Getting to Know the Copeland Family Ancestors Better!

"The Spirit of the Lord is the spirit of love that may eventually overcome all human family estrangements as it builds bridges between the generations. It binds beloved grandparents, now deceased, with the grandchildren who never knew them by preserving and sharing their histories and keepsakes. A life not documented is a life that within a generation or two will largely be lost to memory. And yet, knowledge of our ancestors shapes us and instills us with values that give direction and meaning to our lives."
From:  http://mormon.org/family-history

George has been wanting to go to the Copeland Family Reunion every year since we've lived in Florida.  This family reunion for his Grandfather George Fleming Copeland, for whom George was named after, has been held on the April conference weekend since 1930, in honor of Grandfather Copeland's birthday which is April 2nd.  Things have just never worked out so that we were able to go, but this year, we set the recording on the t.v. for conference, and off we went to Waverly, Georgia, for a family adventure!

Grandfather George Fleming Copeland was born on April 2, 1857, in Camden County, Georgia.  He married his first wife, Kesiah Louvenia Beckham, and this became their family home.  They had three children all born in this little house, the first of whom died when he was only six months old.  When the third child was about six weeks old, Kesiah was home alone with the two children when  her dress caught on fire while she was cooking.  In desperation, she ran outside.  In the strong wind, she was unable to put the fire out.  When Grandfather George came home, he found her lying across the bed, and she died shortly after that.

The faithful grandparents came quickly to their aid.  One grandmother took the older child, Thomas Charles, who was about 17 months old, and the other grandmother took the baby, Martha Isabell, who was only a month old.  

When the time came that Grandfather George married again to another wonderful woman, Linne Lee Parker, the two children had a new mother, Linnie Lee Parker, who was the only mother they ever knew.  She was so good to them, and they loved her dearly.  She never treated them any differently than she did her own.   Into this home, the new mother and father added 12 more children--every one of the 15 total (the oldest child died at six months), were born and raised in this little home in the backwoods of Georgia.

What a thrill it is to see the little house today and imagine all of the adventures this family had living here.  I remember George's dad eating chicken.  When he would finish, all there would be was the cleanest chicken bones in the world piled neatly on his plate--not one thing left on them.  I remarked about this to him one time.  He said, "When you have lots of kids in a family and not any extra food, you learn to eat everything that is given to you and be grateful for it!"  A wonderful lesson for all of us today!

This is the old barn, which has been fixed up through the years.  One of the relatives said that they grew lots of corn and kept it in the barn.  This not only fed the animals, but also the family.  She remembers her grandmother making the best creamed corn in the world!

 This was a working farm--literally.  All 14 children learned to work very hard.  Although education was very important in their family, it wasn't always easy to attend school living out in the country where they did, plus so much to just keep a family's necessities.  I'm not sure how far each one went in school, but I do know that George's father only had a seventh grade education.  All of the children were very successful in their life's vocations which included:  farming, plumbing, radiator works, and upholstering.  Whatever they chose to do, not only were they hard workers, they were completely fair and honest with their fellowmen, and were so frugal with their money.  That's truly a life of success!

 

  One of Grandfather George's children wrote of how kind he was to his children, as well as his livestock.  One old goose out of a large flock took a special fancy to him.  If he ever sat down to rest outside the house, this old goose would leave the flock and stay close around his feet.  He couldn't walk down the road to visit a neighbor without the old goose following right at his heels.  He never understood why that old goose liked him so much, but it shows his kindness.  The children said the only discipline they remember from him was rapping the erring one with his old felt hat which he always wore.

The children remembered when their father would conduct a family hour before bed time.  There would be Bible reading and family prayer.  Every one old enough would be called on at times to say the prayer.  This became a very special time for the children.  When Grandfather George heard the Mormon missionaries speak, he knew what they were saying was the Word of God, and was soon walking many miles each time he knew they would be speaking.  He and his wife and many of the children were baptized into the church which brought them much happiness.  

 

 And so, getting back to today,  seeing the old homestead and visiting with many cousins was a joy for George and me.  The family reunion started with a short program, with Pete Copeland, a son of Abraham Lincoln Copeland greeting everyone.


