Name: Edward Cooley
   Born: 1763
  Place: possibly Virginia
   Died: 21 Nov 1822
  Place: Washington County, Indiana
 Buried: 
  Place: Cooley-Brewer Cemetery
Y-Haplo: R1a-YP4491
Married: 
  Place: probably Stokes County, North Carolina

Edward and Martha are buried in the Cooley-Brewer Cemetery, also known as the Cooley Meeting House Cemetery, south of Salem, Indiana.

According to an article written about Edward's daughter, Elizabeth Brewer, he and Martha had eight children. To date, only seven are known to me.

Reuben Cooley	1784-1850+	This Reuben has been mistaken for two others. The Reuben who married Elizabeth Followell was living in Marion County, KY and died there in 1859. He was Edward's brother, not son. And note that some charts kill Edward's son off in 1795, but that was undoubtedly Reuben Cooley of Jessamine County KY. An article about our Reuben's family was published in 1999.
David Cooley?	living 1815
John Cooley	1789-1866	Married Selah Wright. Selah (Celia) is still living in 1870.
Thomas Cooley	c1790-1855	Married Mary Evans, daughter of Thomas Evans noted below, 16 August 1815 in Harrison Co IN.
Elizabeth Cooley	1796-1855	Married John Brewer.
Joannah Cooley	1798-1863	Unmarried. She's living with the Dennis Brown family on the 1860 census, Washington County, IN (age 65, born North Carolina). She's the "Hanah" mentioned in the Tom Cooley Bible.
Edward Cooley	1802-1853	Married Elizabeth Crider in Lawrence county IN, 18 May 1826. They are buried in the Cooley Cemetery, Pleasant twp, Appanoose county, Iowa. 1
Stephen Cooley	1805-1872	Married Nancy Fountain 1827, Washington Co IN. He is found on the 1860 and 1870 census in Bartholomew county, IN (born in North Carolina.)

There is a David in Stokes county NC selling land in the years 1805, 1808, 1813, 1814 and 1815. Previously, only Edward was known to still be living in Stokes county as late as 1811. Could David have been that 8th, and until now, unspecified child of Edward's? It's entirely possible, of course, that the mystery child died in infancy or early childhood. Nevertheless, there was a David and, to date, nothing more is known about this man.

Edward is often written Edward D Cooley. I have yet to find any primary record that names him as anything other than Edward Cooley. But Sandra Stanton has, I believe, solved the problem. She wrote on 24 Feb 2007: "Indexers will see things that really are not there. For example one census for Edward Cooley it is clearly written on the page an abbreviation for Edward. Edw and then the d written above the line. But looking at the index for that year the indexer had written Edw. D. Cooley". I believe there is a similar explanation for the T often found as the middle initial for Edward's brother, Joseph.² Likewise, their brother John, and sometimes their father, is often cited as John A Cooley. That's almost certainly due to the frequent confusion with John Andrew Cooley of Fayette county PA.

Although there's a great deal of evidence that Edward Cooley's father was John Cooley of Stokes County, North Carolina, the combination of the following nails it: Deeds transferring land to sons James Cooley and Reuben Cooley and the genetic proof that Edward, Joseph and James were brothers.

• John Cooley to Rueben Cooley
• John Cooley to James Cooley
• Y chromosomal tests

Edward Cooley, along with several others, was named in a 1797 deed as a trustee of what was to be called Love's Church in Walkertown, North Carolina, a town that is now part of Forsythe county.

Will of Edward Cooley

If memory serves me, I received a photocopy of Edward's will from Patrick M Cooley of Indianapolis in 1996. It's recorded in Washington county, Indiana Will Book 1, pages 36-38:

In the name of God, Amen,

I Edward Cooley of Washington County State of Indiana being weak of body but of sound mind and memory blessed be almighty God for the same, Do make and Publish this my last will and Testament in manner and form following (viz)

First I resign my soul to him, that gave it and bequeath to my Son Edward Cooley and his heirs and assigns forever one hundred acres of Land off the north side of the South West quarter of Section no 21 Range no. 4 E of Township no 2 north -

Secondly and give and bequeath unto my son Stephen Cooley and his heirs forever the remaining sixty acres of the above described quarter section together with forty acres off of the north side of the N.W. qtr of section 28- Township 2 north of range four East making in all to him one hundred acres with the appurtenances.

