Curating Black Wide-Awake brings innumerable rewards, among them making surprise connections between people I’ve known all my life and people who pop up in records. Even better, sometimes those connections hit home.
I made a startling discovery a couple of weeks ago when I was updating my family tree with information I found in cousin Alliner Sherrod Davis Randall‘s scrapbook. The material included several funeral programs, including one for Alberta Artis Cooper. This wasn’t new to me; I featured it here. But, looking for obituaries for Alberta Cooper’s children, I found that of her son, John Hardy Cooper. I studied the names of his children … Frances Cooper Bynum … Christine Cooper Barnes … Wait — what?
I’ve been friends with the children of these sisters since middle school — and we’re cousins!
… but not in the way I first thought.
Though she reared him as her own, John H. Cooper was actually Alberta Artis Cooper’s step-son, the son of James W. Cooper and his first wife, Susannah (or Susie Anna). But Susannah Cooper was also an Artis — the daughter of Richard Artis and Susannah Yelverton Artis. Richard Artis (1849-1923) was the youngest brother of Adam T. Artis, who was Alberta Artis Cooper’s father (and my great-great-great-grandfather.) Thus, James W. Cooper’s wives were first cousins, a not-uncommon phenomenon in small communities in that time.
So, having already featured Alberta Artis Cooper, here is James William Cooper:
James W. Cooper (1886-1967), who, as president of Tobacco Workers Union Local 270, worked to improve working conditions for leaf house workers.
——
In the 1900 census of Nahunta township, Wilson County: farmer George Cooper, 46; wife Stellar, 40; and children Arrettor, 22, George B., 16, Juley, 14, James, 12, Mary, 10, Maggie, 7, Bessie, 4, and Royal, 3 months.
James Cooper, 21, of Wayne County, son of George and Stella Cooper, married Susie A. Artis, 19, of Wayne County, daughter of Richard and Susanna Artis, on 6 December 1905 at Richard Artis’ residence in Nahunta township, Wayne County.
James Cooper married Alberta Artis on 18 July 1918 in Kings County, New York.
In the 1920 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: on Brick House and Moore School Road, James Cooper, 33, farmer; wife Alberta, 20; and son Albert Horton, 1.
In the 1930 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: James Cooper, 39, farmer; wife Alberta, 26; and children Elija, 21, Albert, 10, Mollie A., 8, Willard M., 5, Lauzin, 3, Annie M., 7 months; sister Oretter Bailey, 45; and niece Irene Artis, 18.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: James Cooper, 54, farmer; wife Alberta, 40; and children Marilyn, 18, Willard, 15, Laurzene, 13, Annie, 11, George, 9, Alberta, 5, Chester, 3, and Lillie, 1.
James William Cooper died 12 February 1967 at his home at 110 Fourth Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 24 July 1887 in Wayne County to George Cooper and Estelle Smith; worked as a foreman for Jas.I. Miller Co.; and was a World War I veteran. Wife Alberta A. Cooper was informant.
Photo courtesy of George Cooper and Frances C. Bynum, via Vernette B. Roberson. Thank you!
Actually James Elijah Cooper was James W. Cooper and Suzanna Artis Cooper oldest son. John Hardy Cooper was their second son. Grandmother Suzanna died shortly after her third son birth, the baby died also. This was about 1911. Grandmother Suzanna was Richard Artis Sr.’s daughter. Granddaddy James married Grandmother Alberta about 7 years later. There are 5 living children of James and Alberta Cooper as of 12-31-2020. Grandmother Alberta did raise James and John as her own biological sons. Please contact me: bsikrc@gmail.com
Your aunt Alberta was a Darden classmate of my aunt, Hattie Margaret Henderson Ellis. I’ve never met your aunt Lillie, but she and I have corresponded and are Ancestry DNA matches.
Charity “Cherry” Cooper-Farrior born circa 1850, and I am trying to discover her birth parents(Cooper). I believe that she was born around the eastern most of NC and that she had a daughter name Dolly A Farrior in 1865