Born: 1754 Londonderry, Ireland
Died: June 1822, Vienna, Illinois
Buried: Hook Alfred Farm Cemetery, Vienna, Johnson County, IL
Parents:
Father: David Copeland
Mother: Deborah Van Buskink
Wife: Jane Gamble Married 1774
Parents: Unk
Children:
SOURCES
Census Records:
Land Records:
Died: June 1822, Vienna, Illinois
Buried: Hook Alfred Farm Cemetery, Vienna, Johnson County, IL
Parents:
Father: David Copeland
Mother: Deborah Van Buskink
Wife: Jane Gamble Married 1774
Parents: Unk
Children:
- John C Copeland (1775-1853)
- Sarah (Sally) Copeland (1787-1849)
- Elizabeth Copeland
- Jane Copeland
- Martha Copeland
- Samuel Copeland
SOURCES
Census Records:
- 1820 Vienna, Johnson County, Illinois, Page 3 of 3
- Head: William Copeland
- M Over 45: 1
- F 10 Under 16: 1
- F 26 Under 45: 1
- Head: William Copeland
Land Records:
- Land Office Military Warrant No 1696
Military Record:
Miscellaneous Record:
William enlisted in the American Revolution on 23 Nov. 1776 and served until 9 Dec. 1779. He received Revolutionary land warrant #1696 for 200 acres of land in Ohio on 10 Aug. 1783. (also shown in 'VA Military Land Warrants, VA Military District of Ohio, granted for teh Revolutionary War; State Continental Line soldiers beginning Aug. 8, 1782'). He and his family moved from Loudoun Co. Virginia to Ohio, but realized that they could not hold their slaves in that state. They soon left for Tennessee where they lived for several years in Montgomery Co. They then went to Johnson Co., IL in 1816. The belief at that time was that Illinois would be a slave state. The journey to Illinois was made in wagons, and with the Copelands came their six slaves, a man and wife with their four children.
A petition signed for the State of Franklin (Washington Co., TN) in 1787 shows a William Copeland. It has NOT been determined whether this is our William. It could be, as he is in the right place at the right time to have migrated through Grainger, to Sumner, to Montgomery Co., TN.
On 29 Oct. 1800, afer William Copeland arrived in Montgomery Co., TN, he purchased 360 acres of land on the south side of the Cumberland River . . . on the west fork of Lick Creek (Budd's Creek) from Joseph Ake of Sumner Co.. The 1801 tax list for the county shows William paying taxes on this land. On 19 September of 1806 William transferred 306 acres of this purchase to his son, Samuel; described as south side Cumberland River, west fork of Lick Creek, SW corner of 25000 acres land granted by State of NC to John Campbell/to James Ross/to Joseph Ake on 11 Nov. 1797/to William Copeland 29 Oct. 1800; mentions Epps Broom's Corner, Thomas Dogal's lower corner. His son-in-law, Robert Little, was a witness to the transaction along with his son, John Copeland. On 5 January 1807, he sold the remaining 54 acres to Macajah Baggett. On 19 October 1813 Samuel, then of 'Christian Co., KY', transferred 77 acres back to his father, William. Three years later on the first of NOvember 1816, William sold this 77 acres to Ananias Boatwright, probably in anticipation of the move to Illinois. In January of 1807 Samuel had acquired 2 acres of land from the heirs of William Cobb. On 9 March 1816, Samuel sold the remaining land which he had received from his father and these two acres to Robert Baker.
In the fall of 1816, when the Copelands arrived in Johnson Co., IL, it had not yet been admitted into the Union of States. Since they believed Illinois would be a slave state and having been brought up in old Virginia, they were deeply imbued with the belief that slavery was perfectly right. Consequently, after becoming a resident of Illinois, John (William's son) was one of the most active advocates of slavery in the state. He was nominated to the Constitutional Convention, but was defeated by a few votes.
Upon William's arrival in Illinois, he located on Government land in the midst of the wilderness. At that time there were no schools, churches, or even mills in that part of the country; and indeed only now and then at long distances apart, could be found the humble cabins of farmers. In order to grind their corn, they used the old stump method -- the end of a log being burned out to make a sort of mortar, using a pestle on a springpole to pound out the meal by hand. The Indians were still very numerous in this portion of the State, not having yet departed for their western reservation. Wolves, panthers and bears, as well as deer, turkeys and small game, roamed the country at will, adding to its desolation and wildness. William and John were in favor of education and helped to build one of the first log schoolhouses in the neighborhood, which was carried under the subscription plan and for some time was taught by John Copeland. During the first years in Illinois, John was probably the head of the Copeland family because William, at the time they moved from Tennessee, was about 61 years old. Apparently his wife died and was buried in TN.
William's Revolutionary War record is as follows: At first he was a private, but in Dec. 1776, he was promoted to Corporal. He served under the following commanders: Capt. William Smith, Col. Daniel Morgan, Maj. Thomas Snead, Capt. William Blackwell, Capt. Charles Porterfield, Lt. Col. John Cropper and John Marshall's Company. Some of the places these companies camped were: Middlebrook, NJ, (3-4-1779), Ramabough, Camp Smith's Clove (June 1779), Morristown, NJ (Nov. 1778), White Plains, NY (July 1778), Monmouth, NJ (June 1778) and Valley Forge, PA (that terrible winter of 1777-78). He was discharged at Camp Morristown on Dec. 9, 1779. IN the 7th Virginia Regiment, William was in Company #5 (Morgan's Riflemen). This company was discharged May 21, 1777. Porterfield's Company, 7th Virginia Infantry and served in the 7th, 11th and 15th (Morgan's) Virginia Regiments, Continental Line. William and James Copeland went through most of the Revolutionary War together. They were at most of the same camps and battles at the same time. Their brother, John, was also at most of these.
The following is taken from family history shown in W.P.A. records of Loudoun Co., VA. There are no military records to support some of this story. 'William and his brothers, James and John, served in the southern campaign of the Revolutionary War under Gen. Daniel Morgan. He was at the battle of Cowpens, South Carolina on Jan. 17, 1781 in which Gen. Morgan gained a signal victory over the notorious Col. Sir Banastre Tarleton. It was in this battle that William encountered in single combat a British soldier who was his superior in bayonet tactics, whereupon William 'clubbed his gun and knocked out the brains of the red-coated Briton.'
From the 'Military Land Book', Richmond, VA: 'Council Chamber Aug. 30, 1783 -- No. 1696. I do certify that William Copeland is entitled to the proportion of land allowed a Corporal of the Continental Line for three years' service. -- Signed -- Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Merriwether.' His discharge papers read: 'William Copland, Corporal in the 7th Virginia Regiment in the service of the Unites States of America, having served the full service of the said Regiment. Given under my hand at Camp in the State of New York this 20th day of November 1779. Signed -- James Wood, Col., Commandant 7th VA Brigade -- The term for which the said Copland enlisted and served was three years. Signed -- Isaiah Marks, Capt.'
Since William died before a law was passed giving Revolutionary War Veterans a pension, he did not receive the normal $50.00 per annum. His brother, James, did receive the payment from March 4, 1831 until his death in 1838.
William Copeland died in June, 1822. A court record in Johnson Co., IL says: 'At a probate court holden for the County of Johnson on the third Monday in the month of June, 1822, before James Finney, Judge of said court, John Copeland, administrator of the estate of William Copeland, deceased came into court and presented his accounts with said estate and the following sums were allowed against the said estate: to-wit: for money paid judge of probate for letters of administration and settling said estate, $7.50; to money to Calib E. Isum for a coffin, $6.00; for crying sale, $5.50; money paid Janes Lisenby, 50 cents; money paid Irving Morris, Sheriff, 60 cents; money expended to go to Tennessee twice on business for estate, $34.58; for administrators percentage for collecting, $19.24; Thomas Douglas' account, $3.63-1/2; whole amount of the estate, $192.54-3/4, credits, $74.54-3/4 and $18.89-1/4. It appeared to the court that there remained in the hands of the said John Copeland, administrator as aforesaid, a sum of $118.59 of said estate which he is ordered to pay over to the heirs of the said William Copeland, deceased, in equal ratio. It appearing that there were six in number; to-wit: Betsy Dial, John Copeland, Martha Dial, Samuel Copeland, Sally Little and Jane Hobbs to each of the above named legatees, the amount being $19.81-1/2.'" From <https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/5671996/person/6025269609/media/d582e1b3-1be5-43cd-9345-98c42a12d883?destTreeId=28752191&destPersonId=12090045841&_phsrc=ZPk1699&_phstart=default>
- "William Copeland was a private in the Revolutionary War. December 1776 he was promoted to Corporal. He served under the following commanders: Capt. William Smith, Col. Daniel Morgan, Maj. Thomas Snead, Capt. William Blackwell, Capt. Charles Porterfield, Lt. .Col. John Cropper and John Marshall's Company. Some of the places these companies camped were: Middlebrook, NJ (March 1779), Ramabough, Camp Smith's Clove (June 1779), Morristown, NJ (November 1779), Haverstraw (October 1779), Pompton Plains, NY, (November 1778), White Plains, NY (July 1778), Monmouth, NJ (June 1778) and Valley Forge, PA (that terrible winter of 1777-78). He was discharged May 21, 1777. On November 30, 1778, he was a Corporal in Capt. Charles Porterfields Company, 7th. Virginia Infantry and served in the 7th. 11th. And 15th. (Morgan's) Virginia Regiments, Continental Line. From the "Military Land Book", Richmond VA; "Council Chamber, August 30, 1783 - No. 1696. I do certify That William Copeland is entitled to the proportion of land allowed a Corporal of the Continental Line for three years' service. -Signed - Benjamin harrison, Thomas Merriwether." his discharge papers read; "William Copeland, Corporal in the 7th. Virginia Regiment in the service of the United States of America, having served the full term of his enlistment, is now discharged from any further service in said Regiment. Given under my hand at Camp in the United States of New York this 20th. Day of November 1779. Signed - James Wood, Col., Commandment 7th VA Brigarde - The term for which the said Copeland enlisted and served was three years. Signed - Isaiah Marks, Capt" William Copeland died in June 1822 in Johnson County, Illinois."
Miscellaneous Record:
- From "Some Copeland and Little Families"' by A. Lucille Harney and Fairline Bigley
William enlisted in the American Revolution on 23 Nov. 1776 and served until 9 Dec. 1779. He received Revolutionary land warrant #1696 for 200 acres of land in Ohio on 10 Aug. 1783. (also shown in 'VA Military Land Warrants, VA Military District of Ohio, granted for teh Revolutionary War; State Continental Line soldiers beginning Aug. 8, 1782'). He and his family moved from Loudoun Co. Virginia to Ohio, but realized that they could not hold their slaves in that state. They soon left for Tennessee where they lived for several years in Montgomery Co. They then went to Johnson Co., IL in 1816. The belief at that time was that Illinois would be a slave state. The journey to Illinois was made in wagons, and with the Copelands came their six slaves, a man and wife with their four children.
A petition signed for the State of Franklin (Washington Co., TN) in 1787 shows a William Copeland. It has NOT been determined whether this is our William. It could be, as he is in the right place at the right time to have migrated through Grainger, to Sumner, to Montgomery Co., TN.
On 29 Oct. 1800, afer William Copeland arrived in Montgomery Co., TN, he purchased 360 acres of land on the south side of the Cumberland River . . . on the west fork of Lick Creek (Budd's Creek) from Joseph Ake of Sumner Co.. The 1801 tax list for the county shows William paying taxes on this land. On 19 September of 1806 William transferred 306 acres of this purchase to his son, Samuel; described as south side Cumberland River, west fork of Lick Creek, SW corner of 25000 acres land granted by State of NC to John Campbell/to James Ross/to Joseph Ake on 11 Nov. 1797/to William Copeland 29 Oct. 1800; mentions Epps Broom's Corner, Thomas Dogal's lower corner. His son-in-law, Robert Little, was a witness to the transaction along with his son, John Copeland. On 5 January 1807, he sold the remaining 54 acres to Macajah Baggett. On 19 October 1813 Samuel, then of 'Christian Co., KY', transferred 77 acres back to his father, William. Three years later on the first of NOvember 1816, William sold this 77 acres to Ananias Boatwright, probably in anticipation of the move to Illinois. In January of 1807 Samuel had acquired 2 acres of land from the heirs of William Cobb. On 9 March 1816, Samuel sold the remaining land which he had received from his father and these two acres to Robert Baker.
In the fall of 1816, when the Copelands arrived in Johnson Co., IL, it had not yet been admitted into the Union of States. Since they believed Illinois would be a slave state and having been brought up in old Virginia, they were deeply imbued with the belief that slavery was perfectly right. Consequently, after becoming a resident of Illinois, John (William's son) was one of the most active advocates of slavery in the state. He was nominated to the Constitutional Convention, but was defeated by a few votes.
Upon William's arrival in Illinois, he located on Government land in the midst of the wilderness. At that time there were no schools, churches, or even mills in that part of the country; and indeed only now and then at long distances apart, could be found the humble cabins of farmers. In order to grind their corn, they used the old stump method -- the end of a log being burned out to make a sort of mortar, using a pestle on a springpole to pound out the meal by hand. The Indians were still very numerous in this portion of the State, not having yet departed for their western reservation. Wolves, panthers and bears, as well as deer, turkeys and small game, roamed the country at will, adding to its desolation and wildness. William and John were in favor of education and helped to build one of the first log schoolhouses in the neighborhood, which was carried under the subscription plan and for some time was taught by John Copeland. During the first years in Illinois, John was probably the head of the Copeland family because William, at the time they moved from Tennessee, was about 61 years old. Apparently his wife died and was buried in TN.
William's Revolutionary War record is as follows: At first he was a private, but in Dec. 1776, he was promoted to Corporal. He served under the following commanders: Capt. William Smith, Col. Daniel Morgan, Maj. Thomas Snead, Capt. William Blackwell, Capt. Charles Porterfield, Lt. Col. John Cropper and John Marshall's Company. Some of the places these companies camped were: Middlebrook, NJ, (3-4-1779), Ramabough, Camp Smith's Clove (June 1779), Morristown, NJ (Nov. 1778), White Plains, NY (July 1778), Monmouth, NJ (June 1778) and Valley Forge, PA (that terrible winter of 1777-78). He was discharged at Camp Morristown on Dec. 9, 1779. IN the 7th Virginia Regiment, William was in Company #5 (Morgan's Riflemen). This company was discharged May 21, 1777. Porterfield's Company, 7th Virginia Infantry and served in the 7th, 11th and 15th (Morgan's) Virginia Regiments, Continental Line. William and James Copeland went through most of the Revolutionary War together. They were at most of the same camps and battles at the same time. Their brother, John, was also at most of these.
The following is taken from family history shown in W.P.A. records of Loudoun Co., VA. There are no military records to support some of this story. 'William and his brothers, James and John, served in the southern campaign of the Revolutionary War under Gen. Daniel Morgan. He was at the battle of Cowpens, South Carolina on Jan. 17, 1781 in which Gen. Morgan gained a signal victory over the notorious Col. Sir Banastre Tarleton. It was in this battle that William encountered in single combat a British soldier who was his superior in bayonet tactics, whereupon William 'clubbed his gun and knocked out the brains of the red-coated Briton.'
From the 'Military Land Book', Richmond, VA: 'Council Chamber Aug. 30, 1783 -- No. 1696. I do certify that William Copeland is entitled to the proportion of land allowed a Corporal of the Continental Line for three years' service. -- Signed -- Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Merriwether.' His discharge papers read: 'William Copland, Corporal in the 7th Virginia Regiment in the service of the Unites States of America, having served the full service of the said Regiment. Given under my hand at Camp in the State of New York this 20th day of November 1779. Signed -- James Wood, Col., Commandant 7th VA Brigade -- The term for which the said Copland enlisted and served was three years. Signed -- Isaiah Marks, Capt.'
Since William died before a law was passed giving Revolutionary War Veterans a pension, he did not receive the normal $50.00 per annum. His brother, James, did receive the payment from March 4, 1831 until his death in 1838.
William Copeland died in June, 1822. A court record in Johnson Co., IL says: 'At a probate court holden for the County of Johnson on the third Monday in the month of June, 1822, before James Finney, Judge of said court, John Copeland, administrator of the estate of William Copeland, deceased came into court and presented his accounts with said estate and the following sums were allowed against the said estate: to-wit: for money paid judge of probate for letters of administration and settling said estate, $7.50; to money to Calib E. Isum for a coffin, $6.00; for crying sale, $5.50; money paid Janes Lisenby, 50 cents; money paid Irving Morris, Sheriff, 60 cents; money expended to go to Tennessee twice on business for estate, $34.58; for administrators percentage for collecting, $19.24; Thomas Douglas' account, $3.63-1/2; whole amount of the estate, $192.54-3/4, credits, $74.54-3/4 and $18.89-1/4. It appeared to the court that there remained in the hands of the said John Copeland, administrator as aforesaid, a sum of $118.59 of said estate which he is ordered to pay over to the heirs of the said William Copeland, deceased, in equal ratio. It appearing that there were six in number; to-wit: Betsy Dial, John Copeland, Martha Dial, Samuel Copeland, Sally Little and Jane Hobbs to each of the above named legatees, the amount being $19.81-1/2.'" From <https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/5671996/person/6025269609/media/d582e1b3-1be5-43cd-9345-98c42a12d883?destTreeId=28752191&destPersonId=12090045841&_phsrc=ZPk1699&_phstart=default>