This is all I have about the Dill family Bible. The gentleman from whom I got the info may have more details. The "uncle William" who raised James is my direct ancestor. JAMES COPELAND was born in 1742 in Virginia and was the last son born to NICHOLAS COPELAND and wife NANCY LOTT. He was born in the year of his father's death. His father was a surveyor and was killed before providing his survey to the court in regards to a legal battle over some contested land. It was at this time that the Copelands and children appear in North Carolina. Young James was raised by his uncle William Copeland and wife Margery who was the sister of Nancy Lott. James Copeland married Lydia Dill who was the daughter of Peter Dill of Rowan County, North Carolina. William Copeland lived on Second Creek, before moving to Chatham County. Peter Dill lived on Abbotts Creek. The marriage of Lydia Dill to James Copeland is recorded in the JOHN DILL BIBLE dated 1820 and records that they were married in 1769 in Salisbury. The Bible states that James is " THE SON OF NICH. COPLAND OF VIRGINIA" and his bondsman is " WM. COPLAND, his uncle." Records also indicate that he lived in Sullivan County, TENN. which was once a part of western North Carolina. Three land grants were given to JOSEPH COPELAND - WILLIAM COPELAND_ and JAMES COPELAND. James was a neighbor of Archibald Dill, a cousin to LYDIA DILL COPELAND, who was living close to him on the Long Island of the Holstein. In 1786 James tried to sell his land to a man named RUSSELL. For whatever reason, the sale fell through. James sold the land to his brother William and it was witnessed by Joseph Copeland. William Copeland and the man named Russell remained in this area and both were signers of the petition for the State of Franklin. Joseph Copeland went to Jefferson with his desc. being born and buried in Overton. James Copeland and wife Lydia went to Greenville, South Carolina. He appeared on the 1790 Census for that county . He left in 1799 and went to Roane county, Tenn. and then to Madison County, Alabama where he died in 1811. his son , James Copeland, Jr (b. 1791 in SC) wife, and his mother Lydia went to Wayne County, Tenn in the 1820s. They are all buried in a family cemetery located now in Hardin County. FROM: Michael G. Copeland junostar@airmail.net 10/13/2001 dotsicle