Elmer Ellsworth Cooper 1861–1938
Catalog ID p.186 · Cite this page: njcoopers.com/p/186/
Elmer Ellsworth Cooper was probably born on 30 Aug 1861 in Frelinghuysen Twp, Warren Co., NJ, the child of Caleb Swayze Cooper and Amanda J. (Batley) Cooper. Elmer married twice: probably Florence E. Drake (1886) and Olivia Kishpaugh (1896). Elmer died on 12 Apr 1938 in Newton, Sussex County, NJ and was buried at Tranquility Cemetery, Tranquility, Sussex County, NJ. One child is recorded.
Facts
| Event | Date | Place / detail | Certainty | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| birth | 30 Aug 1861 | Frelinghuysen Twp, Warren Co., NJ | probable | L.93, F.148 |
| residence | 26 Jun 1870 | Township of Green, Sussex Co., New Jersey | certain | D.360 |
| residence | 4 Jun 1880 | Greene Township, Sussex Co., New Jersey | certain | D.361 |
| residence | 1885 | Green Twp, Sussex Co., NJ | certain | E.19 |
| residence | 1900 | Andover Twp. (village of Andover), Sussex Co., NJ - dwelling 245 / family 248, a rented farm | certain | D.821 |
| residence | 1915 | Green Twp, Sussex Co., New Jersey | certain | E.26 |
| residence | 12 Jan 1920 | Green Township, Sussex Co., New Jersey | certain | D.350 |
| residence | Apr 1930 | Newton Town, Sussex Co., New Jersey | certain | D.308 |
| death | 12 Apr 1938 | Newton, Sussex County, NJ | certain | L.93 |
| burial | Tranquility Cemetery, Tranquility, Sussex County, NJ | certain | L.93, G.152, G.173 |
Family
Parents
- Father Caleb Swayze Cooper 1834–1913
- Mother Amanda J. (Batley) Cooper 1838–1915
Spouses
- Florence E. (Drake) Cooper probablemarried 20 Feb 1886, Tranquility, Sussex Co., New Jersey
- Olivia (Kishpaugh) Cooper 1863married 1 Jan 1896, Andover, Sussex Co., New JerseyE.26, D.308, D.349, D.350
Siblings
- Malinda Arabella (Cooper) VanRiper 1859–1884
- Emma Louise (Cooper) Drake 1864–1944
- Amos Kennedy Cooper 1868–1940
- Watson Constant Cooper 1869–1936
- George Armstrong Cooper 1875–1945
Children
- Virginia F. (Cooper) Martin 1886–1969 N.37, D.349
Family tree
Solid lines and outlines: certain. Dashed: probable or weaker. Open the full tree (four generations)
In the documents
Every published document that names Elmer Ellsworth Cooper, in date order, with what that document itself records.
| Date | Document | Role | What it records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | D.360 federal census 1870 US Federal Census, Schedule 1 (inhabitants), Township of Green, Sussex County, New Jersey, page 18; enumerated 26 June 1870 by Joseph H[?]ice, Ass't Marsha… |
child as "—, Elsworth E" |
residence: 26 Jun 1870, Township of Green, Sussex Co., New Jersey |
| 4 Jun 1880 | D.361 federal census 1880 US Federal Census, Schedule 1 Inhabitants - Greene Township, Sussex County, New Jersey; S.D. 1, E.D. 177, page 4; enumerated 4 June 1880 by Hudson Roe. |
child as "Elmar E" |
residence: 4 Jun 1880, Greene Township, Sussex Co., New Jersey |
| 1884 | G.222 find a grave memorial Find a Grave memorial 14838415 - Malinda A. Cooper VanRiper, Tranquility Cemetery, Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey |
sibling as "Elmer E. Cooper" |
|
| 1885 | E.19 state census 1885 New Jersey state census, Green Township, Sussex Co., page 14 lines 24-30 and page 15 line 1 (dwelling 6, family 6) — FHL microfilm 888639 |
listed as "Elmer E. Cooper" |
residence: 1885, Green Twp, Sussex Co., NJ |
| 1913 | G.152 find a grave memorial Find a Grave memorial 14967123 - Caleb S. Cooper, Tranquility Cemetery, Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey |
child as "Elmer E. Cooper" |
|
| 17 Apr 1913 | J.392 obituary and death notice New Jersey Herald -- Supplement (Newton, N.J.), Thursday 17 April 1913, page 9, Andover Borough column (obituary) and DIED column; newspapers.com image 13524986… |
child as "Elmer E." |
|
| 14 Jun 1915 | E.26 census state nj 1915 1915 New Jersey state census, Township of Green, Sussex Co., sheet 2A, lines 44-46 (dwelling 30, family 32) and line 50 |
head as "Cooper Elmer E" |
birth: Aug 1861, New Jersey residence: 1915, Green Twp, Sussex Co., New Jersey occupation: 1915, Farmer |
| 1915 | G.223 find a grave memorial Find a Grave memorial 14967125 - Amanda J. Batley Cooper, Tranquility Cemetery, Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey |
child as "Elmer E. Cooper" |
|
| 25 Nov 1915 | J.415 obituary The New Jersey Herald (Newton, N.J.), Thursday 25 November 1915, page 5, "Obituary: Amanda J. Cooper" (Andover dateline); newspapers.com image 1352415982. |
child as "Elmer Cooper, of near Tranquility" |
|
| 12 Jan 1920 | D.350 federal census 1920 US Federal Census, Population - Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey; S.D. 6, E.D. 184, sheet 1B; enumerated 12 January 1920 by R. M. Dennis. |
head as "Cooper[?] Elmer E." |
residence: 12 Jan 1920, Green Township, Sussex Co., New Jersey |
| 1930-04 | D.308 federal census 1930 US Federal Census, Population Schedule - Newton Town (County Seat), Sussex County, New Jersey; S.D. 1, E.D. 69-19, sheet 4B; enumerated April 1930 by Maude… |
head as "Cooper Elmer E" |
residence: Apr 1930, Newton Town, Sussex Co., New Jersey |
6 further documents not published (they may name living people).
Still unknown, and where we have looked
Searches recorded
ancestry all 2026-10-14 · NJ Birth, Marriage and Death Records 1711-1878 (62483): Elmer Cooper, b. 1861 +/-2.
Searched for: NJ Birth, Marriage and Death Records 1711-1878 (62483): Elmer Cooper, b. 1861 +/-2.
Result: NULL for him - only an Elmer E Cooper b. 20 Dec 1864 in Burlington Co. (another family). No Green Twp return found for 1861.
familysearch records 2026-10-12 · Alfred Cooper, b. 1900-1902, any place Sussex, New Jersey (11,108; page 1) - to test whether the 1910 boarder / 1915 household member...
Searched for: Alfred Cooper, b. 1900-1902, any place Sussex, New Jersey (11,108; page 1) - to test whether the 1910 boarder / 1915 household member Alfred (b. May 1901) is his son.
Result: INDEX ONLY, NOT LINKED. (1) NJ state census 1905, Andover Twp, household 63 headed by Rosetta C Mains, 50 - 'Alfred L Cooper', 4, AND 'Alfred L Cooper', 27 (ark 1:1:KMHJ-GWK; relationships not shown in the index) - i.e. a boy of Alfred's age living with an adult Alfred L. Cooper (b. about 1878), not with Elmer. (2) U.S. Veterans Administration Master Index 1917-1940 - 'Alfred Allen Cooper', b. 7 May 1901, residence Andover NJ, d. 27 Jan 1920 (ark 1:1:QP8N-XTKQ). (3) The 1910 [D.349] and 1915 [E.26] rows already held. If these are one boy, he was probably the son of an Alfred L. Cooper rather than of Elmer, and he died at 18 - either way he does not continue a male line from Elmer. The catalog already carries both - the boy is Alfred L. Cooper Jr. Alfred L. Cooper Jr. (1900-1920), son of Alfred L. Cooper Alfred L. Cooper (1877-1905, killed on the Lackawanna line), whose mother Rosetta C. Mains is Rosetta C. (Sickles) Cooper; Alfred L. Cooper Jr. records the 1915 row in Elmer's household and the 1920 death. So the household Alfred is not Elmer's son.
ancestry all 2026-10-12 · Alfred Cooper, b. 1901 +/-1 New Jersey (5,946; page 1); collection 61252 (NJ Birth Index 1901-1929), Alfred Cooper, b. 1901 +/-1 (9).
