Hi Muscatine and Scott Co. researchers! I am excitedly putting together information on the family of John Perry and Rowenna (Lair) Cooper. This family lived in Muscatine Co., Montpelier Twnshp and John and Rowenna are buried in Blue Springs Cemetery, Blue Springs, Scott Co., Iowa. Rowenna Lair Cooper was the sister of my great grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Lair. She and her brother had to go live with seperate families at a very young age, so I am totally overwhelmed at finding Rowenna at all. Finding she had a big family has me in "hog heaven". I believe Rowenna may have come to the area with relaitves on her mother's side by the name of CRAIG. Rowenna married John P. Cooper Jr in Oct 1866 Scott Co. She was in the Miami Co., IN census in 1860, so her move to Iowa came within that time frame. I am especially interested in Richard S. and Elizabeth Craig who are also buried in Blue Springs Cemetery. I have found (on-line) where Richard was a Mexican War veteran. Below are some questions that maybe some Scott Co. & Mucatine Co. researchers might be able to help me with, as I am not familiar with your area and the research material available. 1. What small town newspaper would a have carried obits for people who did in this area and were buried at Blue Springs Cemetery? Besides trying to acquire Cooper family obits, I am thinking I also may write a local paper and advertise for Cooper descendants to contact me if they have the interest. 2. Was there any state census (1865?) where records county records could be checked for my Rowenna Lair or Richard Craig between 1860 and 1870? 3. Is there anyone interested in doing some research for me on this family? Marriage names and dates, death dates of the children and so on, of the Cooper family listed below? Thanks so much! Dixie A. Laire Red Oak, Iowa dal@heartland.net **************early information just put together************ Descendants of John Perry (Jr.) Cooper Generation No. 1 1. JOHN PERRY (JR.)2 COOPER (JOHN PERRY (SR.)1) was born December 1845 in Iowa, and died April 06, 1919 in Scott Co., Iowa. He married ROWENNA A. LAIR October 25, 1866 in Scott Co., Iowa - by G. W. Dowds Witness: John P. Cooper, Sr., daughter of JACOB LAIR/LAIRE and ELIZABETH CRAIGH. She was born December 1849 in Indiana, and died August 03, 1915 in Scott Co., Iowa. Notes for JOHN PERRY (JR.) COOPER: Tombstone Records of Scott County, Iowa Page: 105 Name: John Perry Cooper Birth Date: 1840 Death Date: 06 Apr 1919 Cemetery: Blue Crass Comment: Scott co. la.; Dav. Democrat 07 Apr 1919 Relative: wif: Rowena A. Lair Notes for ROWENNA A. LAIR: 1870 Census Iowa County : Muscatine Co. Location : Montpelier Twp Page # : 156 38/38 Cooper, John P. 24 Farmer b. IA (living a few houses away from his parents) John had no personal estate value... Rowena 25 Keeping House b. IN Marg A. 4 Arabella 2 Lair, Benjamin 18 b. IN Farm Laborer value of personal estate - $800 ---------------------- 1880 Muscatine Co, Mont Pielier Twnshp pg 76/80 Cooper, John P. age 34 Father Farmer IA TN KY Rowenne age 30 Wife Keeping House IN OH VA Mary A. dau age 13 IA Arabella dau age 12 IA Rosa M. dau age 8 IA Virgil A. son age 4 IA Maria B. dau age 3 IA Viola E. dau age 4/12 IA Cooper, John P. Sr. Father Farmer retired age 69 TN VA TN ---------------- 1900 Montpelier Twnshp, Muscatine Co., IA Census 11 / 11 Cooper, John P. Head Dec 1845 age 54 IA TN KY Farmer Rowenna Wife Dec 1849 age 50 IN OH VA Mamie Dau May 1877 age 23? IA Perry Son May 1881 age 19 IA Farm Laborer Charles Son Sept 1885 age 14 IA Farm Laborer Eldon Son Jan 1893 age 7 IA At School Marriage Notes for JOHN COOPER and ROWENNA/ELIZABETH LAIR: Scott County Iowa 1866 Cooper, John P. Jr. Lair, Roanna 24 Oct 1866 by G. W. Dowds Witness: John P. Cooper, Sr. m. 25 Oct 1866 Children of JOHN COOPER and ROWENNA/ELIZABETH LAIR are: i. MARY A.3 COOPER, b. May 1867, Iowa. ii. ARABELLA COOPER, b. Abt. 1868, Iowa. iii. ROSA M. COOPER, b. Abt. 1872, Iowa. 2. iv. VIRGIL A. COOPER, b. Abt. 1876, Iowa. v. MARIA B. "MAMIE" COOPER, b. May 1877. vi. VIOLA E. COOPER, b. 1880. 3. vii. PERRY COOPER, b. May 1881, Iowa. viii. CHARLES COOPER, b. September 1885, Iowa. Notes for CHARLES COOPER: Cooper, Charles Age: 34 Year: 1920 Birthplace: Iowa Roll: T625_512 Race: White Page: 13A State: Iowa ED: 136 County: Scott Image: 47 Township: Blue Grass 310/313 Charles 34 single street laborer Mississippi Street ix. ELDON COOPER, b. January 1893, Iowa. Generation No. 2 2. VIRGIL A.3 COOPER (JOHN PERRY (JR.)2, JOHN PERRY (SR.)1) was born Abt. 1876 in Iowa. He married ANNA ?. She was born Abt. 1879 in Germany. Notes for VIRGIL A. COOPER: Cooper, Virgil A. Age: 44 Year: 1920 Birthplace: Iowa Roll: T625_512 Race: White Page: 6A State: Iowa ED: 146 County: Scott Image: 541 Township: Davenport South Howell St. 109 118 136 Cooper, Virgil A. Head 44 b. IA IA IA moulder foundry Anna Wife 41 b. Germany Germany Germany Berneice dau 11 b. IA Dorothy dau 10 b. IA Sanders, Dorothea dau 9 b. IA " , Lucille dau 6 b. IA Children of VIRGIL COOPER and ANNA ? are: i. BERNEICE4 COOPER, b. Abt. 1909, Iowa. ii. DOROTHY COOPER, b. Abt. 1910. iii. DOROTHEA SANDERS, b. Abt. 1911. iv. LUCILLE SANDERS, b. Abt. 1914. 3. PERRY3 COOPER (JOHN PERRY (JR.)2, JOHN PERRY (SR.)1) was born May 1881 in Iowa. He married ELSIE ?. She was born Abt. 1890 in Iowa. Notes for PERRY COOPER: Cooper, Perry Age: 38 Year: 1920 Birthplace: Iowa Roll: T625_504 Race: White Page: 1B State: Iowa ED: 113 County: Muscatine Image: 651 Township: Fulton 22/23 Cooper, Perry Head 38 b. IA Farmer Elsie Wife 30 b. IA Effie Dau 13 b. IA Cleo Dau 7 b. IA Children of PERRY COOPER and ELSIE ? are: i. EFFIE4 COOPER, b. Abt. 1907, Iowa. ii. CLEO COOPER, b. Abt. 1913, Iowa.