Biography: Joseph COPELAND was born 1677 in Isle of Wight County, VA and married 1694 in Isle of Wight County, VA. He died before 22 Aug 1726 in Chuckatuck Parish, Nansemond County, VA and was buried in Chuckatuck Parish, Nansemond County, VA. Joseph married Mary Elizabeth WOODLEY. 
  

First, I reommend my soul to God that gave it me trusting by the merits of my Savious Christ to attain to the resurrection of life my body to be decently buried at the descretion of my Executrix hereafter named and for such estate as God hath entrusted me with, I give as followeth: I give and bequeath unto my son, John COPELAND one negro boy called Robin, to him and his heirs forever and I likewise give him my pistols, holsters, and silver hilt sword, I give and bequeath unto my son, John three hogsheads of tobacco I have shipped on board Captain Murren for to purchase a still of forty five gallons and all necessaries belonging a still and if the tobacco that doth not clear the still my will is that my son John shall pay the remainder out of his estate, my wife haveing half the use of the said still during her natural life. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth COPELAND one negro boy named Sam and one negro girl named Minnie, which two negroes I give to her and her heirs forever and also one gold ring the posie being "as God decreed so we agreed." I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Copeland two negro girls named Jude and Lolo to him and his heirs forever and I give him my silverhead cane. And my will is that the remainder of my crop and provision killed into my house estate I desire may be appraised and equally divided between my loving wife and children my just debts being in the first place paid and I do make and ordain my loving wife's executirx of this my last will and testament whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 28th day of February.
        Joseph COPELAND (seal)
        Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of
        Richard WEBB, Lupo MELCHEZIDICK (Mark) DUSAG"

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Seventh Generation
64.  John Nicholas COPELAND

WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY  Page 212
After the restoration of King Charles II, the Quakers had a strong Following, especially in the Upper parish.  William EDMUNDSON a friend
of George FOX, visited this neighborhood in 1671, and met General
Richard BENNETT, "who," he said, "received the truth and died in the
same, leaving two friends his xecutors."  The able lawyer and preacher, Thomas Story, of Philadelphia, came in 1699 and 1705, and held many  "open and comfortable meetings" in this and other parts of Virginia, viz., at Edward THOMAS' house on Queen Creek, York county; at Daniel AKEBURST's and Thomas CARY's, on Warwick river; at Robert PERKIN's, at Martin's Hundred; at John BATE's, at Skimeno, York county, and at phuckatuck, where he met with "his ancient friend,' Elizabeth WEBB, of Gloucestershire, England, and John COPELAND, who at his request showed him his mutilated right ear, being "one of the first of those who had their ears cut by the Presbyterians, or Independents, of New England."(1)  There was a yearly meeting at "Levy Neck" (stillknown by that name), and the chief Quakers were Dr. John GROVE, William BRESSY, and Thomas JORDAN. 
       
Col. Joseph BRIDGER, Major Thomas TABERER, and General Richard BENNETT, and many others of the leading men sympathized with the Quakers, and while the Quakers were sometimes fined for non-conformity, they had their own meeting-houses and practically their own way.  After 1699 their houses were regularly licensed, and there is in the Gazette for 1736 an address signed by the leading Quakers of the Colony in which they admit they had nothing to complain of except their being taxed to support the State, or Episcopal Church.

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Eighth Generation
128.  John Joseph COPELAND

Biographical Notes:

