ELIZA (MILLARD) COOPER
Gravestone of Eliza (Millard) Cooper
(Photos by Vernon B. Paddock)
B. about 1812 in Vermont
D. November 29, 1878 in Avon Township, Lake County, IL
- Husband 1: John Cooper born about 1800 in England; married on March 28, 1851 in Lake County, IL as his second wife; John died January 2, 1860 in Avon Township, Lake County, IL (See section pertaining to John Cooper buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery)
- Husband 2: Abina Jones born about 1801 in Vermont; married (1) Jane or June Dwyer (1800-?) on April 8, 1848 in Lake County, IL ; married (2) Eliza Cooper on July 20, 1860 in Lake County, IL
- Siblings:
- George Millard (as documented in the Waukegan Weekly Gazette on September 23, 1882)
- Other possible siblings and unverified (based on Eliza Jones probate records):
- Johnson Millard ( 1817-1884) married Arvilla M (Houghton) Millard (1830-?)
According to the Portrait and Biographical Album by Lake County, Publishers, 1891, page 435:
“She (Arvilla Millard) was born in Pomfret, Windsor County, Vt., April 15, 1830, and is of old New England descent. Her father, Amaziah Houghton, was born in Woodstock, Vt., about 1800, and was reared in his native State…. On the 12th of February, 1846, Miss Houghton gave her hand in marriage to Johnson Millard, a native of Bennington, Vt., and unto them were born four children, daughters…. The father of this family (Johnson Millard) was called to his final rest on the 17th of October, 1884, and his remains were interred in the Wauconda Cemetery. Mrs. Millard was again married on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1885, to Charles P. Johnson.”
- Rachel (Millard) Wright (1801-1888), husband of Captain Daniel Wright (1778-1873), the first white settler of Lake County, Illinois
According to the 1891 Portrait and Biographical Album by Lake County Publishers, 1891, page 484:
“The Captain was again married in Lake County January 9, 1845, his second union being with Rachel Millard, a native of Stanford, Bennington County, Vt., born May 30, 1801. She came West with her parents, in 1844, and described the journey as being “six days on canal boat and six on the lake boat.” Her death occurred October 29, 1888.” Rachel is buried in Vernon Township Cemetery, Lincolnshire, Lake County, IL”
- Rufus Millard
Additional Information:
According to the 1860 U.S. Census for the Town of Cuba, Lake County, IL with a Barrington Post Office, the household members were:
“Abina Jones, age 59, Occupation: Farmer, born in Vermont; Eliza Jones, age 45, born in Vermont; Julia Jones, age 10, born in Illinois”
According to the Waukegan Weekly Gazette (Waukegan IL) Saturday, April 12, 1862, page 3:
“CIRCUIT COURT CHANCERY NOTICE. Circuit Court of Lake County, June Term 1862 in Chancery, Elizabeth Jones vs. Elizabeth Cooper, Martha Lovejoy, Charles Cooper, Henry Cooper, Thomas Cooper, William J. Cooper, George J. Cooper and John J. Cooper – Petition for Dower. Satisfactory affidavit having been filed in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of said County, setting forth that Martha Lovejoy, Elizabeth Cooper, Charles Cooper, Henry Cooper, Thomas Cooper and William J. Cooper are not residents of the State of Illinois. Notice is therefore, hereby given, to the said Marth Lovejoy, Elizabeth Cooper, Charles Cooper, Henry Cooper, Thomas Cooper and William J. Cooper non resident defendants, that the above named petitioner Elizabeth Jones filed her bill of complaint or petition in the office of the Clerk of said Court, on the Chancery side thereof, on the 27th day of March 1862, and that a summons thereupon issued out of said Court against the above named defendants, returnable on the first Monday of June 1862, as is by law required.
Now, unless you, the said Martha Lovejoy, Elizabeth Cooper, Charles Cooper, Henry Cooper, Thomas Cooper and William J. Cooper shall personally be and appear before the said Court, on the first day of the next term thereof, and then and there plead answer or demur to said petition, the same and the matters and things therein charged and stated, will be taken as confessed, and a decree entered against you in accordance with the prayer of said bill.
