Copeland Community
Submitted by Donnie PickardVan Buren County Democrat, March 20, 1942
Pioneer Days in the Copeland Community, by Velda MCCutcheon
One of the first settlers to come here was Joe Copeland. He came from Searcy County and settled on what is now known as the Tyler Ott place. They lived in a log house with a fireplace to furnish the heat. They had many hard times compared with the way we live today. Mrs. Copeland had to take the wool from the sheep and spin it into thread from which she made cloth to make clothes for the family. She also had to take the fat from the hogs to make lard. She had to make the soap and roast and grind the coffee.
Mr. Copeland had to kill a cow or some other animal and tan the skins to make shoes for the family. He also worked in the field to raise the corn and wheat, which he took to the mill to make meal and flour.
Later the community began to grow and a post office was needed. An office was established at the home of Joe Copeland and in so far as I know that is how the community got its name. A few years later Mr. Copeland moved to the place where Shelby McCutcheon's place is now located and some time later Lum Emerson built a water power grist mill a few miles up the creek. A sawmill was established at the same place and used the same power as the grist mill.
The first school house was a log house near the Arnhart Cemetery. It is located down on Archey also. When the school districts were mapped out the school house was moved to where the church house near Mrs. Moody's place now stands. In fact the church house was the school house until the Alread school house was built. The first store was also located on the Tyler Ott place and was owned by Joe Copeland.