------------------------------------------------------------------ A Biography of John COPELAND (1616-1718)
 by James WINNEFELD and Fredda Coupland WINNEFELD
Based on Speculation and incomplete Records John COPELAND was England several times, was mutilated in Massachusetts for his religious beliefs and teachings, and finally returned to England where he died in 1718. John is an ancestor of many American COPELAND. The purpose of this essay is to compile in one place what is known about him, his
parents, his siblings, and his children and grandchildren. There is much that is not known for certain about John, even though he is frequently mentioned in early histories and records of Virginia and Massachussettes.  Some of these uncertain ties carry down to his children and the various lines of descendents they parented.         
        John's Origins
It is likely that John was born in either Yorkshire or Lancashire.  If he was born in Lancashire, he was probably the son of Lawrence COPELAND.  Guess states that this Lawrence was a famous roundhead who's lands were confiscated for his religious beliefs. The LDS International Genealogy Index (IGI) for Lancashire indicates that a John, son of Lawrence COOPELANDE (sic) was Christened in St. Mary's parish Lancashire on 24 February 1612. The IGI also indicates that Lawrence had a son Lawrence Christened in St Mary's parish in 1609. There was one son recorded in the IGI: William Copeland, Christened 6 July 1616 in St. Mary's parish. If John originated in Yorkshire, he was probably the son of Robert COPELAND and Alice YOUNG, born 10 April 1616 and Christened in Easingwold on 27 October 1616. This John had
numerous brothers and sisters. There is at least one cite that says John was from Yorkshire.   There is a possibility that John originated in Scotland. There is an IGI entry that shows a John COPELAND being born in Dumphries, Scotland in 1616. But we have been unable to establish other linkages to Scotland to date.  Several sources state that John was from Dolphin Leigh. COPELAND and BARNES suggest much the same.  To date we do not now whether Dolphin Leigh was/is an estate, town, or parish. It is no listed in any gazetteer we have examined.  However, an inquiry to the National Geographic Society (Mr. Michael Horner, map archivist) are in placing Dolphin Leigh in the southeast outskirts of Lancaster ,  at Latitude 54 degrees, 3 minutes, and 9 seconds north; and Longitude 2 degrees, 46 minutes and 3 seconds west.  The only additional information is that it is not a town mark. By elimination it as either a farm, estate, or crossroads. As we
will see, John later became a devout Quaker. Quakerism was strong in  both Lancashire and Yorks (less so in Scotland). As a working hypothesis, we assume in the remainder of this essay that John is from Lancashire.
        John Emmigrates to America

The record clearly indicates that John left Gravesend (near London for
Virginia aboard Assurance in July 1635. In conformance with then existing law, he was "examined" by a town official before leaving and
required to take an oath of "allegiance and supremacy" to support the 
Church of England. He was carried on the passenger manifest as being
19 years old at the time. It is not known where John debarked in
Virginia though based on his subsequent movements it was likely in the Hampshire Roads region.
       
John's Early Period in Virginia
       
It is not known when John was converted to Quakerism, but it is unlikely that such an event happened until the late 1640s or early when Quakerism's founder, George FOX, greatly expanded the geograph coverage of his ministry. Also it is not known whether John became Quaker as a result of a conversion in England or in Virginia. What we do know with some certainty is that he settled in the southside of  Virginia and married Sarah RATLIFF in 1644 in Isle of Wight County VA, p. 7,026). As far as we know this was his first marriage, having sailed for Virginia in 1635 was correct, he must have NOTE: been 29 years old at the time of his marriage.
John and Sarah had four children according to the IGI:
Nicholas (1645)
William (1647)
Hannah (1654)
Joseph (1655)
     
John's Later Years
Chuckatuck County records in Virginia show his signature many between 1679 and 1696. He became a celebrity in his old age as on the old Quakers who had suffered for his beliefs.He was asked on several occasions to display his mutilation to sympathizers. He remarried third marriage by our count) in 1691, and reportedly received many visitors in his home as late as 1698. COPELAND gives the date of his death as 9 January 1718 and his burial site as North Cave, Yorkshire.
              
John and Sarah's Children
We have already cited four children born of John and Sara Nicholas
(1645), William (1647), Hannah (1654), and Joseph (1655). (p. 8) cites four sons: John, Nicholas, William, and possibly Thom GUESS makes no  mention of Hannah or Joseph.  THOMPSON has still a di list of John's and Sarah's children: William, Nicholas, John, Sara of Quaker John and
William son of William COPELAND of Middlesex Co Virginia are either
almost identical in naming and sequence, or so genealogists have borrowed the family of one and attributed it to other William.
       
From 'Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy'