J. M. TRUESDELL, Clerk.
W. S. Searl’s Sol. for Compl’t. 4 x 27″
According to the Illinois, U.S., State Census Collection, 1825-1865 for the Town of Avon, County of Lake, State of Illinois in 1865:
“Eliza Cooper, White Persons over 29 and not over 30: 1 Fems.; White Persons over 49 and not over 59: 1 Males., 1 Fems.; Total White.: 1 Males., 2 Fems.; Aggregated Population: 3; Value of Live Stock: 50; Value of Grain Production: (blank); Value of all other Agricultural Products: (blank)”
According to the 1870 U.S. Census for the Town of Avon, Lake County, IL with a Hainesville Post Office, the household members were:
“Eliza Cooper, age 58, Occupation: Keeping House, born in Vermont; Benjamin Benwell, age 58, Occupation: Farmer, born in England”
According to the Waukegan Weekly Gazette (Waukegan IL) February 22, 1873, Saturday, Page 3:
“THE COURTS.
Our town has been quite well represented at the present session of the Circuit Court, but some of our representatives like Ely’s swallows seem to be “homeward flying.”
Our two South side jurymen and the “Junior Counsel” have returned looking as sleek and plump as Chicago Policemen, notwithstanding the fatigue of their ardeous duties at Court. This speaks well for the fare at the “City Hotel,” where the Hainesville delegation boarded. The deputy Clerk and Bailiff are still absent but we hear good reports from them and hope to greet them soon. We learn that an effort was made to indict the proprietress of the “Lake House” for a violation of the liquor laws, but the witnesses arrived too late for the grand jury.”
According to the Illinois, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1772-1999:
“State of Illinois,} ss.
Lake County.}
T. C. Slusser being duly sworn, deposteth and saith:
That Eliza Jones late of the Town of Avon
in the County of Lake and State aforesaid, departed this life
at Avon in said County, on or about the 29th
day of November A.D. 1878, and that she died leaving no last will
and testament to the best of my knowledge and belief.
T. C. Slusser (signed)
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 13th day
of December A. D. 1878
Lewis C. Dorsett, Clerk.”
According to the Illinois, U.S., wills and Probate Records, 1772-1999, “Petition” partially states:
“And this Petition further shows that the said Eliza Jones died, seized and possessed of Real and Personal Estate, consisted chiefly of (blank) all of said personal estate being estimated to be worth about “Twenty five Hundred (2500#) dollars. That said deceased left surviving her (blank) his widow, and Johnson Millard, Rachel Wright, Rufus Millard and other heirs not yet known – his children as heirs”
According to the Waukegan Weekly Gazette (Waukegan IL) Saturday, January 22, 1881, page 2:
“TAX SALE NOTICE. – To whom it may concern: Notice is hereby given that at a tax sale of lands and town lots on the 11th day of June, A. D. 1879, by the Treasurer and Collector of Lake county, Illinois, at the County Clerk’s Office, in said county, for taxes assessed for the year A.D 1878, and costs thereon, S.S. Streeter purchased the following described lands and lots situated in said county of Lake, to-wit:
To whom assessed. Description.
Eliza Cooper, W 1/2, nw 1/4, se 1/4, Section 27, Town-
ship 45 north, Range 10.
do Ex 1 a ne cor sw 1/4 se 1/4 Sec-
tion 27 Township 45 north, Range 10.
do Se cor fri nw 1/4 ne 1/4 Section
34 Township 45 north, Range ten.
do Nw cor w 5/8 se 1/4 ne 1/4 Sec 34
Township 45 north, Range 10.
do E pt ne 1/4 sw 1/2 ne 1/4 Section 34
Township 45 north, Range 10.
do Sw cor frl ne 1/4 ne 1/4 Section 34
Township 45 north, Range 10.”
