Name: Edward Cooley
   Born: 1763
  Place: possibly Virginia
   Died: 21 Nov 1822
  Place: Washington County, Indiana
 Buried: 
  Place: Cooley-Brewer Cemetery
Married: 
  Place: probably Stokes County, North Carolina

Edward and Martha are buried in the Cooley-Brewer Cemetery, also known as the Cooley Meeting House Cemetery, south of Salem, Indiana.

According to an article written about Edward's daughter, Elizabeth Brewer, he and Martha had eight children. To date, only seven are known to me.

I keep seeing Edward referred to as Edward D Cooley.¹ However, I have yet to find any primary record that names him as anything other than Edward Cooley. Until I see further evidence, I can only guess that someone, somewhere made an assumption based on circumstances that are, of course, unknown to me, passing it on until it acquired a life on its own. (Witness the "Dutch" Cooleys.) I believe this may have also been true of the T often found as the middle initial for Edward's brother, Joseph. Likewise, their brother John, and sometimes their father, is often cited as John A Cooley. That's almost certainly due to the frequent confusion with the John Cooleys of Halifax county, North Carolina.

Although there's a great deal of evidence that Edward Cooley's father was John Cooley of Stokes County, North Carolina, the combination of the following nails it: Deeds transferring land to sons James Cooley and Reuben Cooley and the genetic proof that Edward, Joseph and James were brothers.

• John Cooley to Rueben Cooley
• John Cooley to James Cooley
• Y chromosomal tests

Will of Edward Cooley

If memory serves me, I received a photcopy of Edward's will from Patrick M Cooley of Indianpolis in 1996. It's recorded in Washington county, Indiana Will Book 1, pages 36-38:

In the name of God, Amen,

I Edward Cooley of Washington County State of Indiana being weak of body but of sound mind and memory blessed be almighty God for the same, Do make and Publish this my last will and Testament in manner and form following (viz)

First I resign my soul to him, that gave it and bequeath to my Son Edward Cooley and his heirs and assigns forever one hundred acres of Land off the north side of the South West quarter of Section no 21 Range no. 4 E of Township no 2 north -

Secondly and give and bequeath unto my son Stephen Cooley and his heirs forever the remaining sixty acres of the above described quarter section together with forty acres off of the north side of the N.W. qtr of section 28- Township 2 north of range four East making in all to him one hundred acres with the appurtenances.

Thirdly I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Martha Cooley one hundred and Twenty acres of Land off the South side of the n.w. quarter of section no Twenty Eight Town Two north of range four east, with all the appurtenances thereon during her natural life - I also give and bequeath unto my beloved wife during her natural life all my Bedding including furniture there on and all my household and kitchen furniture, also one hundred and sixty dollars in cash owing me by Beath   Newby, also two horses, to wit, my roan horse and my flag mare and my Cow [?] -

Fourthly I give and bequeath to my Daughter Joannah Cooley my young colt and old Brindle Cow, and the bed and bedding commonly called hers and also the saddle which she has had the use of for some time.

Fifthly I give and bequeath to my son Edward Cooley my grey stud colt, saddle   Bridle and rifle gun also a suitable grate [sic] coat to be paid for out of my estate

Sixthly and give and bequeath to my son Stephen Cooley my Bay horse colt and a bridle and saddle contracted for with Michael Baker in Salem and to be paid for with my estate - also a suitable great coat to be paid for or procured at the expense of my estate.

Seventhly and give and bequeath to my beloved wife, corn, wheat, meat, and such other provisions as there are in my possession; in quantity as much as will be sufficient for the Subsistence of the family for Twelve months.

And lastly I hereby appoint my sons Thomas Cooley and John Cooley Executors of this my last will and Testament; hereby annulling and revoking and rendering void every former will of any kind so ever -

Given under my hand and seal this 18th Day of Nov^r A.D. 1822

Witnesses present  )                his2
Thomas Evans       )      Edward     S    Cooley
Binoni Armstrong   )                mark
John De Pauw       )


State of Indiana   )
Washington County  )

Be it [?] [?] to me John De Pauw clerk of the Washington circuit court the forgoing instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Edward Cooley Deceased was produced and proved by Thomas Evans and John De Pauw Two of the Subscribing witnesses therein, and on the request of Thomas Cooley and John Cooley Executors therein named, the same was entered of record, and execution thereof granted then by me this 23rd Day of Nov 1822

John De Pauw clerk
W.C.C.

