Unlocking FamilySearch Full-Text: More Records for Burgess Cooper

Now that Full Text Search at FamilySearch is making so many items findable, I've been revisiting some of my earlier research.  It's great to find new items which add even more to the picture of what was happening.  My Dad's paternal 1st cousin Ruth Thompson was married to Burgess Cooper for a brief time.  I've not found their divorce yet.  I knew that Burgess had done time in jail.  Seems he kept stealing different modes of transportation.  In his earlier years, it was a horse which he tried to sell shortly after stealing and later auto theft.  Here are a few of the newspaper articles about him.

Cooper Makes 
Final Attempt 
Jail Delivery

(From Wednesday's Daily Herald)

Burgess Cooper, confessed horse thief, who was yesterday sentenced to serve a term of three years i the Tennessee Industrial School, last night made a final desperate attempt to break jail. These attempts at jail delivery upon the part of Cooper are not new to Sheriff Houser, and last night the man under sentence was placed in a re-inforced cell, but in some manner he succeeded in so badly damaging the new Yale Lock on his cell door it was necessary for Sheriff Houser this morning to break it in order to get him out of the cell.  The sheriff will be delighted when he hears that Cooper is safely confined within the walls of the Industrial School.

"Cooper Makes Final Attempt Jail Delivery", Columbia Herald(Columbia TN), Vol LXXIV, No 12, March 21, 1922, p 2, col 4 ; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-Q3RM-K8MN : accessed 18 October 2026), IGN 8963695, image 388 of 1056.

In Memoriam: Margaret Cooper (abt 1822 - 1912)

 

Margaret Cooper

Born: abt 1822

Died:  December 26, 1912

United with the Union Ridge Baptist Church abt 1852

Predeceased by parents (d. abt 1832)

Her obituary tells of her helping her maiden aunt to raise Margaret's 3 younger siblings as her parents passed when Margaret was 10 yrs old. She also raised an orphan nephew.  

Margaret is buried in the family plot of  Bro. Tom Taylor who conducted her funeral at the Aenon Church.

I have looked for more information but have not found much other than this.  I will add any additional info I find to this post.

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, April 17, 1913, p  16, col 4; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-obituary-for-marga/206824346/ : accessed September 27, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Margaret COOPER.

In Memoriam: Lula Cooper Blanton (1861 - 1920)

 

Lula Cooper Blanton

Born:  November 19, 1861

Died:  March 6, 1920

Buried in Simpson Cemetery

Married W. T. Blanton November 4, 1886

She was a member of M. E. Church but united with

Union Ridge Baptist after her marriage.

Died of Tuberculosis

Predeceased by Father John B Cooper (d. 1915)

Survivors:

Husband-- William Thomas Blanton (m. November 4, 1886)

Mother-- Rebecca F Landers Cooper

Siblings

Washington Cicero Cooper

Ella Cooper Fuqua

Maggie Cooper Condra

Algie Bell Cooper Craig

American Lillian Cooper Boyd

Johnnie Anna Cooper Pickle

William Emmett Cooper

Children

Willie Elmer Blanton

Mary Ella Blanton

Sam B Blanton

Nora B Blanton Taylor

Georgia L Blanton Simpson

Sources:

Baptist and Reflector, April 29, 1920, p  23, col 2 & 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-lula-cooper-blanto/206819632/ : accessed September 27, 2026), clip page for Lula Cooper Blanton- Obituary.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66488903/lula-blanton: accessed 27 Sep 2026), memorial page for Lula Cooper Blanton (19 Nov 1861–6 Mar 1920), Memorial ID 66488903, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

In Memoriam: Lillian Cooper Boyd (1875 - 1927)

 

Lillain Cooper Boyd

Born:  August 31, 1875

Died:  December 4, 1927

Predeceased by 

Parents:   John B Cooper and Rebecca F Landers Cooper

Daughter:  Lula Cooper Blanton

Sisters:  

Lula Cooper Blanton

Ella Cooper Fuqua

Survivors:

Husband, John Boyd

One son, John Henderson Boyd

2 Brothers:  

Washington Cicero Cooper 

William Emmett Cooper

4 sisters:  

Mrs. J. F. Condra (Maggie Matilda May Cooper)

Mrs G W. Pickle

Mrs. L P Craig(Algie Bell Cooper)

Mrs  D Frank Pickle  (Anna “Johnnie” Cooper)

Sources:

The Daily News-Journal, December 6, 1927, p  1, col 3; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-journal-obituary-for-lill/206573705/ : accessed September 23, 2026), clip page for Obituary for Lillian Cooper Boyd.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117631648/america_lillian-boyd: accessed 23 Sep 2026), memorial page for America Lillian Cooper Boyd (31 Aug 1875–4 Dec 1927), Memorial ID 117631648, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

Progress with Cook research

To locate where Wm C Cook would have been around 1830 I used the information that was gained from the Williams vs. Putman State Supreme Court Case.  Given the testimony from that case it appears that Wm C Cook lived in close proximity to Zephaniah Anglin. A look at the census page from 1830 Bedford Co. TN in which Zephaniah appears show a Cook household with a male that could be Wm C Cook.  Also I believe that this Elizabeth Cook's maiden name was Harrison.  The Wm Harrison listed immediately following her is the household of Wm & Elvira Cooper Harrison.  The two households above Elizabeth are sons of Wm & Elvira.  Wm & Elvira did have a daughter named Elizabeth(b. abt 1788) who would be about 42.  The older female(presumable Elizabeth) is in the 40-50 age bracket.

A number of trees claim that Wm P Harrison of 1830 Williamson Co TN is Wm & Elvira's household however the ages for William and Elvira do not match up as they do here on the 1830 Bedford Co TN enumeration.  

Something else to consider:

On the 1840 US Federal Census of Dyer Co TN,, Wm C Cook was enumerate immediately before his brother-in-law Noah and a J B Harrison who at the time I recognized as the Brother-In-Law of Hiram Putman(another of Wm C Cook's Bro-In-Laws).  If Elizabeth Cook from 1830 Bedford Co TN census is Wm C Cook's mother, and the daughter of Wm & Elvira Harrison, then that J B Harrison that is enumerated in Dyer Co TN with Wm C Cook is not only the brother-in-law of his brother-in-law, but Wm C Cook's maternal uncle. 

This makes a pretty good argument for that and also offers an explanation for why we match a cluster of the Harrison/Cooper descendants that are not also Putmans.  I have several ideas I want to test to determine Elizabeth's spouse.  There is a William Pope Cook who married a Betsey Harrison Aug. 18th of 1806 in Franklin Co. NC.  The Pope name is common in the YDNA of the Cook line that we most closely match. 

It is my belief based on the above evidence/clues that Elizabeth Cook is the daughter of William & Elvira Cooper Harrison and the mother of Wm C Cook. 

Sources:

"United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:1TGQ-9RH : accessed 30 January 2023), Household of Wm C Kook, Dyer, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 104, NARA microfilm publication M704 , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.), roll 521-522; FHL microfilm 24,544.

"United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY2-SVHP?i=166 : accessed 30 January 2023), Tennessee > Bedford > Not Stated > image 167 of 282, Household of Elizabeth Cook; citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHB-W9GK-4?cc=1726957 : 28 November 2018), > image 1 of 1, Marriage Record of William Pope Cook to Betsey Harrison, 13 August 1806 in Franklin County NC; North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History.

Williams vs. Putman, Tennessee State Supreme Court Case Middle District Ordered from TN State Library & Archives via https://supreme-court-cases.tennsos.org/ Delivery(Jan 2, 2019) via email of scanned digital images(PDF) 41 pages. (Location at TSLA Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: 2 Box Number: 375)

Williamson Co. TN--Dist 25(1836-1840)--A-C

Over the past few years I've been studying Williamson Co TN Dist. 25 in hopes that knowing how the families were interconnected will help me to find a lead and break thru my Cook brick wall.  I've been using a spreadsheet to pull together my notes and information on this community so that I had somewhere to quickly look for notes on the families if they showed up in any other parts of my research. I'm publishing this to my blog in the hopes of finding other researchers interested in the area and time period that the information here might help.  This portion contains families who were living in or taxed in District 25 of Williamson Co TN during the years 1836-1840 whose surnames begin with A-C.  When possible I've noted connections in neighboring districts.  Simply put, there is a lot of overlap of families between Williamson Co TN Dist. 25,  the Versailles and Eagleville area of Rutherford Co TN and Bedford Co TN Dist. 10(Rover). Also please note that anyone listed as NOT enumerated in District 25 should probably read not listed as Head of Household in Williamson Co. TN District 25.  They may be within another household OR they may not be enumerated at all within the district for a number of reasons. 