According to the Waukegan Weekly Gazette (Waukegan IL) Saturday, September 23, 1882, page 2:
“STATE OF ILLINOIS, Lake County SS. In the Circuit Court, November term, 1882, Rachel Wright and Johnson Millard, vs. Rufus Millard, Ashbel V. Smith, Mary Ann Wells, Caroline Sanford, Edward R. Millard, George Millard, Billings Millard, Ambrose Millard, Henry J. Millard, Columbus Millard, Norman L. Millard, Harriet Clark, James Millard, Emily Adams, Alice Thornton, Elmer Millard, George Millard, brother of Eliza Jones, decease, Frank Millard, Theodore C. Slosser and William Whigam, administrators of the estate of Eliza Jones, deceased, the unknown heirs of Eliza Jones, deceased, and the unknown owners of and person interested in the real estate described in the bill of complaint in this cause filed. In chancery, Affidavit of the non-residence of the above named defendants, Rufus Millard, Mary Ann Wells, Caroline Sanford, George Millard, Billings Millard, Ambrose Millard, Henry J. Millard, Columbus Millard, Norman L. Millard, Harriet Clark, Alice Thornton and Elmer Millard, and that the place of residence of George Millard, brother of Eliza Jones, deceased and Frank Millard, up diligent inquiry cannot be found, and that there are unknown heirs of said Eliza Jones, deceased, and that there are unknown owners of persons interested in the real estate described in the bill of complaint in said cause filed having been filed in the Clerk’s office of the Circuit Court of said County, notice is therefore hereby given to you and said non-resident defendants, Rufus Millard, Mary Ann Wells, Caroline Sanford, George Millard, Billings Millard, Ambrose Millard, Henry J. Millard, Columbus Millard, Norman L. Millard, Harriet Clerk, Alice Thornton, Elmer Millard, George Millard, brother of Eliza Jones, deceased, Frank Millard, the unknown heirs of Eliza Jones, deceased, and the unknown owners of and person interested in the real estate described in the bill of complaint in said cause filed, that the complainants, filed their bill of complaint in said Court, on the chancery side thereof, on the twenty-first day of September, 1882, and that thereupon a summons issued out of said Court, wherein said suit is now pending, returnable on the first Monday in the month of November, next, as is by law required, and that unless you, the persons, heirs and owners, last above named and notified, shall personally be and appear before said Circuit Court, on the first day of the next November term thereof, to be holden at the Court House, in Waukegan, in said Lake county, on the first Monday in November, 1882, and plead, answer, and demur, to the said complainant’s bill of complaint, the same and the matters and things therein charged and stated will be taken as confessed, and a decree entered against you according to the prayer of said bill.
CHARLES PHILLIPS, Clerk.
CHARLES WHITNEY, Compt’s Sol.
Waukegan, Ill., Sept. 21, 1882. 4w68″
According to the Waukegan Weekly Gazette (Waukegan IL) Saturday, May 16, 1885, page 3:
“STATE OF ILLINOIS Lake County SS – In the County Court of Lake County. In the matter of the estate of Eliza Jones, deceased. To Rachel Wright, Johnson Millard, Rufus Millard, Mary Ann Wells, Caroline Sandford, Edward R. Millard, George Millard, Billings Millard, Ambrose Millard, Henry J. Millard, Columbus Millard, Norman L. Millard, Harriet Clark, James Millard, Emily Adams, Alice Thornton, Elmer Millard, George Millard, Frank Millard, John E. St. Clair Millard, the unknown heirs at law of said Eliza Jones deceased, and Ashbel V. Smith.
You are hereby notified that on the 15th day of June A. D. 1885, at the hour of ten o’clock in the forenoon of that day, or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard, the undersigned will present to said court their final report and accounting as administrators of the estate of said deceased and ask to have the same approved and apply to be discharged.
Dated May 16, 1885.
T. C. SLUSSER.
WILLIAM WHIGAM.
Administrators of the estate of Eliza Jones deceased.”