David Copenhaver

COPENHAVER WILLIAMS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 22:05:54

Woodbury County History 1984

David and Virginia (Williams) Copenhaver
By Jeanette Stevenson

The first known Copenhavers (Koppenhoffer-Koppenhaver) to live in America were Jacob ‘Jakob’ and Elizabeth who came to America on the ship ‘Robert and Alice’, of Dublin and last form Rotterdam. They landed at port of Philadelphia, September 1738. They settled at Earltown, Earl Township (now New Holland), Lancester, Pennsylvania. Their five known children were: Johannes Balthaser, Johannes, Sophia, Catharina, Johannes George ‘Jacob’, and Sharlotta.

Jacob Copenhaver, son of Jacob and Elizabeth, was born 25 June 1746. His wife was Susannah. They lived near Winchester, Virginia. Their six known children were: John, George M, Catherine, Rebecca, Susannah and Mary Madgaline.

John Copenhaver, son of Jacob and Susannah, was born about 1770. He married Peggy Verner in 1789. They lived in Augusta County, Virginia, and Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia).

Jacob Copenhaver, born 1792, was probably the oldes son of John and Peggy. He married Sarah Dotson, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Dotson, on 21 April 1818. About 1883 they moved to Nicholas County, Virginia, near Summerville. Since he was one of the first settlers there, the area was known as the Copenhaver Settlement. He was a farmer and shoemaker. Jacob served as a Private in the War of 1812 under Captain James Kinnard. He was honorably discharged due to a hernia, after examination by Dr Baldwin. Term of service was three months and seven days. The know children of Jacob and Sarah Copenhaver were seven sons: John (1822-1896), Joseph (1823-1907), Thomas Jacob (1824-2906), James (1828-1899), Samuel (1831-1902), David (1832-1894) and William (1834-1891).

David H Copenhaver was born 16 March 1832, son of Jacob and Sarah Copenhaver, in Nicholas County, Virginia (now West Virginia). He married Virginia A Williams, born 10 November 1836, daughter of Alexander and Nancy Hall Williams, about 1855. The records show that seventy-nine acres of land were deeded to David H Copenhaver in 1867 by Jacob and Sarah Copenhaver. In 1870, the same number of acres of land was sold to Elizabeth W Hickman by David H and Virginia A Copenhaver. It is assumed that David and Virginia left for Iowa shortly after the sale of land in 1870. At this time David and Virginia had four children: William Floyd, born 16 February 1859; Andrew ‘Andy’ Evermont, born 5 July 1860; Madorah Felicity, born ?; and David ‘Russell’, born February 1866.

David and Virginia settled in Woodbury County, Grange Township, between Sioux City, Iowa, and Anthon, Iowa. They pruchased 120 acres of government land at $1.25 per acre and sold it some thirty years later for $265.00 per acre. David was a blacksmith and farmer all of his life. HE died in 1894. Virginia moved into the new town of Bronson, Iowa, in 1902, occuppying one of the first homes built in town. She died there in 1915. Both David and Virginia are buried in Lucky Valley Cemetery, located in the country west of Anthon, Iowa, where four of their children are buried. Nine more children were born in Iowa, the four ceceased, plus: Charles Breun, 1874; Margaet ‘Magie’; Maude Almira ‘Myra’; Sarah Francis ‘Sadie’; and Martha Alice.

Marriages: William Floyd married Emma Eliza Tiffany; Andrew Evermont married Ella J Davis; Madora Felicity married Charles Hathaway; David Russel married Hattie ?; Charles Bruen never married; Margaret Ann married ? Slighter; Muade Almira married ? Horner; Sarah Francis married Pat Walsh; and Martha Alice married Charles S Cameron.