Searched for: Alfred Cooper, b. 1901 +/-1 New Jersey (5,946; page 1); collection 61252 (NJ Birth Index 1901-1929), Alfred Cooper, b. 1901 +/-1 (9).
Result: Nothing for a Sussex Alfred born May 1901 (Alfred M Cooper of Englewood, b. 1/8 Jun 1901, mother Charlotte, is another family; one row '?? A Cooper', 1901, has no place or parents).
newspapers com 2026-10-04 · SIGNED IN. (a) "Elmer Cooper" OR "Elmer E. Cooper", New Jersey, 12 Apr - 31 May 1938 (0); (b) Cooper Tranquility, New Jersey, 12 Apr -...
Searched for: SIGNED IN. (a) "Elmer Cooper" OR "Elmer E. Cooper", New Jersey, 12 Apr - 31 May 1938 (0); (b) Cooper Tranquility, New Jersey, 12 Apr - 15 May 1938 (9).
Result: NULL: (a) no matches; (b) all 9 hits in Monmouth/Mercer/Camden/Middlesex/Passaic papers - no Sussex/Warren title. The New Jersey Herald may not be indexed for Apr 1938 - not checked.
findagrave 2026-10-04 · Not re-run; memorial already in [G.173].
Searched for: Not re-run; memorial already in [G.173].
Result: Not run.
familysearch tree 2026-10-04 · Not run this pass.
Searched for: Not run this pass.
Result: Not run.
ancestry all 2026-10-04 · Not run this pass.
Searched for: Not run this pass.
Result: Not run.
genealogybank 2026-10-04 · Not run this pass.
Searched for: Not run this pass.
Result: Not run.
familysearch records 2026-10-05 · Elmer Cooper, b. 1859-1863, any place New Jersey (14,638; first 16 read).
Searched for: Elmer Cooper, b. 1859-1863, any place New Jersey (14,638; first 16 read).
Result: FOUND: 1915 NJ state census [E.26]; NJ marriages (index only) 20 Feb 1886 Tranquility x Florence E. Drake and 1 Jan 1896 Andover x Olivia Kishpaugh; 1900 [D.286], 1910 [D.349], 1920 [D.350], 1930 [D.308] already held; 1870 [D.360] and 1880 [D.361] are his father's households, already held. Not him: 'Elmer E. Cooper' x Amelia Bechtold, Warren Co., 26 Nov 1891 (1:1:FZPM-WWT) - he married Olivia in 1896 and Florence in 1886; recorded so it is not re-found. NULL: probate (Sussex Co., 1938) and NJ death certificate 1938 not online.
ancestry all 2026-10-17 · HIS 1938 OBITUARY, via the 'U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current' row (coll. 61843 rec. 513780717) offered on his 1900...
Searched for: HIS 1938 OBITUARY, via the 'U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current' row (coll. 61843 rec. 513780717) offered on his 1900 census record's suggested-records panel - OPENED IN FULL the same day the todo was written.
Result: NOT HIM, AND RECORDED SO IT IS NOT RE-CHECKED. The row is 'Elmer Cooper', b. abt 1846, d. aged 92, of MARSHALL, CALHOUN CO., MICHIGAN, obituary in the Battle Creek Enquirer, 6 Oct 1938. Ours was born Aug 1861 in New Jersey and died 12 Apr 1938 at Newton, Sussex Co. The ONLY thing that matched was the death year, and the panel offered it anyway - a clean worked example of why CLAUDE.md grades suggested records as leads and not identifications. The collection itself carries the warning that its facts 'were found using artificial intelligence technology and may contain errors'. Its own suggested-records panel is entirely Michigan - Michigan death, birth, marriage and county marriage records, a Civil War soldier record, an 1890 veterans schedule - i.e. a consistent OTHER MAN, which is the quickest way to see that it is not ours.
newspapers com 2026-10-17 · SIGNED IN. (a) "Elmer E Cooper", 1938, region New Jersey - 0. (b) "Elmer Cooper", 1938, region New Jersey - 56 matches, location facet read.
Searched for: SIGNED IN. (a) "Elmer E Cooper", 1938, region New Jersey - 0. (b) "Elmer Cooper", 1938, region New Jersey - 56 matches, location facet read.
