William Abraham Cooper

born c.1725 Lunnenberg, Surry Co, Va - died c.1782 Nashborough, Cumberland Settlement, [TN])

married c.1740 in Chickasaw Country; (Abraham?) a North Carolina trader and scout for Daniel Boone; died in the defense of Nashville. 

I believe the date of death above was not correct for this William A. Cooper. As you can see below in DNA information back tracked to this particular William A. Cooper; he was instrumental in the settlement of the Coopers into the Southeastern US. This William A. Cooper died in the defense of Ft. Nash[borough] in 1783 and is a matter of public record. I have changed accordingly.

<nowiki>------------------------------------------------------------------</nowiki> William Cooper, an Indian trader who lived among the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Cherokee.

William and Malea Labon Cooper – William Born 1725 in Surry Co, Va. – Died 1783 in Nashborough, Cumberland Settlement. Documented in 1750 Granville Co., N.C. tax list, with 2 slaves Ben and Sam, again in again 1755. MAY 1769 Daniel Boone first set out for Kentucky from Hillsborough, N.C. with William Cooper as guide. 1775 Accompanied Daniel Boone to Kentucky from Rowan Co., N.C. and raised corn crop near Boonsborough; employed by Richard Henderson. On 8 JUL 1775 he is listed as member of Blanford Masonic Lodge in Bute Co., N.C., Capt. Weatherford's Dist. William Cooper accompanied Daniel Boone to Kentucky in 1775. He raised a corn crop in 1775-1776 on the left bank of Otter Creek above Clover Bottom near Boonsboro, said to be the first corn raised in Kentucky. (Kentucky State Historical Register, vol. 21, p. 97; Revolutionary War Pension #W3001 Filson Club, Louisville; Deed Books "C", "G" pp. 272 & 374, and "M" p. 134, Wayne Co. Kentucky County Clerk's Office.) Employed by Richard Henderson to assist Boone and others in clearing the Wilderness Road. William Cooper died in the defense of Ft. Nashborough. On Jan. 12, 1783, "The heirs of William Cooper deceased obtained a preemption of 640 acres of land lying on the north side of Cumberland River on the second branch above the mouth of Gasper's Lick Creek about 2 miles up said branch, including a spring and tree marked thus R E running down said branch for compliment." This appears to be in Sumner Co. See The Preemptors. Middle Tennessee's First Settlers, Vol. 1, by Irene M. Griffey.

INFORMATION FROM ANOTHER SOURCE: William was Born 1725 in Surry Co, Va. Died - Jan. 12, 1783 Malea born 1725 in Chickasaw country (?) Must have been Choctaw or part Choctaw for Henry and the other children were considered Choctaw.

Milla was a wealthy Jewish widow of Samuel Mutun of Royston, near Cambridge, who was killed by Simon de Montfort in the Albigensian crusades (Michael Adler, Jews of Medieval England, Jewish Historical Society of England, 1939, p. 22; Rigg I, 152; Stokes, p. 164). The name, therefore, was associated with French Jewry as early as 1200.

The name became common in the tribal hierarchies of the Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek. For instance, a Mallea (Milly) Francis was known as the "Creek Pocahontas" and was the daughter of Josiah Francis (Hillis Harjo), the Prophet (hanged by Jackson in 1818).