Bartholomew County Marriage Records

Some of Edward's family moved to Bartholomew county, Indiana. I received the following in October 2006 from Jane Ries.

Cooley, Selah Jane and William Elkins, Aprl 19 1869 C-81 129
Cooley, Abraham and Nancy C Noblitt, Dec 17 1854 C-5 412
Cooley, Abraham and Eliza Bradshaw, Oct 24 1868 C-8 88 (Date of license)
Cooley, Abraham and Mary E Cooley, June 10 1970 C-8 220
Cooley, Albert and Sadie Heck, Jan 22 1902 C-15 183
Cooley, Alice V and Francis M Gillbreata, Nov 6 1882 C-11 222
Cooley, Amanda C and James N Elkins, Aprl 7 1871 C-8 276
Cooley, Carson and Minnie B Edmonson, Jan 9 1883 C-11 247
Cooley, Daniel and Eliza J Burget, Mar 24 1861 C-6 516
Cooley, Eliza A and Clarence Cook, Feb 22 1903 C-15 322
Cooley, Elizabeth A and Thomas J Linson, Jan 13 1861 C-6 496
Cooley, Elizabeth C and James McCalister, Aug 31 1864 C-7 229
Cooley, Fremont and Maria Connelly, May 10 1885 C-11 511
Cooley, Harry E and Estella F Fultz, Oct 24 1914 C-23 218
Cooley, Helen and George Knule, Sept 20 1919 C-27 161
Cooley, Joseph and Elizabeth Dowell, Aprl 27 1862 C-7 26
Cooley, Lavina C and Benjamin F Davis, Aprl 4 1867 C-7 537
Cooley, Martha L and Samuel H Ault, June 24 1883 C-11 290
Cooley, Martha M and Frank McLaughlin, Oct 13 1883 C-11 327
Cooley, Mary E and Abraham Cooley, July 10 1870 C-8 220
Cooley, William and Martha Stader, Oct 16 1879 C-10 395

Census Records

1790 Stokes County, North Carolina (Series M637, Roll 7, Page 547)

   Edward Cooley  121004
   John Cooley    153009
   Joseph Cooley  101002

1800 Stokes County, North Carolina (Series M32, Roll 32, Page 546)

   Edward Cooley  120102001000

Old Notes

I assembled the following notes in 1991.

Edward Cooley's son John, from whom I am descended, married
Selah Wright, daughter of William Wright and Betsy Morgan,
also of North Carolina.  She was born in Rowan Co NC 20
Jul 1793.  The date and place of the marriage is unknown but
probably occurred c1814 in Washington Co IN.

A letter written by a great-aunt, now deceased, gives
Edward's wife as an Elizabeth Cridder.  To date, no material
proof has been found.  However, included below is proof of a
marriage to Martha Raper before 1808.  Edward was born c1763.

** UPDATE ** Apparently, Elizabeth Cridder was the wife of
Edward's son, another Edward.  No proof found.

Edward Cooley's known children:

     Reuben Cooley.  Dates, etc unknown.
     John Cooley (above) b 1789 NC.  Lost track of him and wf
        by 1850 census.  They might have moved to IA with
        his brothers and son David but are not enumerated on
        the 1850 census.)
     Thomas Cooley b c1790 NC, m Mary Evans 1815 Harrison Co
        IN, d 1855 Appanoose Co IA. (Have will and other
        records.)
     Stephen Cooley b c1800-1810 m Nancy Fountain 1827,
        Washington Co IN.  Family and death unknown.
     Edward Cooley b c1802 NC, d 1854 Appanoose Co IA. Wife
        Elizabeth. (Have will and other records.)
     Joanna Cooley.  Dates and places unknown.

Other Washington Co IN marriages:

     Hiram Cooley to Olive Langden 12-25-1821
     James Cooley to Esther Hubbard 4-22-1821
     Joseph Cooley to Nancy Hubbard 5-2-1824
     Margaret Cooly to Robert Holmes 1-22-1824

1784-7 Surry Co NC census:

Edward Cooley (my anc b c1763)
     1 male 21-60
     1 female
John Cooley (father of Edward?)
     1 male 21-60 (self?)
     6 males under 21 & above 60 (incl Joseph, James, Perrin
         & Rice?)
     3 females

1790 Stokes Co NC census:

John Cooley
     1 male 16+ (self?)
     5 males under 16 (the above 6, minus Joseph below?)
     1 female
Edward Cooley (mine)
     1 male 16+
     2 males under 16
     1 female
Joseph Cooley
     1 male 16+
     1 female
(The wife of a former employer is a descendant of Joseph.
According to info sent to her by Janet Spencer of Crete, NE,
he was b c1767 in VA.  His daughter Elizabeth was b c1792/94
in Stokes Co NC.)