A-C           D-H            J-L          M-P           R-S           T-Z

Baucom--Wilson Baucom/Bacham(Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837 & 1838)  He is the son of Cader Baucom and Susannah Lucy Fowler.  I also believe that his mother is the Susannah Baucom(1777-1840) buried in the Wilson Cemetery near Eagleville. This family was from Wake Co NC.  He married Christina Crick(1820 Williamson County TN)  which makes him the son-in-law of John Wm Crick & Elizabeth Powell Crick.  In 1830 he is enumerated in Maury Co TN near John Hight, Wm Church, Geo. Nixon & Simon S Baker.

Berry--Thomas S. (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837 & 1838).  His wife was Eliza Ann Puckett. Believe he is son of the Thomas Berry who received a NC Land Grant in Leiper's Fork area.

Brooks--Christopher(1836), Ch M(1837), C.W.(1838) C.M(1839) Possibly the Christopher whose wife was a Kerr and whose mother was a Williams if he is the one who is from Caswell Co. NC.

Bryant(or O Bryant)--Fredrick G(1840) A Fredrick O Bryant is on the Bedford Co Tax list of Dist. 10 for 1837 & 1838 and there is a David P Briant in Dist. 10 Bedford for 1836.

Call-- Thomas is on the 1838 & 1839 Tax list of Dist. 25 as well as the 1840 census for that district. His brother Uriah is on Bedford Co TN Dist. 10 Tax list for 1836 & 1837 but on the Dist. 25 of Williamson Co Tax list in 1838 and also in enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.  They were the sons of William Call and Eleanor King.  Their family has Union Co SC ties and also later Carroll Co AR and Berry Co MO. Uriah's wife was Sarah Cox.  Thomas married Hally / Holly Putman, daughter of Amos Putman.  Which makes him a nephew in law to my direct line Jabel & Nancy Tyler Putman.  Uriah Call is a witness to many of the Putman deeds resulting from the division and later sell of Lots from Jabel Putman's estate.

Cannon--Newton & Robert are sons of Minos Cannon & Letitia Thompson and were enumerated Dist. 25 in 1840 but do not appear on tax lists in Dist. 25. They were taxed in Dist. 20 & Dist. 24 of Williamson Co.,  District 7 of Bedford Co. and District 9 of Maury Co. during the time period from 1836-1839.  During these same years also in other TN counties of  Davidson, Obion, Shelby & Tipton. Newton was governor of TN from 1835-1839.  Their family was from Guilford Co NC.

Carlton--Thomas & Thomas B(Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837, 1838 & 1839) Not enumerated in 1840 in Dist. 25.  There is a Thomas Carlton taxed in 1836 Dist. 10 Bedford Co TN.  Thomas Carlton's wife was Nancy Wade.  Three of their children married children of Jabel & Nancy Putman. Another married a Patterson.  Wade H. Carlton(Dist. 25 Tax List:  1836 & 1837) He is a son of Thomas & Nancy Wade Carlton and married Sarah/Sally Putman.  Wade H. & Sarah/Sally Putman Carlton are enumerated in Weakley Co TN in 1840.  Thomas B. Carlton( b, 1813 son of Thomas & Nancy) married Jane Putman. He and Jane are in Bedford Co TN in 1840 but by 1850, Jane has died and Thos B. and family are in Bois D'arc, Hempstead, Arkansas. 

Carson--Jesse H. Carson(1840 Census--no tax listing) is the Father of Susan Carson(Wife of James Cook & daughter in law of Wm C Cook & Elizabeth Putman)  Susan's mother and Jesse's wife was Nancy Gillespie

Cole-- Gideon and Thomas Cole were brothers--sons of Thomas & Elizabeth Cole. They are both taxed for years 1836, 1837, 1838 and 1839 and enumerated there in 1840.  There were two Thomas listed in 1836 in Dist. 25.  The Rover book says that they acquired land in Byler Bottom(Rover--Dist. 10 Bedford Co ) Bedford Co TN Dist. 10 Tax list does have a Thomas Cole for years 1837, 1838 & 1839.  The 1840 Census for Dist. 25 of Williamson Co TN also lists William Cole.