 

 He turned the microphone over to Cynthia, who is the grand daughter of John Henry Copeland.  Cynthia has been working so hard, putting together pictures and stories and is now soliciting the efforts of the entire family to get more information and pictures so that an entire book can be put together.  I did this for my side of the family, and I know how much work it can be--but so rewarding to bind together the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to their fathers.



Her table display was absolutely fantastic!

 

So, here is the family tree that she had put together.  Grandpa George is at the bottom with Grandma Linnie Lee directly above him.  No picture was ever taken (that we know of) of the first wife who died when she was only 21 years old.  The branch to the right at the bottom are the two living children that she had.  No picture was ever taken of the son who died at six months.  The 12 pictures around Grandma Linnie Lee are the 12 children she bore.  Grandpa James Needham (Jim, who is George's dad) is straight up at the highest point from Grandma Linnie Lee.

A few changes needed to be made (Grandpa George's birth date is 2 April 1857, and the youngest son's name is Woodrow Elbern), but here are the 12 children along with their names, birth dates, and death dates.  Notice the unique names.  

She had, also, found pictures of the family through the years.  It is amazing that all 14 lived to adulthood.  The only child that died was the first son of the first wife. 

Here are the pictures close up so you can see them better.  This was taken in 1913.  Don't you think Grandpa James Needham (2nd from right) looks so much like Craig and Cassie's little boy, Riley?  Grandpa Jim was about 8 years old at the time.

Again, in 1932, all of the 14 children were still alive.  Grandpa Jim is 3rd from the right.

 Not sure when this was taken.

Taken in 1957 in the exact spot where we are standing today.  This was always a big occasion for the kids to come back together.  Eleven children are in this picture together.  Grandpa Jim is again 3rd from right.

You can't get together with the Copeland family without having some good Southern food.  The family built this at the homestead just for these get togethers.

So many wonderful relatives who we haven't seen for so long.  This is George's cousin, William O. Copeland and his wife, Mildred.  He is now 95 years old and is the oldest living son of Thomas Charles, whose mother was Grandpa George's first wife.

All such lovely people.   This is a daughter and son of Abraham Lincoln Copeland (known as Abie).  They are brother and sister.  Their family has stayed in this area all through the years, and now their families own this property where everyone can meet and see the old homestead.  I'll try to tell some more interesting facts I learned about some of them.

I remember when the two middle people got married, Carolyn and James.  They were married three years after George and I were married.  The reason it was a big deal?  The woman is a niece of Grandma Ruby (George's mother), and the guy is a nephew of Grandpa Jim (George's dad).  So a Copeland married an Adams.  Pretty great, huh?!  The woman on the left, Mary, is a sister of James's.  

Theodore Fleming Copeland or Ted, as everyone knows him and his wife.  He is the only child of Lawrence Courtland Copeland (the 10th child of Grandpa George).  Lawrence was the only son who died at an early age--only 30 years old.   It's too bad he never got to see his son, Ted,  become a star basketball player for The Florida Gators.  Even though he is nearly 80 and has had a hip replacement, he still works out at the gym practically daily and plays for a senior basketball league which has competed and traveled the country.  

George and me with his cousins Cynthia and Bart (who are brother and sister).  Their grandpa was John Henry Copeland.

Another sister of Bart and Cynthia's is on the far left--Carolyn, along with two other cousins, Vernon and Pete, sons of Abraham (Abie) Copeland.

George giving everyone hugs good-bye with a promise that if we are still living in Florida, we'll come back next year.

Going to the car, we took one last look at the old homestead, and almost didn't notice what we nearly stepped on.

Yes, he wanted to get away from us as badly as we wanted to get away from him.  He is only a gopher snake, so George says he's not dangerous, but I don't care to find out!

Just as I quoted from the first of this blog, the histories and keepsakes of a family must be written down, because all too soon they will be lost and forgotten.  Believe me, this adventure really piqued my interest in getting more information on the Copeland side of the family.   Since this is the year of my retirement, I plan on doing just that very soon!