1800 Stokes Co NC census index:

Edward Cooley, p546
James Cooley, p546
Perrin Cooley, p546
Rice Cooley, p547
John Cooly, p546

1810 Stokes Co NC census:

(Only Edward is listed)
Edward Cooley
     2 males under 10
     2 males 20-16
     1 male 45+
     2 females under 10
     2 females 10-16
     2 females 45+

------------------------------------------------------------

Received from Sandra Nackab thru Prodigy BBS. Address
unknown:

Surry Co Deeds:

Book B p80: NC grant to John Cooley 20 Sep 1779.
Book B p337: NC grant to Abraham Cooley 13 Oct 1783.
Book C p161: 3 Nov 1784 NC grant to John Cooly, 140 acres.
Book C p257: John Cooley Sr, William Matthews Cooley & John
     Cooley Jr app Constable of Willis Dist. 1784, 85, 86.
Book F p82: Abraham and wf Sarah sold 400 acres 20 Mar 1786.

Stokes Co Deeds:

Vol 1 p107: 18 May 1787.  NC Grant #1115 to John Cooley 150
     acres.
Vol 2 p29: 27 Jun 1793.  NC Grant (to whom?) 100 acres.
Vol 2 p69: 6 Feb 1794.  John Cooley to Phillip Tansow, 100
     acres, 650 pds (by grant Jun 1792).
Vol 2 p286: 28 Oct 1795.  John Cooley to Edward Cooley 240
     acres for 200 pds.  (Relationship not stated.)
Vol 2 p326 28 Oct 1795 John Cooley to Soloman Turner, 25 pds,
     50 acres.

------------------------------------------------------------

From Julia Case to Sandra Nackab via Prodigy.  Addresses
unknown:

Ratliff's North Carolina Taxpayers 1679-1790:

     Abraham Cooley, Surry Co 1782.
     John Cooley, Surry Co 1782.

Ratliff's North Carolina Taxpayers 1701-1786:

     John Cooley, Rowan Co 1758.
     John Cooley (Const.), Surry Co 1771.
     John Cooley (Constable), Surry Co 1772.

------------------------------------------------------------

"The History of Rowan Co NC" - Rev Jethro Rumple, 1978

On page 64 is a photograph of a plaque:

BOONE TRAIL 1769
From this town Richard Henderson in behalf of Henderson and
Company despatched (sic) Daniel Boone, John Findlay, John
Stuart, Joseph Holden, James Mooney, and William Cooley to
explore the wilderness of Kentucky

My grandfather used to say that we were related to Boone.
That has in no way been proven and may not be true.  But
given the above, the possibility should be explored.

The Cooley Cemetery of Salem (Washington Co IN):

Edward Cooley, died Nov. 21, 1822, aged 59 years.
Martha Cooley, died Nov. 25, 1846, aged 81 yr., 8 mo. 12
     days.  (In my copy, there is a notation, probably put
     there by the compiler (unknown): "was a RAPER."

The Will of Edward Cooley, dated 18 Nov 1822 and probated 23
Nov 1822 names wife Martha and children Edward, Stephen,
Thomas, John and Joanna.

Stokes Co NC Wills, Vol 1-4, 1790-1864, p 94

Will of Thomas Raper (1808) names daughter Patty, wife of
Edward Cooley.  Also mentioned is Jane Fountain (a
daughter?), wife of Stephen Fountain.  This is notable
because Edward Cooley's son, Stephen, married a Nancy
Fountain.  Another of Edward's sons, Thomas, named one of his
sons Fountain Cooley (b c1826 Indiana).  Edward Cooley and
Peter Fulp (husband of Thomas Raper's daughter Elizabeth)
were executors. Witnesses were James and Stephen Fountain.

  SOME MISSOURI INFO TO SHOW CONNECTION TO THE ABOVE COOLEYS

"Death Records of Missouri Men"

Joseph Cooley of Howard Co died 3 April, 1826.

"Missouri Miscellany" - March 1981
Clay County - Abstarcts of Wills & Admrs:
Joseph Cooley, d int. Admrx, Keziah Cooley, 14 June 1826.
Sec, Eli Casey & Jeremiah Magnor. (A:13

"Missouri Pioneers" - March 1976

Howard County Petition of the Inhabitants of Howard Land
Dist, 23 Dec 1819: includes James Cooly, Cooley Whitney.