Thirdly I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Martha Cooley one hundred and Twenty acres of Land off the South side of the n.w. quarter of section no Twenty Eight Town Two north of range four east, with all the appurtenances thereon during her natural life - I also give and bequeath unto my beloved wife during her natural life all my Bedding including furniture there on and all my household and kitchen furniture, also one hundred and sixty dollars in cash owing me by Beath   Newby, also two horses, to wit, my roan horse and my flag mare and my Cow [?] -

Fourthly I give and bequeath to my Daughter Joannah Cooley my young colt and old Brindle Cow, and the bed and bedding commonly called hers and also the saddle which she has had the use of for some time.

Fifthly I give and bequeath to my son Edward Cooley my grey stud colt, saddle   Bridle and rifle gun also a suitable grate [sic] coat to be paid for out of my estate

Sixthly and give and bequeath to my son Stephen Cooley my Bay horse colt and a bridle and saddle contracted for with Michael Baker in Salem and to be paid for with my estate - also a suitable great coat to be paid for or procured at the expense of my estate.

Seventhly and give and bequeath to my beloved wife, corn, wheat, meat, and such other provisions as there are in my possession; in quantity as much as will be sufficient for the Subsistence of the family for Twelve months.

And lastly I hereby appoint my sons Thomas Cooley and John Cooley Executors of this my last will and Testament; hereby annulling and revoking and rendering void every former will of any kind so ever -

Given under my hand and seal this 18th Day of Nov^r A.D. 1822

Witnesses present ) his³ Thomas Evans ) Edward S Cooley Binoni Armstrong⁴ ) mark John De Pauw ) State of Indiana ) Washington County )

Be it [?] [?] to me John De Pauw clerk of the Washington circuit court the forgoing instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Edward Cooley Deceased was produced and proved by Thomas Evans and John De Pauw Two of the Subscribing witnesses therein, and on the request of Thomas Cooley and John Cooley Executors therein named, the same was entered of record, and execution thereof granted then by me this 23rd Day of Nov 1822

John De Pauw clerk
W.C.C.

Cooley Meeting House Cemetery

The following is as quoted in "Washington Township Cemeteries", page 414.

Section 28 T2N R3E. At an early date, John Brewer owned a large tract of land. When it became necessary to establish a burial ground, Brewer donated one acre of ground which adjoined Edward Cooley's farm, two miles south of Salem on the Shiloh and Martinsburg Road.

A Methodist meeting house was built about 1818, known as the Cooley Meeting House, In the grove adjacent to the meeting house was a campground where camp meetings where held prior to and subsequent to 1824. Reverend John Brewer⁵ was one of the active preachers.

This church was an important one in the old Salem Circuit. As a church, it is now a thing of the past.

These photos of the Cooley/Brewer cemetery were taken in July 2005 by Drew Wright. See additional photographs here.

Bartholomew County Marriage Records

Some of Edward's family moved to Bartholomew county, Indiana. I received the following in October 2006 from Jane Ries.

Cooley, Selah Jane and William Elkins, Aprl 19 1869 C-81 129
Cooley, Abraham and Nancy C Noblitt, Dec 17 1854 C-5 412
Cooley, Abraham and Eliza Bradshaw, Oct 24 1868 C-8 88 (Date of license)
Cooley, Abraham and Mary E Cooley, June 10 1970 C-8 220
Cooley, Albert and Sadie Heck, Jan 22 1902 C-15 183
Cooley, Alice V and Francis M Gillbreata, Nov 6 1882 C-11 222
Cooley, Amanda C and James N Elkins, Aprl 7 1871 C-8 276
Cooley, Carson and Minnie B Edmonson, Jan 9 1883 C-11 247
Cooley, Daniel and Eliza J Burget, Mar 24 1861 C-6 516
Cooley, Eliza A and Clarence Cook, Feb 22 1903 C-15 322
Cooley, Elizabeth A and Thomas J Linson, Jan 13 1861 C-6 496
Cooley, Elizabeth C and James McCalister, Aug 31 1864 C-7 229
Cooley, Fremont and Maria Connelly, May 10 1885 C-11 511
Cooley, Harry E and Estella F Fultz, Oct 24 1914 C-23 218
Cooley, Helen and George Knule, Sept 20 1919 C-27 161
Cooley, Joseph and Elizabeth Dowell, Aprl 27 1862 C-7 26
Cooley, Lavina C and Benjamin F Davis, Aprl 4 1867 C-7 537
Cooley, Martha L and Samuel H Ault, June 24 1883 C-11 290
Cooley, Martha M and Frank McLaughlin, Oct 13 1883 C-11 327
Cooley, Mary E and Abraham Cooley, July 10 1870 C-8 220
Cooley, William and Martha Stader, Oct 16 1879 C-10 395

Census Records

1790 Stokes County, North Carolina (Series M637, Roll 7, Page 547)

   Edward Cooley  121004
   John Cooley    153009
   Joseph Cooley  101002

1800 Stokes County, North Carolina (Series M32, Roll 32, Page 546)

   Edward Cooley  120102001000

Old Notes

I assembled the following notes in 1991.

Edward Cooley's son John, from whom I am descended, married Selah Wright, daughter of William Wright and Betsy Morgan, also of North Carolina. She was born in Rowan Co NC 20 Jul 1793. The date and place of the marriage is unknown but probably occurred c1814 in Washington Co IN. A letter written by a great-aunt, now deceased, gives Edward's wife as an Elizabeth Cridder. To date, no material proof has been found. However, included below is proof of a marriage to Martha Raper before 1808. Edward was born c1763. ** UPDATE ** Apparently, Elizabeth Cridder was the wife of Edward's son, another Edward. No proof found. Edward Cooley's known children: Reuben Cooley. Dates, etc unknown. John Cooley (above) b 1789 NC. Lost track of him and wf by 1850 census. They might have moved to IA with his brothers and son David but are not enumerated on the 1850 census.) Thomas Cooley b c1790 NC, m Mary Evans 1815 Harrison Co IN, d 1855 Appanoose Co IA. (Have will and other records.) Stephen Cooley b c1800-1810 m Nancy Fountain 1827, Washington Co IN. Family and death unknown. Edward Cooley b c1802 NC, d 1854 Appanoose Co IA. Wife Elizabeth. (Have will and other records.) Joanna Cooley. Dates and places unknown. Other Washington Co IN marriages: Hiram Cooley to Olive Langden 12-25-1821 James Cooley to Esther Hubbard 4-22-1821 Joseph Cooley to Nancy Hubbard 5-2-1824 Margaret Cooly to Robert Holmes 1-22-1824 1784-7 Surry Co NC census: Edward Cooley (my anc b c1763) 1 male 21-60 1 female John Cooley (father of Edward?) 1 male 21-60 (self?) 6 males under 21 & above 60 (incl Joseph, James, Perrin & Rice?) 3 females 1790 Stokes Co NC census: John Cooley 1 male 16+ (self?) 5 males under 16 (the above 6, minus Joseph below?) 1 female Edward Cooley (mine) 1 male 16+ 2 males under 16 1 female Joseph Cooley 1 male 16+ 1 female (The wife of a former employer is a descendant of Joseph. According to info sent to her by Janet Spencer of Crete, NE, he was b c1767 in VA. His daughter Elizabeth was b c1792/94 in Stokes Co NC.) 1800 Stokes Co NC census index: Edward Cooley, p546 James Cooley, p546 Perrin Cooley, p546 Rice Cooley, p547 John Cooly, p546 1810 Stokes Co NC census: (Only Edward is listed) Edward Cooley 2 males under 10 2 males 20-16 1 male 45+ 2 females under 10 2 females 10-16 2 females 45+ ------------------------------------------------------------ Received from Sandra Nackab thru Prodigy BBS. Address unknown: Surry Co Deeds: Book B p80: NC grant to John Cooley 20 Sep 1779. Book B p337: NC grant to Abraham Cooley 13 Oct 1783. Book C p161: 3 Nov 1784 NC grant to John Cooly, 140 acres. Book C p257: John Cooley Sr, William Matthews Cooley & John Cooley Jr app Constable of Willis Dist. 1784, 85, 86. Book F p82: Abraham and wf Sarah sold 400 acres 20 Mar 1786. Stokes Co Deeds: Vol 1 p107: 18 May 1787. NC Grant #1115 to John Cooley 150 acres. Vol 2 p29: 27 Jun 1793. NC Grant (to whom?) 100 acres. Vol 2 p69: 6 Feb 1794. John Cooley to Phillip Tansow, 100 acres, 650 pds (by grant Jun 1792). Vol 2 p286: 28 Oct 1795. John Cooley to Edward Cooley 240 acres for 200 pds. (Relationship not stated.) Vol 2 p326 28 Oct 1795 John Cooley to Soloman Turner, 25 pds, 50 acres. ------------------------------------------------------------ From Julia Case to Sandra Nackab via Prodigy. Addresses unknown: Ratliff's North Carolina Taxpayers 1679-1790: Abraham Cooley, Surry Co 1782. John Cooley, Surry Co 1782. Ratliff's North Carolina Taxpayers 1701-1786: John Cooley, Rowan Co 1758. John Cooley (Const.), Surry Co 1771. John Cooley (Constable), Surry Co 1772. ------------------------------------------------------------ "The History of Rowan Co NC" - Rev Jethro Rumple, 1978 On page 64 is a photograph of a plaque: BOONE TRAIL 1769 From this town Richard Henderson in behalf of Henderson and Company despatched (sic) Daniel Boone, John Findlay, John Stuart, Joseph Holden, James Mooney, and William Cooley to explore the wilderness of Kentucky My grandfather used to say that we were related to Boone. That has in no way been proven and may not be true. But given the above, the possibility should be explored. The Cooley Cemetery of Salem (Washington Co IN): Edward Cooley, died Nov. 21, 1822, aged 59 years. Martha Cooley, died Nov. 25, 1846, aged 81 yr., 8 mo. 12 days. (In my copy, there is a notation, probably put there by the compiler (unknown): "was a RAPER." The Will of Edward Cooley, dated 18 Nov 1822 and probated 23 Nov 1822 names wife Martha and