Document A.109 · will and probate file · transcription: verbatim
Estate of John A. Cooper of Friars Point, Coahoma Co., Mississippi — Chancery Court Estate No. 1855: a holographic will of 19 April 1913, proved 6 August 1914, naming all five children.
- repository
- Chancery Court, Coahoma Co., Mississippi — First Court District
- collection
- Mississippi, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1780-1982 (Ancestry coll. 8995), images 005816799_00741-749
- identifier
- Estate No. 1855
- date
- 1913-04-19
What is transcribed: The holographic will, the proof, the letters, the oath and both petitions.
People named
| As written | Role | Identified as | What this document says |
|---|---|---|---|
| John A. Cooper | testator | John Atkinson Cooper 1836–1914 | residence: Friars Point, Coahoma Co., Mississippi death: between 27 Jul 1914 and 30 Jul 1914 |
| Lelia Maynard Cooper | spouse | Lelia Frances (Maynard) Cooper 1857–1949 | |
| child | Annie (Cooper) Sanders 1872–1961 | ||
| child | Ethel Maynard (Cooper) Martin 1881–1966 | ||
| child | Lelia Cooper 1888 | ||
| child | Nettie Laughter (Cooper) Johnston 1891–1966 | ||
| child | John Atchinson Cooper Jr 1883–1960 | ||
| J. O. Lamkin | witness | ||
| F. D. Robinson | witness |
What this document records
A holographic will names the whole family
"Wholly written and signed in the hand writing of decedent" — a holograph, dated 19 April 1913 at Friars Point, proved on that ground rather than by subscribing witnesses. And it names all five children, which is what the entry exists for.
The death date is not settled
THE FILE GIVES TWO DATES AND FIND A GRAVE A THIRD. The 1914 petition (image 746) says he "departed this life at Friars Point… on the 29th day of July A.D. 1914"; the 1917 petition (image 741) says the 27th; [G.295] gives 30 July 1914. All three recorded, none adopted. What is fixed is the probate: 6 August 1914.
The executrix signs by mark
Lelia Maynard Cooper, the widow, was appointed executrix without bond — and she signs the 1914 petition by mark (×), though the oath at image 747 carries her name written out. A woman trusted with an unbonded executorship who could not sign her name is worth noting as a fact about the household, not as a judgement.
What the estate was
"His home & Store house in Friars Point, Miss & a plantation, one-half of which is owned by petitioner, & some personal property." ⇒ a merchant with a half-share in a plantation, the other half already his wife's.
Transcription and notes
Provenance, the holographic will, the three competing death dates, and the executrix's mark
are all in the source: and coverage: headers and are not repeated here.
Key facts (verbatim / near-verbatim from the file)
- Death: decedent "departed this life at Friars Point … on the 29th day of July A.D. 1914" (1914 Petition for Letters, Image 746) / "the 27th day of July, A.D. 1914" (1917 petition, Image 741). ⇒ d. ~27–29 July 1914 (cf. FaG [G.295] "30 Jul 1914").
- Will: a holographic will, "wholly written and signed in [the] hand writing of decedent," dated 19 April 1913 at Friars Point (Proof of Will, Image 744; witnesses J. O. Lamkin + F. D. Robinson). Proved & admitted to probate 6 August 1914 (Letters Testamentary, Image 743).
- Widow / Executrix: Lelia Maynard Cooper [p.1585], "widow of deceased," appointed Executrix without bond (Letters, Image 743; Executor's Oath, Image 747, signed "Lelia Maynard Cooper"). She signs the 1914 petition by mark (×).
- Estate: "His home & Store house in Friars Point, Miss & a plantation, one-half of which is owned by petitioner, & some personal property" (Petition, Image 746).
Verbatim — the holographic will (Image 748)
Friars Point, Miss, Cohema [Coahoma] Co. 1913. The will of John A. Cooper, written April 19th 1913 — Knowing the uncertainty of life & being in feeble health, I feel that I should make suitable provisions for the comfort & welfare of my family in the future. It is therefore my wish and desire that my wife Lelia Maynard Cooper will have [full] control of my estate, real & personal, during her life time, and will be the sole administratrix of my estate … without bond, and will see that any and all just debts are paid … And that after her death the estate shall be equally divided between my children, to wit: Annie C. Sanders, Ethel Maynard Martin, Lee Cooper Hogin, Nettie C. Johnston, & John A. Cooper Jr. The earnings or rentals of the place will be applied to the support of my wife and family living with her, that is Annie C. Sanders & [—] Warren, should they be living with her. [signed] J. A. Cooper Witness: J. O. Lamkin — F. D. Robinson · 5/24/13
Notes (identifications; not verbatim)
- The will names all FIVE children of Dr John A. Cooper [p.919] in his own hand — a primary-source lock on the whole sibship: Annie C. Sanders [p.1162] (by 1st wife Sarah Warren), and by 2nd wife Lelia Maynard: Ethel Maynard Martin [p.1163], Lee Cooper Hogin [p.1164], Nettie C. Johnston [p.1165], and John A. Cooper Jr [p.1586] ( the pr.14/pr.16 Y-line carrier).
- Resolves the "Lee vs Lelia" question: the will's "Lee Cooper Hogin" = the census daughter "Lelia" (b. 1888, [p.1164]) — one person (Lee = a nickname for Lelia), and it gives her married surname: Hogin. (The FamilySearch "Lee Cooper" + "Lelia Cooper" split was a duplicate; the will confirms a single daughter, and only 4 children by Lelia + Annie by wife 1 = 5 total, matching the 1900 census "4 born" to Lelia.)
- DISPROVES the erroneous FaG [G.310] "1859–1900": the estate, holographic will (dated 1913, "feeble health"), and 1914 death establish that John A. Cooper [p.919] died in 1914 — one man, whose children span both marriages (Annie by wife 1 + the four by wife 2), decisively refuting any "two Dr John Coopers." (See [p.919] disambiguation.)
- Chancellors: M. E. Denton (7th Dist.); Chancery Clerk S. F. Carr. The 1917 filing (Image 741–742, "May Term 1917," Sol. Maynard & FitzGerald) is Lelia's petition to close/remand the accounting.
Cross-references
- p.919 Dr John A. Cooper (testator) · p.1585 Lelia Maynard Cooper (widow/executrix) · p.1162 Annie / p.1163 Ethel / p.1164 Lee/Lelia / p.1165 Nettie / p.1586 John A. Jr (children) · G.295 / G.310