"Missouri Taxpayers 1819-26"

Clay Co 1822, 24, 25: Included James Coley, Joseph Cooley.

"Missouri Genealogical Records and Abstracts, Vol 3 1787-
1839" pp. 195-196 - Sherida K. Eddleman:

1819 Howard Co Deeds: John Cooley, 160 acres S5-T49-R16
    Joseph Cooley, 220.25 acres S8-T49-R16
    Perrin Cooley, 259.75 acres S8-T49-R16

Although in a different section, John is found in the same
township and range.  Perhaps he is a brother not previously
mentioned -- or maybe the old man himself.  If we assume that
John, the presumed father, was born c1740, if living, he'd
have been about 80 in 1819.

"Missouri Marriages" - Ormesher:

Perrin Cooley to Lucy Carter 31 Jan 1833 (Randolph Co)

There are others, many of whom are identified as children of
Joseph's.

I cannot find it now, but somewhere I read that this Perrin
is the son of another Perrin.  It is very possible that the
brothers Joseph, James and Perrin went together to Missouri.

I have seen mention of a Rice Cooley in early Kentucky
records but have never followed through.  Apparently, Edward
Cooley had gone to Kentucky with his (future) Wright in-laws
prior to setting in Indiana.

Our local genealogy library has scores of notebooks filled
with notes of a local genealogist, now deceased.  Included is
Abraham Cooley Sr, from England to NY, then to NC in 1781.
Granted 400 acres in Surry Co 1783 (above). To VA c1786.  He
m Sarah Reeder and had ch Abraham Jr, Benjamin F and Peter.
So far, I see nothing to connect him to the John Cooleys of
the region.

There is also rather detailed info about the Joseph Cooley
of Howard Co MO.  It states that he was born c1760 in VA and
married Keziah Casey in 1807, Lincoln Co KY.  She died 1841
in Clay Co MO.  However, it does not mention a residency in
NC nor the child Elizabeth, mentioned above, nor the fact
that, judging from the 1790 census, he was married with no
children in that year.  Either there were two Josephs or,
unkown to the compiler of this sheet, he married twice.  The
youngest child mentioned, Franklin, was b 1823, which would
have made the father 63.  It is possible that the children
were not properly identified.

------------------------------------------------------------
Other data:

Will of Thomas Evans, Washington County IN, probated 17 Oct
1829.
     Wife, Ann
     sons, William, Robert, John C., Thomas, Isaac A., Newton
     daus, Sarah, Martha, Lucretia, Mary Cooly, Nancy Willis,
Janeta (or Geleta) Pearson.

From the Washington County Historical Society:

Deed 20 Oct 1851, Washington County, IN.  Thomas Cooley and
wife Martha to Isaac A. Evans.

Included are noted by the typist (unidentified).  She states
that Thomas Cooley was the son of Edward and Martha (Brewer)
Cooley and that they "also had John, Reuben R., Joannah, D.
Edward, & Stephen, and all came to Little York, Wash. Co.,
Ind. ca. 1811; & acq. land in NW 1/4, 28-2N-4.

"Bartholomew County Marriages, 1821-1832," (Indiana Source
Book II)

Cooley, Reuben R. - Elizabeth Jacobs 6-23-1831

"Frederick Goss of Rowan County, North Carolina, and his
Descendants," compiled by Lois Ione Hotchkiss (Mrs. John S.)
Heuss, Akron Ohio, 1968

Page 135 states that Priscilla Goss, dau of John and Sallie
(Merrill) Goss, m Edward Cooley (1823-1896), son of "John
born in North Carolina in 1789 -died 1838 and Celia (Wright)
Cooley born North Carolina in 1791.  The senior Cooleys are
buried in the Wright Cemetery in Salem, Indiana."

John and Selah Cooley, in fact, were still alive as of the
1850 census; he 61, she 59.  Bradley and Barthena (Goss), 22
and 21 respectively, were living with them.

                   Frederick Goss
                          |
        |------------------------------------------|
    John Goss                                 David Goss
        |                                          |
  |--------------|                               David
Alexander    Priscilla m Edward Cooley             |
    |              (p. 135)                    Catherine
 Barthena                                  m Isaiah Cooley
m Bradley Cooley (page 135)                 (pp. 100-101)