Bethel V. Coopwood (1827 - 1907)

Born 1 May 1827 in Lawrence County, Alabama

Husband of Josephine de la Montagne (Woodward) Coopwood — married 15 Jun 1859 in San Bernardino, California

Descendants

Died 26 Dec 1907 at age 80 in Austin, Travis County, Texas

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Biography

Over his lifetime, Bethel Coopwood was a soldier, a lawyer, a judge, and a historian. Born on May 1, 1827, in Lawrence County, Alabama, Bethel was the son of an early settler, planter and slave holder in that county, David E. Coopwood, and his wife Elfida (Crews) Coopwood.

He moved to Texas in 1846 and in 1847, Bethel enlisted in Bell's cavalry detachment, of Hay's Regiment of Texas Mounted Volunteers in the Mexican–American War. They served along the Rio Grande frontier.

In 1854 he, and his two brothers Benjamin and David and their wives, left Texas moving to El Monte in California, where he was admitted to the bar, practicing in Los Angeles. In early 1857, following the killing of Sheriff James R. Barton and two men of his posse, by the Flores Daniel Gang, Coopwood led twenty-six El Monte men, as a division of the posse in the manhunt for the gang. He distinguished himself in the assault on the peak the gang had taken refuge on, charging up hill, under fire with an injured leg.

In 1857, Bethel was living in San Bernardino, California, working as a lawyer. He become deeply embroiled in several significant lawsuits with one in particular, The Ainsworth-Gentry Affair, that led to violence and Coopwood, who represented Ainsworth, suffered an arm wound in a courtroom scuffle but he would win the case. In 1859 he married a local San Bernadino woman, Josephine Woodward, and they eventually had fourteen children.

In 1861, Coopwood disposed of his interests in California and returned to Texas with his brothers Benjamin and David. When the Civil War broke out he joined the Confederate Army and was given the rank of captain in the cavalry. He formed the San Elizario Spy Company or Coopwood Spy Company, an Independent Volunteer Company of cavalry with men that came with him from California. He commanded the Confederate forces in the Battle of Canada Alamosa, and Skirmish near Fort Thorn the largest of several small battles that occurred in Confederate Arizona along the front with Union held New Mexico Territory. He and his company served in Sibley's New Mexico Campaign. He was ill with smallpox during the Battle of Valverde but recovered in time to join the army at the Battle of Albuquerque and the Battle of Peralta. After the Battle of Peralta he and his Spy Company were responsible for saving the remnants of Sibley's army, 1800 men, from Union pursuit by finding water and a path for them through the rugged mountains west of the Rio Grande to the Mesilla Valley. He was later promoted to Major and then Lt. Colonel before ending his service in the Confederate Army in 1863.

After the Civil War he spent a year in Coahuila. He contributed articles to and wrote book reviews for early issues of the Texas State Historical Association Quarterly, in which he published "Notes on the History of La Bahía del Espíritu Santo" in 1898–99 and "The Route of Cabeza de Vaca" in 1899–1900.

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Bethel and Josephine would have the following children:

Bethel Coopwood, II

William Coopwood

Mary Elfida Bintliff

Thomas Coopwood

Louisa Della Turner (Coopwood)

Josephine Coopwood

Alice Coopwood

Annie Coopwood

Benjamin Raymond Coopwood

Emma Faulkner (Coopwood)

Edward Coopwood

Ida Coopwood

Victor de la Montaigne Coopwood

James David Coopwood

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Judge Coopwood died in Austin, Travis County, Texas, on December 26, 1907.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel_Coopwood

• https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fco64

• "United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLX7-7H39 : 13 March 2018), B Coopwood, 1846-1848.

• "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XL8W-K58 : 8 December 2017), Bethel Coopwood and Josephine Woodard, 15 Jun 1859; citing San Bernardino, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,290,189.

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDKX-YCL : 13 December 2017), Bethel Coopwood, 1860.

• "Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZHS-MN4 : 5 December 2014), Bethel Coopwood, 1861; from "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Texas," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing military unit Capt. Bone's Co., Cavalry; Capt. Coopwood's Spy Company., Cavalry; Capt. Doughty's Co., Cavalry, State Troops ("Refugio Spies"); Capt. Durrant's Co., Cavalry (Local Defense); Lavaca County Minutemen; Capt. Lilley's Co., Cavalry (Pardoned Deserters), NARA microfilm publication M323 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1961), roll 220.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGQ-XB8 : 12 April 2016), Bethel Coopwood, Texas, United States; citing p. 26, family 208, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 553,096.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFJF-Z82 : 15 July 2017), Bethel Coopwood, Austin, Travis, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 135, sheet 237B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1329; FHL microfilm 1,255,329.

• "United States Mexican War Pension Index, 1887-1926," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8HH-MWR : 13 March 2018), Bethel Coopewood, 1888; citing Pension, Texas, NARA microfilm publication T317 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 537,003.