Copeland, Morgan, and White Families in Polk County, Arkansas
Submitted for publication in Polk County Pioneers Newsletter by Elaine White Crouse
Published on the Polk County USGenWeb Site with permission of the Polk County Genealogy Society
Living in White Twp, Polk Co., AR. in 1860 was Jessie COPELAND. He was b. in 1800 in Kentucky. His wife, Sarah SNOW O'BANION was b. in 1802 in GA. They had three children who were b. in Limestone Co., AL: Matilda b. in 1826, Wiley Burton b. in 1828 and Elizabeth b. in 1834. Five of their children were b. in Mississippi: Martha b. in 1836, Franklin b. in 1838, Frances b. in 1843, Futuna b. 1846 and John b. in 1851. Wiley Burton COPELAND m. Barbara Ann CLINE, who was b. in 1833 in Tennessee. Their son John was b. in Texas in 1854. He m. Sarah --. They had five childen b. in Polk Co., AR. They were: Mary b. in 1855, m. John Prior CARGILL; James b. in 1857; Hugh b. in 1859, m. Kansas JACOBS; Jefferson b. in 1861 m. Laura KITCHENS; and Frances b. in 1865 m. Bob SNOW. Wiley Burton served with Newton's Calvary during the Civil War. The battles he fought in were all west of the Mississippi River in Arkansas and Missouri. He was in Co. D, .Fifth Ar. Calvary. His first wife, Barbara Ann CLINE, d. in 1866. Her brother, Abner CLINE, also d. in 1866. His wife was Mary Catherine BRAKE, dau. of Elisha and Elizabeth BRAKE of Hunt Co., TX. Abner's war record shows that he joined Co. K 34th Calvary Regiment (also called 2nd Texas Partisan Rangers) which was accepted into Confederate service at Talequah, Indian Territory, in the spring of 1862. Mary Catherine BRAKE was b. 2 Sep 1838 in Robertson Co., TN. In 1857, in Hunt Co., TX, she m. Abner CLINE, son of Peter CLINE, in Kaufman Co., TX. Mary's parents were Elisha BRAKE b. 1791 in Edgecomb Co., NC and Elizabeth REASONER b. in 1809 in KY. They were m. in 1826 in TN. Elisha d. in 1860. Elisha's father was John BRAKE b. prior to 1775 in Edgecomb Co., NC. He d. between 1830 and 1840 in Robertson Co., TN. John BRAKE's parents were Benjamin BRAKE b. in 1750, NC., d. 1794 and Pricilla --- b. prior to 1760 in NC and d. after 1830 in TN. Benjamin BRAKE's father was Jacob BRAKE b. 1728 in Scotland. He d. in 1820 in Edgecomb Co., NC. The father of Jacob BRAKE was Baron Von Drake Wilhem Joseph DIETRICK b. 27 Apr 1689 in Dalmenhorst, Hanover. He d. in NC. He married 5 Dec 1712 at Bremen, Hanover to Mauri Elizabeth DOUGLAS b. in 1694 in Ayrshire, Scotland. She d. in NC. Baron Von Drake DIETRICK's parents were Rudolph Zur-Lippe BRAKE & Dorthea VON WALDA. Mauri Elizabeth DOUGLAS' parents were James DOUGLAS and Lady Barbara ERSKINS. The William DOUGLASES go back to 1532, all b. and d. in Scotland.
Mary Catherine and Abner CLINE had these children:
The Mena Star dated Monday, November 13, 1902 stated "Wiley B. COPELAND, an old and highly respected citizen living near Grannis is reported to have d. last Saturday night." He d. 11 November, 1902. He is buried at the Daniel Cemetery, Wickes, Polk Co., AR. He lived 74 years. In 1903 his children by his first marriage signed over all rights to land and personal property to Mary C. After the marriage of her youngest son, Albert Brown COPELAND, Mary lived with her daughter, Florence MORGAN. In 1917 she was visiting her son, Lee COPELAND in Pickens, OK, when she became ill. She d. 20 January, 1917 and was buried at the County Line Cemetery because of extreme winter weather instead of beside Wiley B. as planned. She lived 78 years and 4 months.
On 8 Nov 1890 Wiley and Mary sold 40 acres to the U.S. Government for the use of building the railroad. This is between Grannis and Wickes. The railroad bed is west of the highway and on the land deeded by them. They were paid $50.00 for this.