children Edward, Stephen, Thomas, John and Joanna. Stokes Co NC Wills, Vol 1-4, 1790-1864, p 94 Will of Thomas Raper (1808) names daughter Patty, wife of Edward Cooley. Also mentioned is Jane Fountain (a daughter?), wife of Stephen Fountain. This is notable because Edward Cooley's son, Stephen, married a Nancy Fountain. Another of Edward's sons, Thomas, named one of his sons Fountain Cooley (b c1826 Indiana). Edward Cooley and Peter Fulp (husband of Thomas Raper's daughter Elizabeth) were executors. Witnesses were James and Stephen Fountain. SOME MISSOURI INFO TO SHOW CONNECTION TO THE ABOVE COOLEYS "Death Records of Missouri Men" Joseph Cooley of Howard Co died 3 April, 1826. "Missouri Miscellany" - March 1981 Clay County - Abstracts of Wills & Admrs: Joseph Cooley, d int. Admrx, Keziah Cooley, 14 June 1826. Sec, Eli Casey & Jeremiah Magnor. (A:13 "Missouri Pioneers" - March 1976 Howard County Petition of the Inhabitants of Howard Land Dist, 23 Dec 1819: includes James Cooly, Cooley Whitney. "Missouri Taxpayers 1819-26" Clay Co 1822, 24, 25: Included James Coley, Joseph Cooley. "Missouri Genealogical Records and Abstracts, Vol 3 1787- 1839" pp. 195-196 - Sherida K. Eddleman: 1819 Howard Co Deeds: John Cooley, 160 acres S5-T49-R16 Joseph Cooley, 220.25 acres S8-T49-R16 Perrin Cooley, 259.75 acres S8-T49-R16 Although in a different section, John is found in the same township and range. Perhaps he is a brother not previously mentioned -- or maybe the old man himself. If we assume that John, the presumed father, was born c1740, if living, he'd have been about 80 in 1819. "Missouri Marriages" - Ormesher: Perrin Cooley to Lucy Carter 31 Jan 1833 (Randolph Co) There are others, many of whom are identified as children of Joseph's. I cannot find it now, but somewhere I read that this Perrin is the son of another Perrin. It is very possible that the brothers Joseph, James and Perrin went together to Missouri. I have seen mention of a Rice Cooley in early Kentucky records but have never followed through. Apparently, Edward Cooley had gone to Kentucky with his (future) Wright in-laws prior to setting in Indiana. Our local genealogy library has scores of notebooks filled with notes of a local genealogist, now deceased. Included is Abraham Cooley Sr, from England to NY, then to NC in 1781. Granted 400 acres in Surry Co 1783 (above). To VA c1786. He m Sarah Reeder and had ch Abraham Jr, Benjamin F and Peter. So far, I see nothing to connect him to the John Cooleys of the region. There is also rather detailed info about the Joseph Cooley of Howard Co MO. It states that he was born c1760 in VA and married Keziah Casey in 1807, Lincoln Co KY. She died 1841 in Clay Co MO. However, it does not mention a residency in NC nor the child Elizabeth, mentioned above, nor the fact that, judging from the 1790 census, he was married with no children in that year. Either there were two Josephs or, unknown to the compiler of this sheet, he married twice. The youngest child mentioned, Franklin, was b 1823, which would have made the father 63. It is possible that the children were not properly identified. ------------------------------------------------------------ Other data: Will of Thomas Evans, Washington County IN, probated 17 Oct 1829. Wife, Ann sons, William, Robert, John C., Thomas, Isaac A., Newton daus, Sarah, Martha, Lucretia, Mary Cooly, Nancy Willis, Janeta (or Geleta) Pearson. From the Washington County Historical Society: Deed 20 Oct 1851, Washington County, IN. Thomas Cooley and wife Martha to Isaac A. Evans. Included are noted by the typist (unidentified). She states that Thomas Cooley was the son of Edward and Martha (Brewer) Cooley and that they "also had John, Reuben R., Joannah, D. Edward, & Stephen, and all came to Little York, Wash. Co., Ind. ca. 1811; & acq. land in NW 1/4, 28-2N-4. "Bartholomew County Marriages, 1821-1832," (Indiana Source Book II) Cooley, Reuben R. - Elizabeth Jacobs 6-23-1831 "Frederick Goss of Rowan County, North Carolina, and his Descendants," compiled by Lois Ione Hotchkiss (Mrs. John S.) Heuss, Akron Ohio, 1968 Page 135 states that Priscilla Goss, dau of John and Sallie (Merrill) Goss, m Edward Cooley (1823-1896), son of "John born in North Carolina in 1789 -died 1838 and Celia (Wright) Cooley born North Carolina in 1791. The senior Cooleys are buried in the Wright Cemetery in Salem, Indiana." John and Selah Cooley, in fact, were still alive as of the 1850 census; he 61, she 59. Bradley and Barthena (Goss), 22 and 21 respectively, were living with them. Frederick Goss | |------------------------------------------| John Goss David Goss | | |--------------| David Alexander Priscilla m Edward Cooley | | (p. 135) Catherine Barthena m Isaiah Cooley m Bradley Cooley (page 135) (pp. 100-101)

