Mount Mora Cemetery - Saint Joseph, Missouri

� 2008, Mount Mora Burial Records

Record Last Updated On: 4/9/2014
Name: ABNER COPELAND
Death Date: AUG/07/1902	Interment Date: AUG/10/1902		Birth Date: AUG/27/1818
Age at Death: 83y11m10d	Cause of Death: HEART LESION
Location at Death:
Physical Location at Death:
Sex: M	Nativity: AMERICAN		Ethnicity:
Occupation:
Military Branch:	Military Rank:	War Service:
Other Special Distinctions/Memberships:
Child of:
Spouse of:
Mother of:
Father of:
Other Known Relatives:
Brief Biography: ABNER COPELAND. The old saying that industry brings reward as surely as doesvirtue is proved in the life of the gentleman whose name opens this sketch. He began at the bottom of the ladder of fortune, but now is regarded as one of the financial pillars of St. Joseph. Besides being the proprietor of nine hundred and thirty-six acres of valuable land, six hundred and forty of which is a rich Minnesota soil, he is a prominent stockholder and director in the Saxton National Bank, and holds the same position in the Park Bank. The father of our subject, John Copeland, was born in North Carolina, whither his father, the grandfather of Abner, located before the Revolutionary War, in which struggle he took part, together with four of his brothers. Our subject's mother, Zana (Lasater) Copeland, was also born in the above-named state, where she was married to John Copeland in 1828. Soon after that event the young couple made their home in Wilson and Rutherford counties, Tenn., respectively, until 1840, when they came to Missouri, locating in Ray County. Remaining there but a few months, however, they moved to the claim near Sparta, Mo., owned by our subject, where they spent the closing years of their lives, the mother dying in 1849 and the father in 1873. They were both consistent members of the Baptist Church, the latter being one hundred years old when submitting to the ordinance of baptism. Of the parental family of ten children two sons and two daughters are living, viz.: Mrs. Cynthia Jones, Mrs. Fannie Patterson, our subject and Lasater. The father of our subject was a strong Democrat in politics and believed that all who opposed that party were descendants of the Tories. He lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and five years, and at the time of his death possessed all his faculties unimpaired, having been confined to his bed but three days previous to his decease. Abner Copeland, of this sketch, was born August 27, 1818, in Chatham County, N. C. There he was reared on a farm, being permitted to attend school only six or eight months. At the early age of eleven years his father bound him out and he was thus obliged to work for others until reaching his majority. Then coming on horseback to this state, he landed at Camden, Ray County, December 1, 1839, and locating a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in Center Township, he began the work of its improvement, erecting a log shanty thereon and making it his home until 1849. In 1849 Miss May, the daughter of Col. Thomas Wright, and our subject were united in marriage. Mr. Wright was a native of Surry County, N. C. which he served in the capacity of Sheriff for many years, and where he was also a prominent merchant Mrs. Copeland was born in 1828 in North Carolina, and received an excellent education at Saleni, in her native state. Of her union with our subject one child was born, who is now deceased. Mrs. Copeland passed away November 1, 1890, greatly mourned by a large circle of friends. He of whom we write, soon after his marriage, located upon Section 35, Washington Township, which had been the property of his father-in-law, and where he continued to reside until 1886. In the above year he moved to St. Joseph, where he has eight acres of beautiful land upon which he has erected a handsome brick residence costing $3,400. February 29, 1892, Mr. Copeland was married to Miss Bethinia, the daughter of Judge Henry M. Voorhees. He was a native of Kentucky and was very prominent in public affairs, haying been Judge of the Supreme Court and at one time candidate for Congress. Mrs. Copeland was born May 13, 1846, at Sparta, Buchanan County, this state, and was given an excellent education in St. Joseph, where she attended a private school. She is a very proficient performer on the piano, and for three years taught in the St. Joseph public schools. Both Mr. and Mrs. Copeland are members of the Wyeth Park Baptist Church. In 1871 our subject aided in the organization of the Missionary Baptist Church, in Center Township, of which congregation he was Deacon for many years. He has always taken an active part in Sunday-school work, and in many ways has aided the religious development of this locality. Socially, Mr. Copeland is a demitted member of the Masonic fraternity and at one time was a Granger. He takes great interest in politics and has always voted for Democratic candidates. As before stated, he is the possessor of nearly a thousand acres of land, all of which has been accumulated by his own thrift and good management. It goes without saying that he possesses splendid business ability, which is shown by his wise investments and marked advancement, and as such we are pleased to place his sketch among those of the prominent men of Buchanan and Clinton counties. (Source: Portrait and Biographical Record of Buchanan and Clinton Counties, Missouri. Publ. 1893.)
Epithet:

Tombstone Material: N/A	Tombstone Shape: N/A		Tombstone Condition: N/A
Vault Type:	Burial Number: 4916
Mausoleum:	Ashes:
Other Relatives in Plot:
Lot Owner: A.COPELAN
Lot Location: 3
Block Location: 22
Section/Range Location: B
GPS Coordinates:
Funeral Home:
Funeral Home City/State:
Cost of Interment: $6.00		Date Paid: 10/29/02

Photo(s):


Photo(s) of Tombstone:


Other Photo(s):
None