Southeast Missouri Settlement

Early in the 19th century, the United States gained a million square miles of land west of the Mississippi River. These lands were acquired through purchase, treaties, and war affording many Americans the opportunity to move west and seek a better life.

Dwindling land resources left burgeoning families with little alternative but to resettle further west. Their struggles and hopes for a better life held great inducement to make the arduous journey across the broad and dangerous Mississippi River.

Those settlers coming to southeast Missouri were mostly native born Americans. They predominantly came from Kentucky and Tennessee, for a variety of reasons, but the primary inducement was the promise of free land, for those who had fought in the War of 1812, and cheap land for others.

With the exclusion of the fertile land along the Mississippi River, the southeast Missouri’s Ozark Plateau was a rugged terrain unsuited to extensive agriculture. It was considered among the poorer regions of Missouri. However, land was selling at 2 to 3 cents an acre, compared to $2.50 an acre in the fertile Mississippi River valley making it more arguably more affordable.

Reynolds County, Missouri

Reynolds County was officially organized on 25 February 1845, from part of Ripley County, which was formed in 1831, and part of Wayne County, which was formed in 1818. The first settlement in what is now Reynolds County was made in 1812 by Henry Fry, a Kentuckian who settled near the mouth of Three Forks, in what is now Lesterville.

Some years later, Seth Hyatt and James Logan settled on Logan’s Creek, in what is now Ellington. Nearly all the early settlers were fur trappers. They were not interested in farming, only doing what was required as it pertained to their basic needs.

Townships in Reynolds included Black River, Carroll, Jackson, Lesterville, Logan, and Webb. Towns in Reynolds County were Bunker, Centerville, and Ellington.

Family Research in Reynolds County

Researching Reynolds County records has been impeded by the fact that the County Courthouse twice burned, destroying all records. The first time was in December 1863 when the Confederate army burned it during the Civil War. A new courthouse was built in the fall of 1867 on the same foundation as the previous one. This courthouse was burned in November 1871. Both times all records were destroyed. Temporary quarters again burned 27 May 1872, while a new “fireproof” courthouse was being built.

Copeland Family from Wayne County, Tennessee

Among those seeking a better life west of the Mississippi River was William Copeland of Wayne County, Tennessee. He applied for a War of 1812 land grant, but his request was denied. This did not deter him from his dreams. He gathered his family, his friends and neighbors and made the trek to southeast Missouri. He purchased land in Reynolds County on the Black River around 1847 and settled near Marvin Munger in the community of Munger, north of Lesterville and Centerville and close to the Iron County line.

It would be many years before the railroad made its way through the Missouri Ozarks, thus making the pioneer journey an arduous one. William and his family would have made their way to Missouri by covered wagon likely pulled by oxen. They would bring only their most prized possessions and supplies needed to make the formidable journey.

The most dangerous part of their journey was crossing rivers in their covered wagons. Rivers swollen by rain could cause wagons to tip over and drown both people and oxen or at least destroy valuable supplies. Animals could panic when wading through deep, swift water, and cause wagons to overturn. When crossing the Mississippi River, they likely waited days, at crossing points, for their turn to get on the ferry and cross the river.

William Copeland was born 12 July 1783, in Chatham County, North Carolina, to John Copeland and Sarah Hill. He married Margery Carmack about 1805, in Overton County, Tennessee before moving to Wayne County, Tennessee by 1820.

In the 1840 William was living in Wayne County, Tennessee however by 1850, William and his family were living in the newly formed Reynolds County, Missouri. William’s father John Copeland died in Wayne County in 1844 and it is assumed that William waited until his father died before moving on.

William and Margery left adult children in Wayne County along with William’s sister Dorcas Lee and a brother Richard Copeland. Making the journey with him were his wife Margery, 64, three of their adult children and a 3-year-old female who was likely their granddaughter. Additionally, a few of their older children accompanied William and Margery with their own young families. From the 1850 census we learn the three adult children listed with William and Margery were born in Tennessee. The 3-year-old granddaughter was born in Missouri. From this it can be determined they came to Missouri around 1847.