1. Appanoose county's website at Rootsweb states that, according to the Cooley Cemetery readings, Edward Cooley died "10-18-1853, age 51y 9m 15d" and Elizabeth Cooley died "6-27-1862 age 52y 9m 9d."

2. Lura Hamill, in her now notorious 1932 letter to Mildred Tallant, claimed that Joseph was the man who married Maude Woods in Virginia. We now know that his full name was Joseph Tucker Cooley, a son of Thadeus Cooley (1745-1814) of Wythe County, Virginia. Circumstantial historic evidence, supported by DNA, suggests Thadeus was of the Goshen, Orange County Cooleys and of a collateral lineage to immigrant Benjamin Cooley (1615-) of Springfield, MA.

3. Edward's mark was not an S. Judging from the xerox copy I have (itself a transcription into the the county's record), his mark was not a letter of the alphabet. This is the best approximation I could come up with.

4. Benoni Armstrong is listed as Justice of the Peace in 1823. Might his term have already started?

5. John Brewer was Edward Cooley's son-in-law.

6. Sandra Stanton has suggested that William Jean may have been the son-in-law of Richard Goode. Richard was closely associated with the Cooley family in Stokes county, North Carolina and probably earlier in Caroline county, Virginia as well. See the article about John Cooley for more information about Richard. This may be the same William Jean who applied for pension in 1832 (S7071). He states, "Having been myself a preacher in the Methodist Church for about 40 years..."

7. Edward Cooley sold land to Archibald Campbell in 1801. Campbell's daughter, Flora, later married Love's son. A website for Archibald Campbell can be found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cranefamily/campbell.html. Also of interest is the mention of Campbell's involvement with the freeing of Sam Thomas: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/t/Thomas,Sam.html.