Early May Cooley

Early May Sheppard Cooley Memorial Photos Flowers Edit Share Learn about sponsoring this memorial... Birth: Jan. 8, 1877 Utah, USA Death: Dec. 12, 1941 Salt Lake City Salt Lake County Utah, USA

Father William Moroni Sheppard 1851-1900 Mother Margaret Thomas 1853-1889

Husband Alva Lorenzo Cooley 1876-1951 Married 1900 March 19

Father Law Andrew Wood Cooley 1837-1887 Mother Law Mary Jane Jenkins 1844-1933

Children Earley May Cooley Andersen 1902-1980 Son-Law Franklin p Andersen 1902-1990

Alva Lawrence Cooley 1905-1976 Daughter-Law Fern Elizabeth McFarlane

Andrew William Cooley 1907-1909

Grandchildren Lawrence Keith Cooley 1934-1987 Gary Mac Cooley 1937-2003 Robert Earl Cooley 1941-1996 Richard Kendall Andersen 1924 Donna Jean Andersen Graf 1926-1972 Beverly May Andersen Carter 1928

My great-grandmother,Earley May Sheppard Cooley had a difficult life. She was the daughter of William Moroni Sheppard and Margaret M Thomas. Her father's family came from England and her mother's from Wales. She had 2 brothers (William Thomas Moroni and Ernest C.)and 4 sisters (Alice Margaret Ashley, Margaret M and Rosetta Maud Sheppard and Ethel Irene Nelson). There were 7 children in total.

April 1887 was and eventful month in the Sheppard home. Her mother was pregnant with with Ethel when tragedy hit the family, sadly on April 4 her five year old sister Margaret died and then the next day April 5 her 6 year old sister Rosetta Maud or Rosella M died. On April 17 her mother gave birth to Ethel Irene.

On Nov 17 1889 May's life changed when her mother,Margaret died leaving her father William to raise William 16, Ernest 14, May 12, Alice 10 and Ethel 2. May was the oldest girl and had to help her father out with her 2 yr old sister.

On March 19, 1900 Early May Sheppard married Alva Lorenzo Cooley the son of Andrew Wood Cooley and Mary Jane Jenkins. Alva's history was similar to May's in that he lost his three brothers James (1880),John (1873) and Samuel(1891) and his father Andrew Wood Cooley died Oct 11 1887 (5 wives and 32 children). Alva's mother Jane was left a widow with 5 children to support. Alva was only 11 when his father died and he had to go to work to support the family. Alva and his brother Henry worked long days to create an income for the family.

Alva and May spent the earlier years of their marriage helping Jane with her farm and then worked hard to establish their own farm. Two months after her marriage, May's father, William died (3 May 1900). Her sister Ethel as she was only 13. Her sister Alice Margaret having married in 1899 took Ethel to live with her.

Alva and May were proud of their farm. The fields were filled with vegetables and flowers. The barn had pigs, chickens and over 20 cows that needed milking everyday. There was the daily trip to the creamery with the milk. When Alva was sick or injured it was May that did all the chores. May and Alva were very proud of the farm and their home, it provided for them and others during the depression.

The family was blessed in 1902 with the birth of their first child, she was named for her mother, Early May. In 1905 their first son, Alva Lawrence arrived and he was named for his father. In 1907 Andrew William arrived. They named him Andrew for Alva's father and William for May's father. The family called him Willis. Andrew William died in 1909 from scarlet fever.

Family links:

Parents:

 William Moroni Sheppard (1851 - 1900)

 Margaret Thomas Sheppard (1853 - 1889)

Spouse:

 Alva Lorenzo Cooley (1876 - 1951)*

Children:

 Earley May Cooley Andersen (1902 - 1980)*

 Andrew William Cooley (1907 - 1909)*

Siblings:

 William Thomas Moroni Sheppard (1873 - 1924)*

 Earnest C Sheppard (1875 - 1907)*

 Early May Sheppard Cooley (1877 - 1941)

 Alice Margaret Sheppard Ashley (1879 - 1924)*

 Rosetta Maud Sheppard (1879 - 1887)*

 Margaret M Sheppard (1882 - 1887)*

 Ethel Irene Sheppard Nelson (1887 - 1959)*

• Calculated relationship

Burial: Salt Lake City Cemetery Salt Lake City Salt Lake County Utah, USA Plot: u31-11-w-4