Fayette Co., KY Land Division Records (IGN 007553665, img 80) — Reuben H. Cooper's [p.844] ESTATE DIVISION, reported 1 Nov 1861: widow Jane E. (Wallace) dower + lands & slaves divided among his 5 children (John W., Daniel, William, Stephen, Sarah Cooper)

Transcription and notes

Source: Fayette County (Kentucky). Clerk of the County Court — Land Division Records (FamilySearch IGN 007553665, image 80 of 362). Via FamilySearch Full-Text. On disk: Death/Wills and Probate/Kentucky/Scott County/Fayette. Land Division Records 1904–1968, 1852–1903/img0080 ….

This is the Fayette-County half of Reuben H. Cooper's [p.844] estate division — the companion to the Scott-County division [K.64] (Jan 1862). Together they enumerate all of Reuben's heirs. (His father Daniel III's estate is [A.111]/[A.112].)

Data from the document [verbatim] (OCR-transcribed)

"The undersigned commissioners appointed by the Honorable County Court of Fayette County to allot to the widow of Reuben H Cooper dower and to di[vide] among his children the lands and slaves of said decedent did on Tuesday the 22d [day] of Oct 1861 meet at the mansion house on the premises and being first duly sworn, proceeded … and herewith report …"

Widow — "James E Cooper" [OCR for Jane E. (Wallace) Cooper, Reuben's widow]: - Dower in slaves: Moses, Sam[?] & Harriet — value $150. - Dower in land: 11 acres including the mansion house in the home tract, + 14 acres woodland "principally of the Houghton tract lying on the side of the Georgetown pike."

The lands (total 384 acres & 24 sq. poles, in THREE separate parcels — one in Scott Co., the rest Fayette) divided among the 5 children: | Lot | Heir | Land | Slave(s) allotted | |---|---|---|---| | No. 1 | John W. Cooper [p.911] | 50 ac of the Scott-County tract | Henry, Frank, Susan | | No. 2 | Stephen [Letcher] Cooper [p.909] | 50 ac — the NW portion of the Scott-County land | James & Mary | | No. 3 | Sarah Cooper [p.912] | 61 ac 24 poles | Edua[?] & Elija | | — | William [B.] Cooper [p.913] | 50 ac — part of the home place | Isaac | | — | Daniel Cooper [p.914] | 58 ac — remainder of the Houghton tract (after the 14-ac dower); with right of passway to the Georgetown turnpike through the widow's dower | Joseph |

(The slave-lot numbering and land allotments cross-list the same 5 children; some lots pay/receive cash to equalize.)

Reported 1 Nov 1861. Commissioners R. J. Speer, Thornton Moore, Randolph Haley (surveyor H. C. Higgins, survey 4 May 1861 / division Oct 1861). Endorsed "Cooper Reuben Estate Division."

What this establishes

• Reuben H. Cooper's children (heirs, 1861) = 5: four sons John Wallace [p.911], Daniel [p.914], William B. [p.913], Steven Letcher [p.909] + one daughter Sarah ("Sally A.") Cooper [p.912] (unmarried in 1861). (This is the same "Sally A. Cooper" who appears in the Scott-Co. division [K.64].) Widow Jane E. (Wallace) Cooper living.
• Death window tightened: commissioners met 22 Oct 1861 and dower was allotted ⇒ Reuben died before 22 Oct 1861 — combined with [K.66] (alive & buying land 31 May 1861), his death = Jun–Oct 1861 (narrows the former "Jun–Dec 1861").
• The "Houghton tract" — Reuben's Fayette land carries his mother Sarah Houghton's family name (from Daniel III × Sarah Houghton); corroborates the Houghton-Cooper land descent.
• Reuben's enslaved people (named): Moses, Sam, Harriet, Henry, Frank, Susan, James, Mary, Edua, Elija, Isaac, Joseph.

Cross-references

• p.844 Reuben H. Cooper (decedent) · sons p.911 John Wallace Cooper · p.914 Daniel Cooper 1838 · p.913 Wm B. Cooper · p.909 Steven Letcher Cooper · dau. p.912 Sarah (Sally A.) Cooper · companion Scott-Co. division K.64 · K.66.