Cook--Joseph Cook--(Dist. 25 Tax List:  1836, 1837 & 1838).  Wm C Cook is listed on the Dist. 25 Tax list of Williamson Co TN for the year 1838 but on Bedford Co TN Dist. 10 for years 1836 & 1837.  Joseph passes in 1838 and drops from the Tax list.  Wm C Cook doesn't appear on the tax list in 1839 for Williamson Co Dist. 25 nor Bedford Co Dist. 10.  I have also not found Wm C Cook in 1840 Census records.  Wm C Cook was appointed admin of Joseph's estate though it is not known how they were related or IF they were though it does seem likely since they have the same surname that some sort of relationship exist. [Update 2/23/22 I've located Wm C Cook in the 1840 US Federal Census in Dyer Co TN next door to brother-in-law Noah Putman.]

Cooper--Job(Dist. 25 Tax List:  1836 & 1838) Not enumerated in Dist. 25 in 1840.  Possibly the same Job Cooper who obtains a land grant in 1814 in 2nd Dist. of Bedford Co TN(waters of Weakley Creek on north side of Duck River) mentioning neighboring lands of Bylers, Charles Brandon, and Elijah Rutledge.  There is a Job Cooper who marries Elizabeth Landrum in 1821 Williamson Co TN. Geo C Cooper is bondsman

Covington--M. L. Covington (Dist. 25 Tax list:  1839 & 1840 Census)  Probably Marquis Lafayette Covington. Married Elizabeth Snell Ransom(a widow)

Cowen--V.D. Cowen(Tax List of Dist. 25 for 1836, 1837, 1838 & 1839) Not enumerated there in 1840.  Appears on the Dist. 10 Rutherford Co TN Tax list for the years 1836 & 1837. This is Varner D Cowen  He was a Judge in Rutherford Co TN.  You can read more about his family and their home which burnt during the Civil War by visiting the Rutherford Co Historical website. 

Crick/Creek-  Like the Carlton family, the Crick family intermarries with the children of Jabel & Nancy Putman.  
Edward/Edmond -(Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837, 1838, 1839 & 1840 Census)
Felix G- (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837, 1838 & 1840 Census)
Jacob- (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839 & 1840 Census)
John Jr. (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839 & 1840 Census)
John Sr. (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839 & 1840 Census)
Mark L (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1839 & 1840 Census)
Newton C (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837, 1838, 1839 & 1840 Census)
Wm H (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1837, 1838, 1839 & 1840 Census)

Crittenden-- Richard Crittenden (Dist. 25 Tax List:  1838)   There may be some connection to Frances/Fanny Crittenden who is in Rutherford Co TN in 1829 and 1830.

Cromer--Henry Cromer (Dist. 25 Tax List: 1838 & 1839) Not enumerated there in 1840.  His wife was a Shaffer & Gambill Descendant.  Her father, Richard Shaffer was killed by Indians in pre-statehood Sumner Co (TN)

Cullum--William H Cullum(Dist. 25 Tax list: 1836)  He is likely the Wm H Cullum who is enumerated in 1820 Williamson Co TN- Franklin near Cole, West, Beasley Brown, Hill, Wade 

Sources: 

• Tennessee, US, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895 https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2883/
• Williamson County(Tennessee) Tax Records 1800-1963) Tax records 1831-1845 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-V2HL?mode=g&cat=234786
• Tennessee State Library and Archives. Ancestry.com. North Carolina and Tennessee, U.S., Early Land Records, 1753-1931 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
• Nance, R. Fred, and John W. Nance. 1983. The history of Versailles, tenth district, and its people. Murfreesboro, Tenn. (P.O. Box 906, Murfreesboro 37130): Rutherford County Historical Society.
• "United States Census, 1840." Database with images. FamilySearch.

Bedford Co TN.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YTB-921F?wc=31SJ-161%3A1588669927%2C1588669780%2C1588665902&cc=1786457

Rutherford Co TN  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYB9-98FZ?wc=31SK-FMD%3A1588669927%2C1588669425%2C1588665902&cc=1786457

Williamson Co TN  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB7-4DT?wc=31S2-443%3A1588669927%2C1588667580%2C1588665902&cc=1786457

• Rover Historical Society. History of Rover and the 10th district of Bedford County: lest we forget the people and things in our corner of the world. Vol. I(1986), Vol. II(1999). Paducah, Ky: Turner Pub. Co.

Finding Cousin Ruth in the 1940 Federal Census

This post is a continuation of my previous post about my Dad's paternal 1st Cousin, Margaret Ruth Thompson Cooper.  If you haven't read that earlier post and click on her name in the previous sentence.  I'm going to refer to her as Ruth because that is what my family always called her.  On Ruth's death certificate it lists her legal residence as 129 6th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee.  I'd never been able to find Ruth thru a search of the census so now that I had the address where she was residing in 1941(and also listed there in 1940 directory as mentioned in the earlier post), I took that information and went looking for the Enumeration District for that address using the Steve Morse Census Tool.
From locating the address on a Google Map earlier I could see that the intersecting street was McGavock which narrowed it down to 2 Enumeration Districts.  I then browsed to the first of the two districts mentioned which had 12 pages and read those looking at the Street names.  Nothing...on to the next Enumeration District.  About halfway thru the 20 something pages, I find the address.  Margaret Ruth Thompson Cooper is listed as Margaret Moore.  No wonder I couldn't find her.  This is really odd to me because earlier in the directory for 1940 she is listed under last name Coopermore and the only one listed at the address in the directory. In the Census there are 4 other women who are in their 20s living at the same residence. Three of those women are divorced and one is widowed.   Some answers but more questions.  Are all these Margaret Cooper's the same person?

Newspapers.com - The Tennessean - 30 Mar 1941 - Page 31

A few thoughts 

1. I know from the information on the Death Certificate that the person listed is Cousin Ruth.  Her parents' names, place, and date of birth are exactly as they should be.  Too, we have her maternal 1st Cousin as the informant.  The residence on the Death Certificate and the census are the same so it seems likely that it was her.

Snippets from Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958 Ancestry.com 2011 Provo UT

From TN Death Certificate of Margaret Ruth Cooper who died March 22 , 1941

2.  She's listed as divorced in the census AND on the death certificate.  Her former husband B. V. Cooper remarried in 1939.

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee; Roll: m-t0627-03972; Page: 6A; ED: 99-42

3.  Why is the name/word "more" or  Moore listed in both the directory AND the census?

Very odd unless she was married to a Moore and divorced sometime in between her 1st marriage and 1940.  Also to have the word more added on the end of her surname Cooper in the directory is odd.  She is noted as the person who gave the info for herself in the 1940 Census.  

4.  I think my next plan of action should be to look at the other four persons enumerated with her and see if I can determine any connections.  

5.  Additionally, I need to find her divorce records from B. V. Cooper.  

An Address--Past and Present--Ruth Thompson Cooper

My Dad's paternal 1st cousin Margaret Ruth Thompson Cooper passed away in 1941 from tuberculosis.  I have a digital copy of her death certificate which lists her address as 129 6th Avenue S, Nashville, Tennessee.  On seeing the address and noting that the certificate said she had been sick for 6 months I had thought the address was probably a hospital or one of the sick houses for those with TB.  So I went looking thru the 1940 Nashville City Directory for that address. I found her listed but her surname has the word "more" added to the end of it.  I checked the abbreviation key page and didn't find "more" listed.  If it is a boarding house and there are more people why are their names not listed? Odd.

I was curious to see what is in that location today so I checked the address on Google Maps.   Today that would be near the Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena and not far from Nissan Stadium.  She is listed there in the 1940 and 1941 directory.  In the 1938 directory,  she is listed at 107½ 4th Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee.  The 4th Avenue address is only a few blocks away and is closer to the Ryman Auditorium.  Given this information, it seems that this was a neighborhood she had live in for at least 4 yrs.

Google Map for 129 6th Avenue South, Nashville Tennessee

Margaret was listed as Mrs. in her last two directory entries.  She had married in 1933 in Williamson Co TN to Burgess V Cooper.  I haven't found her divorce yet but Burgess remarries in 1939 and she is listed as divorced on her Death Certificate.The informant on her Death Certificate was her cousin J. W. Cook, son of her maternal Uncle Clarence Cook.  There were many from my family who died of TB within the 1920 to 1945 timeframe.  

I've not been able to find her in the 1940 census but with the information obtained from her Death Certificate I know she was still alive and the city directories tell me where she is living.  I really need to do a bit more digging and get her story out.  I feel like I have just scratched the surface. 

Notes: 

Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958 [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2376]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. TN Death Cert of Mrs. Margaret Ruth Cooper (Davidson Co. TN 1941)

Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2469]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Browsed to the TN--Nashville ---1940 listing Nashville, Tennessee, City Directory, 1940

Image 115 of 748 (listed alphabetically by surname)
Image 673 of 748 (by street address)


Google Maps Address 129 6th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee(accessed 2/22/2018)