William Copeland and Margery Carmack Copeland:

Children:

• Sarah Hill Copeland 1807-1860, born in Tennessee
• Hasel Copeland (Male) 1809-1870, born in Tennessee (The author’s 2nd Great Grandfather)
• James Copeland 1810-1894 (Not Proven)
• Cornelius Copeland 1811-1864, born in Tennessee
• Jessie Richard Copeland 1815-1849, born in Tennessee
• Leticia “Letty” Sprawle Copeland 1815-1880, born in Tennessee
• Tadoc Thornton Copeland 1817-, born in Tennessee
• Sarah Ellen Copeland 1819-1896, born in Tennessee
• Rial L. Copeland 1819- , born in Tennessee
• Isaac Copeland 1820-1904, born in Tennessee
• Jacob Copeland 1822-1890, born in Tennessee
• Retta Copeland 1824-1870, born in Tennessee. She married Samuel Boyd from Wayne County, Tennessee, and a neighbor in Reynolds County.
• Elizanna Copeland 1826- , born in Tennessee
• John Fletcher Copeland 1828-1882, born in Tennessee
• Serena Copeland 1831-1920, born in Tennessee
• Richard Browning Copeland 1833- , born in Tennessee

Other Reynolds County families allied to this Copeland family were the Hastys, the Faulkenberrys, the Wilsons, the Shrums and the Boyd’s. Other Reynolds County neighbors were also neighbors in Wayne County, Tennessee in the previous 1840 census: the Alreds, the Middletons and the Stricklands. These families either traveled with William and Margery or made the trek with them from Tennessee.

Jordan Hasty, son of William Jordan Hasty, was born in August of 1807 in Wayne County, Tennessee. He married Sarah Hill Copeland, in Tennessee, and is living next door to William Copeland in the 1850 Census in Reynolds County, Missouri.

Tragedy Strikes in Reynolds County

Tragedy struck the Hasty and Copeland families in Reynolds County when Jordan and Sarah’s small daughter was killed playing around the building site of the new school and church house that was be.

The new church and school were built on land donated by Jordan Hasty and his wife Sarah Hill Copeland Hasty. During the construction of the building, their small daughter was playing around the building when one of the log plates rolled and fell on her, killing her. They named the church after her, “Marie’s Chapel”, pronounced Mary’s Chapel. Although research was conducted, the membership roll could not be located. (From the Reynolds County, MO “Sesquicentennial Year” 1845-1995 Vol 1)

Retta Copeland married William and Margery’s neighbor in Reynolds in the 1850 Census, Samuel Boyd, who was also from Wayne County, Tennessee.

Hasel Copeland, sone of William born 1783, married Katherine Arnett in Wayne County, Tennessee. The author’s 2nd Great Grandparents.

Hasel and Katherine had the following children:

• William Hugh 1832-1896
• Sarah Emeline 1834-1911
• James Franklin 1837-1924 (Author’s Great Grandfather)
• Francis 1838 (not proven but living next to James in the Reynolds County Census)
• Nancy abt. 1841
• George Henry abt. 1842
• Elvira 1845-
• Mary 1848-died before the 1860 Census
• Elizabeth 1852-1917

This Copeland family continued to live in the Munger community indefinitely. James Franklin Copeland, son of William and Margery, moved his family to the Barren Fork community on Sinking Creek several miles west of Lesterville between 1870 and 1880. Both James and Sarah are buried in the Bay Cemetery in Shannon County, Missouri.

James and Sarah’s son Jacob Whitaker Copeland farm, and my grandfather, farmed close to Bunker, Missouri which straddled the Reynolds and Dent County line. Whit, as he was known, and wife Bertha Clair Linville Copeland moved to Salem, Missouri after they retired from the farm near Bunker in the 1950s to be close to their children living there.

Part II

William Copeland From Surrey County, North Carolina

By Guest Blogger, Karen Carty

Two Copeland families moved from Cumberland County, Kentucky to southern Missouri in the early 1820’s. Lott Copeland and his sister Sarah who had married James Carty.

They probably crossed the Mississippi River near Ste. Genevieve where there was a very large French settlement. They came by covered wagon drawn by oxen and followed the Capes, Loves, and Jamisons who had made the trip from Kentucky to Missouri a few years earlier. They all settled near each other in the Edge Hill-Black area of Washington (later Reynolds) County.

Washington County was reported to have a white population of 2,769 in 1820. The group of settlers from Cumberland were coming to an area that was sparsely settled with no roads, schools, churches, or stores. In 1850 when the first census was taken in Reynolds County there were 1,819 citizens. Most of the original families were still there.

“Black” is possibly the oldest community in Reynolds County. It is a rural area that covers several square miles and has never been a town, rather a farm and logging community with a post office, a Baptist Church, and a general store.

Sarah Copeland

Sarah Copeland was born 18 Nov 1781, probably in Surry County, North Carolina. She was the daughter of Isaac and Sarah Copeland who first appeared on a tax list in Surry in 1782. She married James Carty there in 1797.

In 1800 James (Mc)Carty was listed on the Surry County census with his wife and one son. There is no record of James buying land in North Carolina. In 1803 his father, John, sold his land along Fisher River in Surry County and the family including his married sons moved to Cumberland County, Kentucky.

In 1806 and 1807 two parcels of land were surveyed for James Carty in Cumberland County.

In 1810 James and Sally were living next to Lott Copeland in Burkesville, Cumberland County with 2 sons and 3 daughters.

In 1815 James’ father, John, awarded Power of Attorney to his son William and died soon after. James and Sally Carty awarded Power of Attorney to John Boyd to deed land.

On 4 Jan 1816, 150 acres of land was surveyed for James Carty at Crocus Creek in Cumberland County. This land joined that of Arthur Hopkins and Lott Copeland.

In 1820 James and family still lived in Cumberland County with Lott Copeland and family living between James and his brother, William Carty.

On the 1820 Census James and Sarah were living in Paoli Township, Cumberland County with 2 sons and 6 daughters.
In 1821 and 1822 the Copeland and Carty lands were sold in Cumberland County. Since Powers of Attorney were in effect it is not certain whether James and Sarah were still in Cumberland at that time.

Land Records:

James CARTY & wife Sally to James ELLISON.
William CARTY & wife Sarah to James CARTY.
Landen COPELAND to William CARTY.
Landen COPELAND to James CARTY.

It is not known exactly when they left Cumberland for Missouri, but it was probably early 1822 since James and Sarah’s son John Isaac was b. in Kentucky in Nov 1821 and James’ brother Moses had a son in 1822 born in Missouri.

The 1830 census records James Carty, Moses Carty, and Lott Copeland families living in the Black River Township of Washington County, Missouri.

The Franklin Association was organized in 1832 to create new churches in this sparsely populated region. Elder Hezekiah Laseter (Lasater) represented them in the Washington County area. The community of Black, or Black River as it was first called was chosen for the county’s first church. There were 12 charter members. Among them was Hezekiah Lasater and his wife, their son Daniel Lasater, their daughter Rebecca Simpson, James and Sally Carty and their son-in-law Pate Buford. By that time Lott Copeland and his large family, including all his married children, had moved to Wayne County (or what would become southern Reynolds County in 1831).

Hezekiah Lasater Jr was the son of Hezekiah Lasater Sr and his wife Elizabeth Copeland. Elizabeth was the daughter of James Copeland (1735-1793) and Martha Johnson. There is a general belief among local historians that Sarah Copeland Carty and Hezekiah Lasater were distant cousins.

The first record of the Cartys in Black is a marriage record dated 22 Dec 1829, of James and Sarah Carty’s son Joshua marrying a Miss Catherine Charlotte Mallow.

The 1840 census records show James Carty and family still living in the same area and several of his married children were living nearby with their families.

In 1850 James Carty and his wife Sally, lived in the same location but it had become part of Reynolds County, Missouri when it came into being in 1845. Living with James, who was 76 years old and Sally who was 68 years old, was their daughter Andromache, her husband John Jamison and family.

In 1850 James and his wife are recorded as members of the Black River Baptist Church in Black, Missouri with several members of his family.

The next record of James Carty is May 10, 1855, when he wrote a letter to his daughter Andromache Jamison and family who by this time had moved south to Barry County, Missouri. His wife Sally died prior to this as her name is not mentioned.
In the final record for James, he was replaced as Church Trustee of the Black River Baptist Church in June 1856.

Sarah Copeland Carty died 26 July 1850. James Carty died 27 March 1858.

The children of James and Sarah Carty were:

Joseph Carty b. 20 Nov 1798 Surry, NC. Married Julia Jamison in 1824 in Black, MO d. 1848 Reynolds County.

• Elizabeth Carty b. 20 Mar 1801 Surry, NC. Married Greenberry Goggin in Cumberland, KY d. 1865 Reynolds County.
• Amy Ann Carty b. 25 Sep 1803 Cumberland, KY. Married William Cape in 1822 d. 1887 Audrain, MO.
• Joshua Carty b. 28 Jul 1806 Cumberland, KY. Married Catherine Charlotte Mallow in Washington County, MO d. 1859 Reynolds County.
• Nancy Carty b. 11 Aug 1808 Cumberland, KY. Married Milton Goggin in Cumberland, KY. Was a widow after the Civil War. d. 1886 Reynolds County.
• Arlotta Carty b. 20 May 1811 Cumberland, KY. Married Pate Buford. d. 1858 Reynolds County.
• Calfurnia Carty b. 18 Sep 1814 Cumberland, KY. Married Thomas Buford who died in 1849 on his way to the California Gold Rush. d. 1878 Reynolds County.
• Andromache Carty b. 18 Mar 1818 Cumberland, KY. Married John Jamison in Cumberland, KY. d. 1902 in Reynolds, Missouri.
• John Isaac Carty b. 5 Nov 1820 in Cumberland, KY. Apparently did not marry. d. 14 May 1845 Reynolds County.

