COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY
Of Henry County, Indiana
B.F. Bowen
1920
Pages 365, 366, 367
Surnames in this biography are: Copeland, Holloway, Allen, Reed, Kennard, McKee, Lee
SETH S. COPELAND
Agriculture has been the chief occupation of the gentleman whose name appears above and the enterprising manner in which he has taken advantage of every method and idea tending towards the enhancement of the value of his estate. In addition to being a successful farmer and stock raiser he is a man of intelligence and varied information, and for many years has been much interested in matters of public import. He is one of the leading citizens of the township in which he lives and in every way worthy of special mention with the progressive men of Henry County. The Copeland family in America came from North Carolina and the date of their arrival in Henry County is about 1825. In that year the subject’s parents, Ephraim and Leah (Copeland) Copeland, came to this part of Indiana and settled in Buck Creek township, Mr. Copeland working for some time thereafter as a farm laborer. He and wife made the trip from North Carolina on horseback and encountered many difficulties and hardships on the way. He was a poor man and the outlook for some time after his arrival was anything but encouraging. Subsequently he obtained possession of a piece of woodland, erected a small cabin and after becoming settled addressed himself to the formidable undertaking of clearing a farm. After occupying his original place for a few years and doing considerable work thereon, he sold and purchased the farm in Greensboro township where his son, the subject of this sketch, now lives. Mr. Copeland was a true specimen of the sturdy pioneer of the early day, strong in body, independent of spirit, self-reliant in all of his undertakings and did much towards the material improvement of his community. He lived on his second place until his death in 1860, made money slowly but surely and left to his heirs a personal estate valued at several thousand dollars, besides four hundred and forty acres of valuable land, the greater part well improved and in a successful state of cultivation. One hundred and twenty acres of this land constitute the home place in Henry County, the other three hundred and twenty being in the county of Hancock. Ephraim and Leah Copeland had eleven children, only five of whom are living at the present time, namely: Abigail, wife of Jesse Holloway; Louisa, now Mrs. Job Holloway; Lewis, who married Louisa Allen; Seth S., the subject of this review, and Nellie, wife of John Reed. Seth S. Copeland was born in Henry County, Indiana, on the 18th day of July,
1840. He first saw the light of day on the place where he now lives, was reared to a proper conception of the true dignity of honest toil and early in life had the principles of truth and love of right so impressed upon his mind and heart as to influence for good the whole course of his subsequent career. In the country schools he received a fair English education, and until his twenty-first year remained with his mother, having taken charge of the farm after his father’s death and managed it successfully to the interest of his remaining parent and himself. In November 1863, Mr. Copeland chose a life companion in the person of Miss Lizzie Kennard, daughter of John Kennard, after which he rented the homestead until his mother’s second marriage, when he bought out the other heirs and came into full possession of the farm. As a farmer
Mr. Copeland has been energetic and up-to-date, prosecuting his labors systematically and according to the most approved modern methods. His place is well improved with good fences and substantial buildings and the general appearances of the premises indicates a spirit of thrift and progress which betoken the presence of an agriculturist familiar with every detail of his calling and fully in touch with the advanced age in which he lives. He has a beautiful and attractive home and is well situated to enjoy life, providing amply for those dependent upon him, besides accumulating a handsome surplus for the future. Mr. Copeland is a gentleman of high moral standing and socially has a wide acquaintance among the best people of his township. He discharges the duties of citizenship as becomes a loyal American, taking an active interest in political and other matters and demonstrating a desire to promote the advancement of his county by advocating all enterprises and measures for the public welfare, he votes the Republican ticket and has done so since old enough to wield the election franchise, being quite an active worker but by no means a professional politician or narrow partisan. He has traveled extensively in the United States, especially in the South and West, seeing much of the country and broadening his mind by contact with the world in various capacities. Religiously Mr. Copeland is a member of what is known as the Hicksite branch of the society of Friends and for a number of years has been an active worker in the local church to which he belongs: Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic lodge at Greensboro, in which for several years he held the important office of treasurer. In all of his relations with his fellow men he is the soul of honor and wherever known his word has all the sacredness and binding force of a written obligation. A kind neighbor, a successful farmer and an enterprising and progressive citizen, with a clear life and a pure record, such in brief is the life of this well-known and highly esteemed resident of the township of Greensboro, and it is a pleasure to give him mention in this volume. Three children constitute the family of Mr. and Mrs. Copeland. Glen S., who married Lottie McKee, was born in 1865, Earl, born in 1870, lives in Chicago, and Ethel who is the wife of Clarence Lee of this county.
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