When they first established their home they had a 44 ft. x 18 ft. log house, a smoke house, crib, stable, orchard, garden, 40 acres in cultivation, 3 horses, 20 head of cattle and 50 head of hogs. They raised corn, wheat, oats and cotton. They had 165 total acres. My mother, Grace WHITE, showed me the now huge oak trees that he planted. East of Grannis where we lived, there are pear trees still bearing that he planted over 100 years ago.
Wiley and Mary COPELAND's daughter, Florence Ella COPELAND b. 22 Mar 1873 in Grannis, m. James A.J. MORGAN on 22 Sep 1901. James was b. 22 May 1856 in Floyd Co., GA to Andrew Jackson MORGAN and Jane HOUSE STINSON.
After his mother, Jane MORGAN, d. in 1895, James and Louisa and their children moved to Grannis after a short stay just west of the Red River on the Texas side. Their youngest daughter, Lillian Pearl d. there.
James A.J. MORGAN m. Florence Ella COPELAND, daughter of Wiley B. COPELAND and Mary Catherine BRAKE, on 22 Sep 1901 in Grannis, Polk Co. AR. They lived east of Grannis on what is now known as the Nathan and Birdie FRACHISEUR place. Their close neighbors were and Dea and Latha DANIELS and their six children. We knew them as "Papa Dea" and "Momma Dea." James and Florence MORGAN had five daughters all b. at Grannis: (1) Grace Elaine b. 7 Dec 1902, m. Caliwa F. WHITE, son of William and Margaret WHITE, on 12 Jun 1921 at Grannis. They lived east of Grannis and had seven children: Alice Kathleen b. 7 Apr 1922, m. J.O. WATSONLAND of Idaho, and has two children, Carol Elaine and Joel Craig; Julian Leroy b. 18 Oct 1923, m. Margie BRYANT, daughter of Lee and Louise BRYANT. They have two children, Connie and Daryl; Freida Justine b. 29 Sep 1925 and m. H.E. WOOD of Ohio and have five children: David Daniel, Diane, Donna Leslie, Denise Yvonne and Dolores Elaine: Noel Dean b. on 21 Nov 1927, m. Betty SMITH. They have three children, Doris Marie, Jerry Duane and Traci Linn; Delbert Doyle b. 15 Jul 1930, m. Nina Marie GENTRY. They have three childrren: Debra Marie, Douglas Doyle and Lisa Dawn; Lois Elaine b. 24 Oct 1932, m. Bob D. CROUSE. They have four children: Marlin Robert, Rhonda Lynn, Vhonda Leah and Delvin Dean; Travis Winston b. 2 Feb 1934, m. Charlotte CUNNINGHAM and have two daughters: Janice Kay and Kathryn Gay. Grace d. 20 Jul 1987 and Caliwa d. 19 Jul 1948. Both are buried at Grannis Cemetery, Grannis, Polk Co., AR. (2) Eunice Lenora MORGAN was b. 28 Feb 1905, d. Jan 1990, m. James GRAVES; no children. Their retirement home was in Wickes, near the Baptist church. (3) Anna Lois MORGAN was b. 3 Jan 1907, d. Oct 1990; m. Doyle GOODE. He was a barber and she taught school for many years. They had one son, John Morgan GOODE. He m. Kathy --- and they had two daughters. (4) Madge Mae MORGAN b. 19 Nov 1909 m. Clifton MCLAUGHLIN. In 1931 she and her newborn daughter died. They are buried in Turkey, TX. Clifton later m. Della ---. They lived and raised a family in Wickes. (5) Mildred Lee MORGAN b. 29 Apr 1912 and d. Apr 1990, m. Earnest E. TAYLOR and had four children: James, Charles, Madge, and Ronald Lee. Florence COPELAND MORGAN is remembered as a capable nurse, always helping when and where there was a need. She rode horseback on a sidesaddle with a special riding skirt to protect her legs from the brush that grew along the trails of rural southern Polk county. She loved playing dominos and fishing equally. She strongly believed in giving her children an education and sacrificed for those wishing to attend college. She d. 4 Jul 1938 at the home of her daughter, Grace WHITE. She is buried at the Daniel Cemetery in Wickes, next to her dad, Wiley B. COPELAND. Buried near them is Albert Brown COPELAND, her youngest brother. Albert's wife, Sally WINFIELD COPELAND is buried in Ukiah, CA, near the home of their daughter, Zella SEIGLER. There are also graves of James and Eunice GRAVES and Ernest and Mildred TAYLOR in the Daniel Cemetery.
"Polk County Pioneers" is a publication of the Polk County, Ark., Genealogy Society. This article included photographs when published in that newsletter.