Person Page - 15

     Fletcher Henderson was born on 20-Aug-1910. He married Jewel Alexander, daughter of James Aquilla Alexander and Talitha Nora Rice. Fletcher Henderson died on 20-May-1995 at Houston, Harris County, Texas, at age 84.

     Ethyl D. Stapp was born on 24-Dec-1894 at Pilgrim Lake, Gonzales County, Texas; age on Nina Myrtice Rice Probate Birth Records is 35. She married Louis Leroy Hollan in 1919. Ethyl D. Stapp married Truman Courtney Rice, son of Oren Adelbert Rice and Mary Alice Hodges, on 9-Nov-1921 at DeWitt County, Texas. The 1930 Federal Census enumerated her as a member of Truman Courtney Rice's household. Ethyl D. Stapp died on 12-Mar-1978 at age 83. She was buried at County Line Cemetery, DeWitt County, Texas.

     Virgie Pearl Rice was born on 17-Aug-1922. The 1930 Federal Census enumerated her as a member of Truman Courtney Rice's household. Virgie Pearl Rice died on 20-Jul-1994 at Tom Green County, Texas, at age 71. She was buried at Alexander Cemetery, DeWitt County, Texas.

     Sylvester Cooper was born on 2-Sep-1830 at Jefferson County, Alabama. The 1850 Federal Census enumerated him as a member of Sarah Cooper's household; Sarah Cooper, 48, born North Carolina; Sylvester 20, farmer; Joseph, 16; Sarah, 14; Martha, 12; George, 9; all born Alabama. Buena Vista, Chickasaw County, Mississippi was settled in 1836, when a family by the name of Pulliam, from Georgia bought 900 acres of land from an Indian and made the first settlement. A post office was established on May 26, 1847 and named Monterey, with Uriah S. Williams as postmaster. On June 3, 1847 the name was changed to Buena Vista in commemoration of a battle fought on February 23 of that year in the Mexican War. Sylvester Cooper married Amy Harriet Marshall, daughter of William Marshall and Nancy Wortham, on 2-Feb-1852 at Houston, Chickasaw County, Mississippi. Sylvester Cooper enlisted on February 24, 1863 in the Company A (Buena Vista Rifles), Seventeenth Infantry Regiment, Mississippi Volunteers, Confederate States of America for 3 years. Sylvester probably participated in the Battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chickamuga, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Cedar Creek. On March 16, 1863, he wrote the following letter from Frederiksburg, Virginia (spelling edited):
"Dear Harriet and little children,
I have got to my company. I got here on the 14th, ten days travel. We had a very good time on the road. Nothing wrong happened to us. It cost me 27 dollars to get here. Everything is very high on the road and also at this place. I have no news to write. It is reported here this morning that the Yankees are across above this place, but maybe it is so or not, I don't know. The boys seem to doubt it but they are a plenty. Just across the river at this place I found all the boys on foot and able to eat their allowance. They are all in good spirits. If there should be a fight at this place the boys think they will gain the victory.
Harriet, I hardly know what to say to you. You can only do the best you can. I have no more idea when I will get home than you do. Some of the boys seem to think that there will be peace sometime this summer, but I fear there will be no such luck. Harriet, do the best you can and I will come home just as soon as I can. I want you to write just as soon as you get this and write often. I will close. Kiss the children for me. Give my best etcs to all of the connections and keep the home yourself.
Yours with great respect, S. Cooper"
He fought along with his two brothers, George W. and Joseph T. Cooper. Sylvester was wounded and captured at Cedar Creek (Belle Grove) on October 19, 1864, probably the result of Union General George E. Custer's cavalry charge. Sylvester's right leg was amputated on the battlefield. On October 20, 1864, the next day after he was captured, Sylvester was transferred to the U.S.A. Depot Field Hospital in Winchester, Virginia. On December 21, he was admitted to the U.S.A. General Hospital, Wests Building, Baltimore, Maryland. On the edge of death, he was fed broth and was restored to health by a Spanish speaking nurse. On May 9, 1865, Sylvester was transferred to Fort McHenry, Maryland. In this fort where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner, Sylvester took the oath of allegiance to the United States on June 12, 1865 and he was set free. Traveling muleback in the care of a black friend, Sylvester returned to his home and family in Mississippi. Overcoming the younger children's initial fear (they hid under the bed) of this peg-legged "stranger," Sylvester and Harriet restored the close family ties. Sylvester Cooper was 34 as of 19-Oct-1864. He sold 60 acres of land for $160 to John B. Parker; recorded in Deed Book BB, pages 424 & 425 on July 29, 1874 on 29-Oct-1866 at Chickasaw County, Mississippi. Could not find Sylvester Cooper listed between 1870 and 1872 Bastrop County, Texas. The 1880 Federal Census enumerated him as head of household on 21-Jun-1880 DeWitt County, Texas; Cooper, Sylvester, head, w/m/49, farmer, maimed-yes, born Alabama, father born North Carolina, mother born Alabama. He died on 15-May-1883 at DeWitt County, Texas, at age 52. He was buried at Hebron Cemetery, DeWitt County, Texas.

     Vawdry Burtram Graham was born on 7-Jun-1892 at Gulfport, Mississippi. He served during World War I. He married Ethel Ruby "Goldie" Rice, daughter of Oren Adelbert Rice and Mary Alice Hodges. Vawdry Burtram Graham died on 21-May-1972 at Houston, Harris County, Texas, at age 79. He was buried at Brookside Cemetery, Houston, Texas.

     Burnist Burtram Graham was born on 16-Dec-1923 at Houston, Harris County, Texas. He served in the U. S. Army during World War II between 1942 and 1945 enlisted at age 16. He was a tank commander in Company C, 193rd Tank Battallion in the Pacific Islands for 3 1/2 years. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and other medals. He married Myrtie Jean Wheeler, daughter of Murrell Lucian Wheeler and Sudie Arvilla Allen, on 23-Aug-1946 at Houston, Harris County, Texas. Burnist Burtram Graham died on 7-Jul-2003 at Houston, Texas, at age 79. He retired as a lineman with Houston Lightig & Power Company.

     Emily Ann Schmidt married Hanford Maurice Rice, son of Jesse James Rice and Wilhemena Minnie Schulz, on 31-May-1942 at Cuero, DeWitt County, Texas.

     Lonis Coats was born on 12-Nov-1917 at Montgomery County, Texas.

     William Edward Rogers was born on 21-Dec-1908 at Houston, Harris County, Texas. He died on 31-Jan-1971 at Houston, Harris County, Texas, at age 62.