Result: NULL, BUT IT IS A COVERAGE QUESTION AND NOT A CLEAN NULL. All 56 of the 1938 New Jersey hits fall in Passaic (34), Bergen (5), Hudson (5), Monmouth (4) and Atlantic (2) - Paterson's Morning Call and News, Passaic's Herald-News. NOTHING from SUSSEX or WARREN county, which is where he lived and died. Whether newspapers.com HOLDS the New Jersey Herald (Newton) for 1938 at all was NOT established - the county and state browse URLs tried both returned 404, and per [[reference_internet_archive_fulltext_search]] a coverage gap and a name-null are different states. Until that is checked this is 'no Sussex paper searched', not 'no obituary'.
ancestry all 2026-10-06 · Ancestry 'U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007' (coll. 60901): Elmer Ellsworth Cooper, birth 1861 +/-1 (name...
Searched for: Ancestry 'U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007' (coll. 60901): Elmer Ellsworth Cooper, birth 1861 +/-1 (name search; up to 12 candidate records opened and filtered on given name and birth year).
Result: NULL - no record matching name and birth year among the candidates.
Documents
- F.148 NJ Birth Register — Warren Co. v.AJ Births 1848-1867 (Film 584585 / DGS 4210794 image 357) — Male child (likely Elmer Ellsworth Cooper [p.186]), b. 30 August 1861 Frelinghuysen Twp Warren Co. NJ, father Caleb S. Cooper [p.163], occupation Laborer. Primary-source upgrade of p.186's prior Ancestry-tree-tier birth-date attestation.
- G.152 Find a Grave memorial 14967123 - Caleb S. Cooper, Tranquility Cemetery, Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
- D.308 1930 US Federal Census, Population Schedule - Newton Town (County Seat), Sussex County, New Jersey; S.D. 1, E.D. 69-19, sheet 4B; enumerated April 1930 by Maude [?] L. Kishpaugh.
- D.349 1910 US Federal Census, Green Twp. (Tranquility), Sussex Co., NJ (ED 171, Sheet 9B) - the Caleb S. Cooper household (dw.111/115) + son Elmer E. Cooper household (dw.114/118) + boarder Alfred Cooper.
- D.821 1900 US Federal Census, Andover Twp. (Andover village), Sussex Co., NJ; Supervisor's Dist. 3, ED 161, sheet 10B, lines 51-55 (dwelling 245 / family 248) - the Elmer Cooper household, 5 persons; enumerated 25 June 1900 by Samuel S. Wills; NARA T623 roll 994.
- D.350 1920 US Federal Census, Population - Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey; S.D. 6, E.D. 184, sheet 1B; enumerated 12 January 1920 by R. M. Dennis.
- J.392 New Jersey Herald -- Supplement (Newton, N.J.), Thursday 17 April 1913, page 9, Andover Borough column (obituary) and DIED column; newspapers.com image 1352498607.
- E.19 1885 New Jersey state census, Green Township, Sussex Co., page 14 lines 24-30 and page 15 line 1 (dwelling 6, family 6) — FHL microfilm 888639
- E.26 1915 New Jersey state census, Township of Green, Sussex Co., sheet 2A, lines 44-46 (dwelling 30, family 32) and line 50
- D.360 1870 US Federal Census, Schedule 1 (inhabitants), Township of Green, Sussex County, New Jersey, page 18; enumerated 26 June 1870 by Joseph H[?]ice, Ass't Marshal; Post Office Newton
- D.361 1880 US Federal Census, Schedule 1 Inhabitants - Greene Township, Sussex County, New Jersey; S.D. 1, E.D. 177, page 4; enumerated 4 June 1880 by Hudson Roe.
- D.286 1900 US Federal Census, Green Twp., Sussex Co., NJ - the Caleb S. Cooper household (dwelling 52/52; Caleb 66 + Amanda 61 + extended family).
- G.222 Find a Grave memorial 14838415 - Malinda A. Cooper VanRiper, Tranquility Cemetery, Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
- G.223 Find a Grave memorial 14967125 - Amanda J. Batley Cooper, Tranquility Cemetery, Green Township, Sussex County, New Jersey