This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/0AC.2ACE/935 Message Board Post: I am trying to determine if there is a connection between WILLIAM J. COOPER, Confederate veteran, b. ca. 1833, VA./ d. 1909, Frostburg, MD, and the Cooper family of Orange County, VA. I would appreciate some advice on this subject: JANE M. COOPER appears to have died in Orange County between the time of the 1870 and 1880 federal censuses. In 1870 Jane was enumerated with real property valued at $2,000. I am not very familiar with Virginia law of this time period, but since Jane was the widow of OWEN COOPER (who appears to have died between 1850 and 1860) this real property was probably either devised on her by Owen, or was her dower. Would there be a probate record of the distribution of this real property to her heirs? If the property was indivisible would there have been a Chancery case to order the sale of the real estate? If these records exist, who would have custody of them, and where would I write to see about them. I see that the Library of Virginia has microfilms of probate proceedings, but cannot find where the originals are. Any advice or guidance for this search would be greatly appreciated. Donnie Nazelrod