves.
I give to my son John, one negro named Sam, one horse and saddle one bed and furniture, two cows and calves.
I give to my son Micajah, one negro named Nelly, one horse and saddle, one feather bed and furniture and two cows and calves.
I give to my daughter Sarah, four negroes, Theny Frank and John, when she marries or comes of age and after my wifes death or marriage a negro named Judah.
I give to my two sons John and Micajah my two bounties of land on Sand Run [probably Sandy Run in Hancock County] to be equally divided by my executors, having respect to quality and quantity, and it is further my will that my mill Logan Creek together with a lot of land containing 30 to 35 acres be sold to the best advantage, ten pounds of which money I give my son Joseph and ten pounds to my son Thomas, the balance to be equally divided between my two sons John and Micajah, and
It is further my will that all my just debts be paid and all my estate not herein bequeathed shall be at the disposal of my executors to purchase a tract of land and make the improvements etc for my wife and family should she choose to move Northwardly, and
It is further my will that after the decease or marriage of my wife, the property purchased with my estate shall be equally divided among all my children.
I do constitute and appoint as my executors, Thomas Stoval, John Dillard, Joseph Cooper, Jr., Thomas Cooper, Jr., George Hamilton and Henry Graybill for this my will and testiment, making all former wills void. Witness my hand this twentieth day of August, seventeen hundred and ninety-three. /s/ Thomas Cooper. Wit. B. Anthony, Josiah Carter, Joseph Cooper.
[I do not wish to turn away from the fact that, amongst his property, were 22 human beings. I hope that their descendants are doing well and to know that their ancestors should not have suffered, as they did, in bondage, but that they endured so that future generations could thrive.]
His son, Micajah, was only 14 when his parents died and was put under the guardianship of his brother, Joseph.
On 25 Nov 1797, in the Augusta Chronicle: On Tuesday the 12th of December next, at the plantation whereon Thomas Cooper, dec. formerly lived, in Hancock county, WILL BE SOLD A Negro fellow and woman, a flock of cattle, hogs, and horses, a quantity of green feed cotton, corn and fodder, plantation tools, household and kitchen furniture, one still of the capacity of sixty gallons, and a variety of other articles; part of the personal estate of the said Thomas Cooper, and Sarah Cooper, late of the same county deceased. (JOSEPH COOPER and THOMAS COOPER, Executors).
(44) Thomas Joseph Cooper, Sr. and (45) Sarah Anthony:
- Elizabeth Cooper m. Thomas Stoval
- Joseph Cooper
- Agnes Cooper m. George Hamilton
- Thomas Cooper, Jr. m. Judith Harvey
- Harriet Cooper
- Patsy Cooper
- Obediah Cooper
- Mark Anthony Cooper
- Patterson Cooper
- Narcissa Cooper m. Boykin
- Emily Cooper m. Brahnam
- Sarah Ann Cooper
- Polly Cooper m. John Waller
- Penelope Cooper m. Dr. James Nisbet
- John Cooper m. Sarah Weeks
- Sarah Cooper m. Thomas Lancaster
- (22) Micajah Cooper m. Mary Ann Inglett
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| 1973 Picture of The Cooper House in Powelton, Putnam County, GA. The house was demolished in the 1970s and it is not known which Cooper family build and/or lived in it. |
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| This Old Cooper Store still stands in Putnam County, Georgia. |
Joseph Cooper, Sr.
On 15 Apr 1794, Joseph Cooper, of Hancock County, grants a deed to James Brewer for 200 acres in Wilkes County, GA, on Rocky Creek, for 200 pounds.
On 21 Apr 1804, in the Farmer’s Gazette: “John C. Currie, Will commence his school on the 16th of April, at the plantation of Joseph Cooper, Esq. Terms as usual. A few boarders may be accomodated on moderate terms.”
In abstracts from the “Farmer’s Gazette” from 1803-1807: “We present Prestly Ingram, for stopping the public road leading from Sparta to Joseph Cooper's Ferry, on the Oconne-- Joseph Cooper, witness.”