John COPELAND "Quaker
John" One cannot close a sketch of Lower Virginia Quakers without a few words concerning four most interesting personages to impress the pages of their history. Incidentally, they are also four of the most colorful Virginia colonials. The first of whom we shall speak is John COPELAND, We know that he was living at Chuckatuck in 1698 for the missionary, Thomas STORY, tells of lodging at his house. He says, in his Journal, 'Upon some discourse with our friend (COPELAND) I found he was one of the first of those who had their ears cut off by the Presbyterians  (Puritans) , or Independents, in New England for the testimony of truth, in the first publishing thereof to that rebellious and at my request he showed us his right ear yet bearing the badge of their antichristianity . This quotation is most interesting as it throws new light upon the career of one of the earliest martyrs of the Quaker faith. John or John NICHOLAS came to American colonies as a
missionary to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1656. He was with eight other missionaries, and with them he suffered persecution, imprisonment, and eventually the sentence of banishment from the colony. John Copeland was from Yorkshire, England, and in all probability an acquaintance of Robert Fowler who was of the same county and the skipper and owner of that famous vessel, "The Woodhouse". Certain it is that Copeland was one of that renowned band that made the epic voyage across the Atlantic on that tiny vessel in 1657. As can be seen, this was Copeland's second mission to America, Like his friend and traveling companion, Christopher HOLDER, he was at this time young and unmarried and is referred to as being well educated. In New England the two friends were banished again, after being cruelly beaten with a three-corded knotted whip. They were thrown into prison, without bedding, food or drink and left for three days and their wounds raw and uncared for. After nine weeks they were released and forbidden to ever show their faces in those parts since they preached a Gospel uncongenial to the local authorities, Refusing to be intimidated by the unjust and intolerant laws of the New England persecutors John COPELAND, like his associates of the same period, defied the cruel law of exile and returned again and again to the forbidden towns and settlements, though he knew he did so at his own bodily peril. In 1658 he and Christopher Holder again felt a religious call to proceed to Boston-known to Quakers as the "the Lion's Den". For such an act the law specified that their ears should be cut off. This they knew. Yet they went to protest the denial of their religious liberties. As soon as it was known that they were within the bounds of the state of Massachusetts they were arrested and thrown into prison, A week later after the wicked sentence had been pronounced, it was privately carried into execution by the hangman, within the walls of Boston. In the latter part of 1658 John COPELAND was in England and in 1661 we hear of his presence in London and in 1667 he married. The record of this marriage describes him as being from Lockington, North Cave, in the county of York. He married again in 1677 (presumably in England) after the death of his first wife in 1675. Ten years later (1687) he is again in America, as a letter to George FOX mentions that he is in Virginia. His signature appears many times in the Chuckatuck record between 1679-96, In 1691 he entered for the third time into the state of matrimony and, as has been seen, Story lodged in his house at Chuckatuck in 1698. His residence seems to have been a frequent meeting place for the Friends of the Chuckatuck area, Bowden gives the date of his death as the ninth of the first month 1718 and says he was buried at North Cave, England. In connection with John

COPELAND a news item of June 1940 becomes most interesting: Jamestown, Virginia - Possibly the oldest example of American pewter in existence was excavated recently during archaeological work at Jamestown Island... It consists of the fragment of a spoon 'by Joseph COPELANDIt is dated 'Chuckatuck 1675". This Joseph COPELAND was the son of John Nicholas COPELAND, according to Boddie the Isle of Wight historian, and inherited the estate of Major Taberer of that County. It should be possible to show that all the COPELANDs of Virginia Quaker tradition are descendants or relatives of this most unusual man - John COPELAND, among these earliest Quaker families not all of whom had been puritans, are found the names of GOODWIN, BENNETT, HUTCHENS, JORDAN, DRAPER, COPELAND, DEVION, JOHNSON, JONES, MURREY, BRESSIE, CHAMPMAN, BODDY (BODDIE), OUTLAND, HOWARD, WIGGS, EXUM, BARNES, WEST, LAWRENCE, TOOK, TABERER, NEWMAN, BUFKIN (BUSKIN), PERKINS, GARRET, BELSON, GROVE, POPE, LACEEE, and others too numerous to mention. " (JP Many of these names are later found to intermarry with the COPELANDs.  They were also later mentioned as the more promenient families of the area in the same book)
       

"See Thayers Geneology and Savage,Geneological Dictionary of New England" Pages 455-456

John COPELAND, born 1628,Came to Boston,Mass. in July 1656 in the Speedwell,at age 28 from London,England as a Quaker.The next year he was banished from Plymouth colony in Massachusetts after being whipped.
       

"Henshaw's Encyclopedia of Quaker Geneology" Page 39

The Society of Friends was first planted in Virginia on the eastern shore and then in the region south of the lower james River ,which area is penetrated by the Nansemond and Elizabeth Rivers. All the meetings in the counties there are closely related by both ties and blood and organization. The same families which first settled in isle of Wight County, later moved on into Nasemond, and in the period 1660-1663 almost every Quaker family sent members to become the first settlers of the state of North Carolina.Wheeler in his History of North Carolina says "The first permanent settlement in Perquimans County was formed after the expulsion of the quakers from virginia in 1662". So one should not be surprised to find the same members family names in all these places. Virginia records started 1673 at the suggestion of George FOX. 
        
Page 24 We know that John COPELAND was living in Chuckatuck,Va. in 1698 for the missionary, Thomas STORY, tells of lodging at the home of John COPELAND.  He says in his journal,"Upon discourse with our friend COPELAND, I found he was one of the first of those who had their ears cut off by the Presbyterians or Independants of Boston,Mass., in New England for the testimonies of truth,in the first publishing thereof of the rebellious generations.And,at my request he showed us his right earyet bearing the badge of their "antichristianity".John COPELAND first came to the American colonies as a missionary to Boston,Mass. in 1656. He was with eight other missionaries, and with them he suffered persecution,imprisonment, and eventually the sentence of banishment from the colony. John Copeland was from Yorkshire,England and in all probabllity was an acquaintance of Robert Fowler,who was from the same county and same skipper and owner of that famous vessel ,"The Woodhouse". Certain it is that Copeland was one of that renowned band that made the epic voyage across the Atlantic on that tiny vessel in 1657. As can be seen , this was COPELANDs second mission to America.Like his friend and traveling companion,Christopher Holder, He was at this time young and unmarried and is referred to as being well educated. In New England,the two friends were banished again,after being cruelly beaten with a three corded ,knotted whip.They were thrown into prison,without bedding, food, or drink and left for five days with their wounds raw and uncared for. After nine weeks they were released and forbidden to ever return since they preached a gospel uncongenial to local authorities.COPELAND, like his associates of the same period, defied the cruel law of exile and returned again and again. In 1658, he and christopher HOLDER went to Boston, known to Quakers as"The Lion Den". The law specified that their ears should be cut off. This was done within the walls of boston gaol.In the latter part of 1658 ,John COPELAND was in England. In 1661, we hear of his presence in London.In 1667,he was married. The record of his marriage describes him as being from "Lockington North Cave,in the County of York". He married again in 1677, presumabily in England,after the death of his first wife in 1675. In 1687, he is again in America, as a letter to George FOX mentions that he is in Virginia. His signature appears in chuckatuck records between 1679-1696.In 1691, John COPELAND married for the third time.His residence was frequent meeting place for Friends of the Chucktuck area. BOWDEN gives the date of his death as 1/9/1718 and says he was buried at North Cave,England.In connection with John COPELAND, a news item of June 1940:" Jamestown,Va., possibility that the oldest example of American pewter in existence was excavated recently during archeological work at Jamestown Island...It consist of the fragment of a spoon by Joseph COPELAND.  It is dated 1675. This Joseph COPELAND, grandson to Major Thomas TABERER, was probably a relative of John COPELAND, according to BODDIE, The Isle of Wight historian,and inherited the estate of Major Thomas TABERER of that county. It should be possible to show that all COPELANDs of Virginia Quaker tradition are descendants or relatives of this most unusual man, John COPELAND.  This has been copied from notes of Gladys Copeland CHAMBERLAIN, my mother Pauline's oldest sister, by Jesse LAWRENCE5/6/1997.
       
        The Puzzle of Quaker John's Marriages
        The evidence suggests that Quaker John entered into three mar  the first to Sarah RATLIFFE of Isle of Wight County, Virginia. The of his second and third wives are unknown. Moreover, we do not know if he had any children from those later marriages.The dates of the VAmarriages are confusing. For example, one researcher has him entering into his second marriage while another researcher shows first wife RATLIFFE still alive. These events raise the suspicion that Quaker has been confused with other John COPELANDs that may have existed. Example, suppose that there were a John each from Dumphries, Lancaster and Yorkshire and that two or more of them lived in Virginia at the same try a  multiplicity of Johns may also explain the confusion over t O children attributed to him, and his extraordinarily long life
 
        John the Quaker Missionary
        One researcher believes John travelled from Virginia to Boston 1651. Sometime later he returned to England. It is possible that converted to Quakerism at this time. He left England 30 May 1656 Boston aboard Speedwell, and is listed as a Quaker on the passenge manifest. On arrival in Boston he and seven other co-religionists promptly jailed. The captain of Speedwell was required to take th NOTE: back to England. But the following year John returned to Boston in the Woodhouse. He was described at the time as young, unmarried, and educated. John's stay in Boston was again a stormy one and resulte his having his right ear cut off by order of a Boston court in 165 AND again being ejected from the Colony. John's subsequent travels unt NOTE: 1665 are unknown, but in that year he was again in England and was amon Newgate prisoners to be sentenced to transportation, first to the Barbadoes, and subsequently to Virginia. Sarah died either in 167 OR in in England. A letter sent to George FOXin 1678 states that John .