Lott Copeland

Lott Copeland was born in Surry County, NC about 1775, the son of Isaac Copeland and his wife Sarah.

Lott may have married Amy Ann Landon in Surry County. They married about 1794. No marriage record has been found.

The 1790 census shows an Amos London living in Surry. He had 2 females living in his household. Amos London’s will is available but not helpful since he named only 3 children in his will and Amy was not one of them. He was a local landowner and appears in multiple legal records. His name is consistently spelled LONDON.

The 1790 census also shows a Robert Landen living in Iredell County, NC with 2 females in the household. No other information has been found for him.

On 13 Nov 1794 Lott was directed by the Surry County court to provide maintenance to Betsy Howard for raising his child. An Elizabeth Howard m. Jonathan Bryan in Surry on 27 May 1794. The child has not been identified.

In 1799 he recorded his mark in Surry County Court and appeared on several court documents that year as a juror and a witness.

In 1800 Lott Copeland was on the Surry County Census with his wife and 3 sons. He did not own slaves.

In 1803 Lott and Amy Ann left Surry County for Cumberland County, Kentucky. They were in the company of James and Sarah Carty.

In 1806 Lott Copeland received 3 separate land grants in Cumberland, totaling 257 acres.

In 1810 they were on the Census in Burkesville, Cumberland County, Kentucky with 4 sons and 2 daughters.

In 1820 they were still in Cumberland with 5 sons and 3 daughters. An old Deed Book (D 1819-1820) shows that Lot Copeland transferred all his estate to his son Landen Copeland.

Lott Copeland’s entire family moved with him to Missouri including his one married daughter, Priscilla, who had married Morgan Bailey.

The 1830 Census for Black River Township, Washington County, Missouri lists Lat Copeland with his wife, 4 sons and an additional female over 70.

In 1840 the family was in Ripley County, Missouri which bordered what is now Reynolds on the south. In 1841 Lott Copeland of Ripley County was issued a Federal Land Patent for 80 acres in Reynolds County. (Meridian: 5th PM, Township: 29-N, Range: 2-E, Section: 26 Cash Sale)

1850 US Census shows no record for Lott, Amy Ann, or Landon Copeland

“Old Reynolds”, Cletis R. Ellinghouse, Reynolds County Courier, 1978, pg. 337

The land along Logan Creek was being settled by home seekers. I have found no record of Lott Copeland taking land at that time. But Landon chose a large, fertile farm which was well watered by creek and spring. The farm has, in recent years, been known as the Billy Bales farm and is now in the Clearwater Lake area. It is not known if Lott’s wife was living at this time and he may have lived with his son, Landon. . . . a family cemetery is on the farm, but many graves are unmarked, so we do not know if Lott’s grave is there.

The children of Lott and Amy Ann were:

• Landon Copeland b. 3 Apr 1796, Surry, NC m. (1) Elizabeth Johnston, m (2) Hannah Morris Thornton d. 26 Jun 1850 at Logan Creek. Buried on the Landon Copeland Farm, Logan Creek, Reynolds, MO. One of the first Justices of the County Court in Reynolds County in 1838.
• Cary James Copeland b. Abt 1800 Surry, NC m. Sarah Perry d. 1858 Reynolds, MO.
• Priscilla Copeland b. Abt 1804 Cumberland, KY m. Morgan Dameon Bailey Jan 1821 in Cumberland, d. 7 Jul 1868 Nolanville, Bell, Texas.
• Dale Copeland b. 1805 Cumberland, KY m. Celinda Johnston. Justice of the County Court in 1850 and 1854. Died at his home in Reynolds County 11 October 1855.
• Sarah Copeland b. about 1810 in Cumberland, KY. m. James Webb 1827. She was alive for the 1850 Census. James Webb d. before 1860. She may have d. in 1852 or may have remarried.
• Moses Copeland b. about 1810 in Cumberland, KY. m. Amy Ann Ross in Washington County on 13 March 1831. Died between 1843 and 1850 in Reynolds County.
• John Copeland b. about 1815, Cumberland, KY. d. Feb 1863 Missouri. No further information is found.