On 1 Oct 1806, in the “Farmer’s Gazette”: “Sheriff's Sale. Will be Sold, On the first Tuesday in November next, at the Market House in the Town of Sparta, 200 acres of Land, lying on the Beaverdam of Ogechee, adjoining Jernigan whereon lives Joseph Cooper, to satisfy an execution in favor of John Colley vs. Joseph Cooper and Claiborne Clifton. Also--Two Negroes, Betty and Asa; taken as the property of Edward Brodnax to satisfy Singleton Holt. Terms Cash. Hamlin Lewis, Sheriff. October 1st 1806.”
15 Mar 1806, early newspaper abstracts reports, “Oconee Navigation Company. Agreeaby to an act of the General Assembly, passed on the 7th day of December, 1805, entitled an Act to Incorporat a Company for the improvement of the Navigation of the Oconee River, between the Big Shoals at Jorn Barnett's and the Town of Milledgeville, beg leave to notify the public that subscriptions are now opened, and request the patronage and attention of the citizens to so desirable and important an object. Joseph Cooper, Jehu Smith, Superintendents.”
Around 1811, Joseph Cooper was operating a mill and toll bridge on the Oconee River.
Around 1815 he married Martha Patsy Lewis.
In 1817, John Lewis dies and mentions Joseph Cooper in his will.
On 29 Sep 1818, newspaper extract states that Rev. Edmund Shackleford, will preach at the late residence of Joseph D. Fannin, near Cooper’s Ferry, Putnam County.
His will was probated in 1819 and mentions Martha Lewis, his brother Thomas Cooper, Jr. and is witnessed by his brother Micajah Cooper.
On 21 Sep 1819, Putnam county records shows: On the 1st Tuesday in December next, will be sold at the late residence of Joseph Cooper part of the real property of said deceased, containing about 400 acres of land in Putnam County, lying on the Oconee River, on which have been lately erected, an excellent saw and grist mill, a valuable toll bridge across the Oconee River… with about the same quantity of land in Hancock County, on the opposite side of the river… signed Thomas Cooper [jr], Stepehn Weston, Newton Cooper, Milton Cooper, Executors
Thomas Cooper, Jr.
Thomas Cooper, born in Henry County, Virginia, in 1767, came to Putnam County, Ga., and died in Eatonton, Ga., in 1842. He was the first man to raise cotton for market in Hancock County. The cotton gin had not then been invented, and he invented a roller gin for his own use. Cotton was then worth from fifty to seventy-five cents a pound. Thomas Cooper was one of the original subscribers to the Georgia Railroad. He aided in the founding of Mercer University, was among the first subscribers and supporters of the Columbian Star, afterwards The Christian Index, published first in Washington, D. C., then in Philadelphia, and now in Atlanta.
In 1797, he married his wife, Judith Harvey in Hancock County.
In 1799, he received a grant for 292 acres in Hancock County.
In 1801, he sold 420 acres of land in Wilkes County for $1,260 (about $30k in 2022). This was probably land inherited from his father.
In 1807, his father-in-law, James Harvey Sr., dies and mentions Thomas in his will.
He joined the Baptist Church in 1813, was prominent in the church councils, and was a deacon of the Eatonton Baptist Church. Among his intimate friends were Jesse Mercer, Adiel Sherwood and Jesse H. Campbell. James C. Clark, of Atlanta., speaking of him to his grandson, the Rev. T. C. Boykin said, "A more devoted, useful, and spiritually minded man than Mr. Cooper I never knew.” In 1829, he attended the Georgia Baptists Convention in Milledgeville, GA. (“The History of Baldwin County, Georgia,” 1925, p. 104.)
Mark Anthony Cooper
Mark Anthony Cooper, the son of Thomas Cooper Jr., is probably our most famous relative and was known as the "Iron Man of Georgia." He was a United States Representative for Georgia and an influential businessman and lawyer. You can learn more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Anthony_Cooper
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