James W Cooper was born in Kentucky or Indiana, probably circa 1825; but it’s hard to know exactly where or when:
°1850 census, in Green Co, Hancock Co IN: JW, (listed as William) is found with parents, Vincent (b. VA ca 1803-d —?—) and Amani* MABRY* COOPER. The first child, listed as “William” 25, b. KY, is the only James, James W, William, W J, or William J COOPER (b. ca 1827 ±2 years) in Green Twp and/OR Hancock Co’s 1850 census. William’s listing shows 25 yrs old [b. ca 1825 KY.] Next younger sibling is shown as b. IN. So it depends on when Vincent and family migrated KY—>IN.
°1860 census, in Green Co, Hancock Co IN with wife Jemima and 3 children: James W’s listed as 35 years old [ie., born ca. 1825 IN].
°In 1863 he registered for the Draft in Congressional District 6, which included Hancock Co, IN. His listing says “38” years old in a column headed “Age on 1 Jul 1863”; ie., born between 2 Jul 1824 and 1 Jul 1825, and lists Indiana as birthplace.
°His tombstone gives a supposed age (at his death on 16 Jul 1869) as “40 yrs, 17 days” (ca.30 Jun 1829); and the descendant’s application for DUV membership gives JWC’s birth-date as 29 Jul 1828.
Until definitive date and state are found, the reader has the choice of all five options. There seems no doubt, though, that this JWC – of all five records – is THE Private James W Cooper who was drafted into Co D, 9th IN Infantry.
On 15 Sep 1850, James was married to Jemima Cass (b. 4 Jan 1829; d 14 Jun 1887.) James and Jemima had at least six children, the second of whom: James M (b. 4 Jul 1857), is the line from whom descends the member of Laura Belle Stoddard, Tent 22, Daughter of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865.
James died on 16 Jul 1869 and is buried in Eden Cemetery, Green Twp, Hancock Co, Indiana, as is his wife Jemima Cass Cooper.
[Sources: all sources accessed Jan 2015:
Application for Membership in Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865.
Family recollections.
United States Federal Censuses: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880.
<http://interactive.ancestry.com/1666/32178_620305173_0031-00144/1703825?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return> 1863 Draft Registration record. <http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5059> Indiana Marriage Collection 1800-1941
<http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4654> Civil War Pension Index.
James was drafted as a Private into Company D, 9th Indiana Infantry Regiment on 24 Feb 1865 and mustered out on 4 Sep 1865.
Organizational Overview of the 9th IN Inf Reg’t during James W Cooper’s time with the Reg’t:
Posted with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, from October 1863 to June 1865; with the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 4th Army Corps, to August 1865; and with the Dept of Texas to September 1865.
The regiment’s service — during James W Cooper’s time with the 9th:
After 28 Dec 1864 the 9th IN Regiment moved [from Tennessee River] to Huntsville, AL, and duty there until March 1865. Operations in East Tennessee March 15-April 22. Duty at Nashville till June 1865. Ordered to New Orleans, La., June 16; then to Indianola, Tex., July 7. Duty at San Antonio and at New Braunfels until September. The regiment was mustered out September 28, 1865.
During the regiment’s entire service, it lost 11 Officers and 120 Enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 220 Enlisted men by disease. Total 353.
An undated letter from an unidentified soldier of Co. K, 9th IN Infantry was sold online in 2007. The auctioneers posted an image and transcription: ”I received orders early in the morning to cook three days rations and prepare for marching There is considerable sickness in the army here. But no more or hardly as much as would naturally be expected. I am sitting under a little bower that McNeal, Himman and I have fixed up for our special comfort and can see the burying ground that is used by several Regiments, and I can see the boys now digging two graves, and I guess there average one burial a day. It is a solemn right to witness, a burial in the army. The burying ground is only a few rods from our camp and we can see or hear every one. The first that we hear is slow and plaintive tones of the martial bands then the slow and measured tread of a long line of soldiers and next we can see them winding their way through the woods. (it is all woody here) bearing the brave and honored child of Liberty and lover of his Country to his endless home, with the good Old Flag wrapped about him and then after he is laid to rest, the prayer has been made, the guard fired their farewell shot, we return to our duties and leave him with the honored dead.”
The 9th Indiana Infantry, during its entire service, was engaged at Camp Alleghany, Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Stone’s River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Franklin and Nashville.
[Military Sources: all sources accessed Jan 2015:
<http://interactive.ancestry.com/1666/32178_620305173_0031-00144/1703825?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return> 1863 Draft Registration record.
<http://www.civilwarindex.com/armyin/soldiers/9th_in_infantry_reorg_soldiers.pdf> page 138.
<https://archive.org/stream/historyofhancock00richrich/historyofhancock00richrich_djvu.txt> pg 262
< http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm>
<http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4146259> letter from unidentified Co K, 9th IN Inf Reg’t.