Dr. John Benson COPELAND

1815 - 1864  (48 years)

• Name	John Benson COPELAND
  Title	Dr.
  Born	2 Aug 1815	Newberry County, SC
  Gender	Male
  Died	24 Feb 1864	Williamson County, TN
  Notes	(1) Jantz, Virginia Copeland, Copeland, Bostick, Patton, and Allied Families, Waco, TX: privately published, 1981, pp. 42-44: DR. JOHN BENSON COPELAND . . . was born 2 August, 1815, in Williamson County, Tennessee. He died 24 February, 1864, in Williamson County and was buried in the cemetery on Sumner's Knob in Williamson County. His wife's name was Susan, but her maiden name has not been determined. No marriage record could be found in Williamson County, but it is estimated that they married about 1854. They were married only ten years when John died, leaving a widow with six young children. It is not known where Susan Copeland was buried. She may have been buried beside her husband on Sumner's Knob, but there is no marker for her. There is not a great deal known about Dr. John B. Copeland except that he was a practicing physician in Williamson County, living in the Nolensville area. It is not known where he received his medical training nor where he lived up until 1860 when he first appears on the 1860 Williamson County census. By 1870 Dr. Copeland was dead, and his wife, Susan, and the six children were living near Dr. Thomas J. Shannon in the Nolensville area, according to the 1870 Williamson County census. By 1880 Susan Copeland and her children were living at 357 South Cherry Street in Nashville. No further record was found concerning Susan Copeland. She was 49 years old in 1880, thus indicating that she was born about 1831. Her oldest daughter, Lena Rivers Copeland, who married Dr. William Howard Baskette, returned to Williamson County together with her husband, and it is possible that Susan Copeland resided with them in Franklin during her later years. In a letter written from Campbell County, Virginia by Benjamin Clement, uncle of Mary Virginia (Martin) Copeland, to his brother-in-law, William C. Moore of Stokes County, North Carolina, the statement was made that "Doct. Copeland and little Samuel Martin are in Virginia at this time buying Negroes. they left my house about 3 weeks ago on their way to richmond for the purpose of buying negroes." This letter was written 8 November, 1844, thus indicating that Dr. John B. Copeland was a physician by this date, at age 29. Little Samuel Martin, mentioned in the letter, was the brother of Mary Virginia (Martin) Copeland, Dr. Copeland's sister-in-law. Little Samuel Martin was 25 years old at the time, only four years younger than Dr. Copeland. Dr. John B. Copeland's tombstone in the cemetery on Sumner's Knob is quite elaborate, as were many others during this period of time. It is one of the very few remaining tombstones in the old cemetery which came into use during the early days of Williamson County. His tombstone had fallen over on the ground, but was legible when copied by the author in 1972, even though some words were difficult to read. It reads: Dr. John B. Copeland Born Aug. 2, 1815 Died Feb. 24, 1864 This spirit immovable is still(ed) at last is heaved by affliction no more This heart is no longer the seat of trouble and torturing pain It ceases to flutter and beat It never shall flutter again Efforts to trace descendents of the six children of John B. and Susan Copeland have not been entirely successful. Only two of their children have been traced, these being Samuel Robert Copeland and Lena Rivers Copeland. Besides being listed on the 1860, 1870, and 1880 Tennessee census records, the children were shown in the 1866 court records of their uncle, James C. Copeland. The children of John B. and Susan Copeland were probably born in Williamson County, Tennessee. CHILDREN OF DR. JOHN BENSON AND SUSAN COPELAND: i. J. Matthew Copeland was born about 1855. ii. Samuel Robert Copeland was born 31 October, 1857. iii. Lena Rivers Copeland was born about 1859. iv. Andrew B. Copeland was born about 1860. v. Matilda J. Copeland was born about 1862. vi. Lula W. Copeland was born about 1863. (2) See the notes regarding the marriage license issued to Susan P. MARTIN and John B. COPELAND on October 25, 1854 in Maury County, TN.
  Person ID	I476	Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
  Last Modified	22 May 2018

  
  

  Father	James COPELAND,   b. Between 1773 and 1774, Ireland ,   d. 9 May 1819, Williamson County, TN  (Age ~ 46 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Mary FROST,   b. Abt 1777, Newberry County, SC ,   d. 20 Mar 1833, Williamson County, TN  (Age ~ 56 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Married	Between 1798 and 1799	SC
  Family ID	F913	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Susan P. MARTIN
  Married	Abt 25 Oct 1854	Maury County, TN
  License	25 Oct 1854	Maury County, TN
  Notes	(1) John C. Crawford : In Maury County, TN, an adjacent county south of Williamson, there is a record of Susan P. MARTIN and John B. COPELAND having a marriage license issued 25 Oct. 1854. This information comes from a loose-leaf index created by staff and volunteers at the Maury County Archives, Columbia, TN.
  Children	1. Andrew B. COPELAND,   b. Abt 1860, Williamson County, TN?  [natural]   2. Matilda J. COPELAND,   b. Abt 1862, Williamson County, TN?  [natural]   3. Lula W. COPELAND,   b. Abt 1863, Williamson County, TN?  [natural]   4. J. Matthew COPELAND,   b. Abt 1855, Williamson County, TN?  [natural]   5. Samuel Robert COPELAND,   b. 31 Oct 1857, Williamson County, TN?  [natural]   6. Lena Rivers COPELAND,   b. Abt 1859, Williamson County, TN?  [natural]
  Last Modified	22 May 2018 09:46:38
  Family ID	F917	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart