"Robert" Edward Lee Cooper

"Robert" Edward Lee Cooper was born in Mecklenburg County Virginia on October 10, 1867.  Sometime between 1867 and 1870 Edward Lee was fostered/adopted by William Cooper and Betty Moss.  

According to Nana Cooper, the youngest daughter of Edward Lee Cooper, he was not the biological son of William Cooper, but really the son of a brother of Robert Edward Lee, the notable general of the Civil War.  She did not indicate who his biological mother was.  In the process he dropped "Robert" from and added "Cooper" to his name.

Based on the US Census conducted on July 18, 1870 in Mecklenburg County Virginia, William Cooper (35) was living and working as a wagoner in Boydton township.  The household included Betty Moss (23), Edward (4), Ann E (1).  (It is not clear what happened to Ann E.)

By 1880 William Cooper and Bettie Moss had married and moved from Virginia to Ohio.  On June 19, 1880 William Cooper (40) was living and working as a farm laborer in Twin township of Ross County Ohio.  The household included Betty Cooper (30), Edward (12), Estie M (2) and Margaret Moss (40).  (While listed as a servant, Margaret was quite possibly Betty’s cousin.)

"Robert" Edward Lee Cooper married Mary B Dinkins in 1890.   According to the US Census conducted June 19, 1900 Edward Cooper (30) was a farm laborer living in Twin, Ross County Ohio with his wife Mary (26) and their sons Arthur Lee (4) and Floyd Matthew (7/12). Mary had given birth to four children, but only two were surviving. They had lost two daughters:  Ruthie Mary and Ada Mariah.  They both indicated their parents had been born in what was then West Virginia.  They lived next door to the Carpenters, George and Matilda; George was a minister who was believed to influence Edward's pursuit of the ministry.

About 1903 Mary died after the birth of their fifth child Earl who also died.

On April 10, 1904 Edward Lee Cooper, a farmer, married Ella Mae Young in Ross County Ohio.  He was a widower with two sons.

On October 15, 1905 Emma Lee Cooper was the first child born to Edward Lee Cooper and Ella Mae Young in (Roxabel) Twin, Ohio.  Emma carried on the name of "Lee".  

Ella Mae Young & Edward Lee Coooper

On May 11, 1910 Edward Lee Cooper and Ella Mae Young lived on Greenfield Pike in Twin, Ross County Ohio.  They had five children living with them.  He had become a Baptist preacher. 

According to Nana Cooper, Edward Lee Cooper studied the ministry under the supervision of Rev. George Carpenter and later became an assistant minister at the First Baptist Church on 4th Street in Chillicothe.  (The family had moved to 33 W. 7th Street in Chilicothe.)  Ella was quite active in the church; she was a member of the Ladies Aid and enjoyed entertaining them.

On January 21, 1920 Edward Lee Cooper and Ella Mae Young lived with seven of their children on Sulpher Lick Road, Union, Ohio.   They had five daughters and three sons (George Robert, William Edward, and James Arnold) together. 

The Cooper Sisters: 

back:  Emma Lee, Anna Elizabeth, Mable Alve

front:  Nina Louise, Esther Mae

On July 20, 1930 Edward Lee Cooper’s wife, Ella Mae Young, died.

According to Nana Cooper, Ella died suddenly at the age of 46 after a brief illness.  She died in the hospital having received very poor care from the hospital attendants after an operation.  She was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Sometime after 1930 Edward Lee Cooper married Adeline Nuby.  By 1950 Edward who was elderly (83), ill and needed constant care.  Adeline just left him with his oldest daughter Emily.  On September 16, 1951 Edward Lee Cooper died in Chillicothe, Ohio.  He was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery.