Family Group Sheet
NameFranklin “Frank” Cooper
Birth26 May 1855, Hilda, Fleming Co., Kentucky
Death30 Nov 1939, Morehead, Rowan Co., Kentucky
BurialPurvis Cemetery, Rowan Co., Ky
FatherGeorge W. Cooper (~1822-1908)
MotherMary J. Lykes (~1823-1888)
Other spousesLyda Ann Johnson
Unmarried
PartnerAmanda [Burk] Plank
Birth22 Jul 1855, Fleming Co., Kentucky
Birth Memofrom annual birth report
Birth12 Jan 1854, Fleming Co., Kentucky
Birth Memofrom her death certificate
Death21 Apr 1932, Grange City, Fleming Co., Kentucky
FatherJames or John Plank
MotherNancy Ann Burk (~1834-)
Other spousesGeorge W. Cooper
Children
1 FIda Plank
Birthabt 1874, Fleming Co., Kentucky
Birth1 Jul 1875 (?), Fleming Co., Kentucky
Death16 Jun 1942, Jamestown, Greene Co., Ohio
SpouseDavid Harvey Bradshaw
SpouseJohn W. Hall , 2C3R
Notes for Franklin “Frank” Cooper
The Fleming Co., Ky, births report for 1855 lists Franklin Cooper, born 26 May 1855 in Fleming Co., father George Cooper, mother’s maiden name Mary Likes.
His death certificate records Frank Cooper, age 84 years 6 months 10 days, born 20 May 1855 in Rowan Co., Ky, died 30 Nov 1939 in Morehead, Rowan Co., Ky, married, husband of Liddie Ann Cooper, age 85, occupation farmer, father Geo W. Cooper, born in Rowan Co., mother’s maiden name Mary Lyks, born in Fleming Co., Ky, cause of death cerebral hemorrhage, informant Etta Caudill, Morehead, Ky, burial in Pervice Cemetery.
His death certificate records Frank Cooper, age 84 years 6 months 10 days, born 20 May 1855 in Rowan Co., Ky, died 30 Nov 1939 in Morehead, Rowan Co., Ky, married, husband of Liddie Ann Cooper, age 85, occupation farmer, father Geo W. Cooper, born in Rowan Co., mother’s maiden name Mary Lyks, born in Fleming Co., Ky, cause of death cerebral hemorrhage, informant Etta Caudill, Morehead, Ky, burial in Pervice Cemetery.
Notes for Amanda [Burk] Plank
The Fleming Co., Ky, annual births report to the state auditor for 1855 records the birth on 22 July 1855 of Amanda Burke, father field blank, mother’s maiden name Nancy Ann Burke.
Her death certificate records Amanda Cooper, age 78 years 3 months 9 days, born 12 Jan 1854 in Fleming Co., Ky, died 21 April 1932 in Grange City, Fleming Co., Ky, widowed, father James Plank, mother’s maiden name Nancy Ann Plank, both born in Fleming Co., Ky, cause of death carcinoma of uterus, informant Herbert Cooper, Morehead, Ky, burial in Fairview Cemetery.
From the birth and census records, her mother was actually Nancy Ann Burk/Birk, who either married James or John Plank sometime after 1860, well after Amanda’s birth, or perhaps was never married to him at all, and just took his name unofficially. But all of Nancy’s children were known as Plank as adults, even though they were listed as Birk in the 1860 and 1880 censuses (and as Plank in 1870.)
Although the birthdate given in the death certificate varies from the one in the birth record in all particulars (day, month and year), the date in the birth report is not necessarily the correct one. The birth report is compiled the following year from all the reports turned in by midwives and doctors, and quite often the clerk misreads the handwriting of the person reporting it. It would not be hard to misread Jany 12 as July 22, for example.
Her death certificate records Amanda Cooper, age 78 years 3 months 9 days, born 12 Jan 1854 in Fleming Co., Ky, died 21 April 1932 in Grange City, Fleming Co., Ky, widowed, father James Plank, mother’s maiden name Nancy Ann Plank, both born in Fleming Co., Ky, cause of death carcinoma of uterus, informant Herbert Cooper, Morehead, Ky, burial in Fairview Cemetery.
From the birth and census records, her mother was actually Nancy Ann Burk/Birk, who either married James or John Plank sometime after 1860, well after Amanda’s birth, or perhaps was never married to him at all, and just took his name unofficially. But all of Nancy’s children were known as Plank as adults, even though they were listed as Birk in the 1860 and 1880 censuses (and as Plank in 1870.)
Although the birthdate given in the death certificate varies from the one in the birth record in all particulars (day, month and year), the date in the birth report is not necessarily the correct one. The birth report is compiled the following year from all the reports turned in by midwives and doctors, and quite often the clerk misreads the handwriting of the person reporting it. It would not be hard to misread Jany 12 as July 22, for example.
Census
1860 census of Fleming Co., Ky, district 2, Flemingsburg P.O., enumerated 9 July, lists on p. 31 as family #203/255:
Abraham Birk, 83, gentleman; Mary, 54; Nancy A., 26; George W., 18; Amanda, 5; Mary F., 3. All born in Kentucky.
Amanda and Mary F. are daughters of Nancy. George’s death certificate records his parents as Abraham Burk and Mary Alinder.
1870 census of Fleming Co., Ky, Hillsboro precinct, enumerated 4 Aug, lists on p. 18 as family #118/115:
Berk, Mary, 65, farmer; Jamima, 10; Plank, Nancy, 36; Amanda, 14; Jas Wm, 8; John, 6; Julia, 3. All born in Kentucky.
1880 census of Fleming Co., Ky, Hillsboro precinct, enumerated 17 June, lists on p. 26 as family #224/226:
Plank, Nancy, 45; Birk, Amanda, 23 (relationship blank); Birk, James W., 17, son; Birk, John, 15, son; Louesia, 4, dau; Lurania, 4, dau; Ida, 6, granddaughter; Abigale, 3, granddaughter; baby no name, male, 1/12, b. Apr, granddaughter.
Ida, Abigail and the infant are children of Amanda. The infant is listed as male in the gender column, but as a granddaughter in the relationship column.
Note that the surname of Nancy’s children Amanda, James and John has gone from being Plank in 1870 to Birk (Nancy’s maiden name) in 1880, even though Nancy has kept the surname Plank. It is unclear what the surname of the younger children is meant to be. They have the dash that means ditto rather than an explicit surname, but it is ambiguous as to whether they are meant to inherit from the head of household (Nancy Plank), or from the last line that has a surname (John Birk).
Abraham Birk, 83, gentleman; Mary, 54; Nancy A., 26; George W., 18; Amanda, 5; Mary F., 3. All born in Kentucky.
Amanda and Mary F. are daughters of Nancy. George’s death certificate records his parents as Abraham Burk and Mary Alinder.
1870 census of Fleming Co., Ky, Hillsboro precinct, enumerated 4 Aug, lists on p. 18 as family #118/115:
Berk, Mary, 65, farmer; Jamima, 10; Plank, Nancy, 36; Amanda, 14; Jas Wm, 8; John, 6; Julia, 3. All born in Kentucky.
1880 census of Fleming Co., Ky, Hillsboro precinct, enumerated 17 June, lists on p. 26 as family #224/226:
Plank, Nancy, 45; Birk, Amanda, 23 (relationship blank); Birk, James W., 17, son; Birk, John, 15, son; Louesia, 4, dau; Lurania, 4, dau; Ida, 6, granddaughter; Abigale, 3, granddaughter; baby no name, male, 1/12, b. Apr, granddaughter.
Ida, Abigail and the infant are children of Amanda. The infant is listed as male in the gender column, but as a granddaughter in the relationship column.
Note that the surname of Nancy’s children Amanda, James and John has gone from being Plank in 1870 to Birk (Nancy’s maiden name) in 1880, even though Nancy has kept the surname Plank. It is unclear what the surname of the younger children is meant to be. They have the dash that means ditto rather than an explicit surname, but it is ambiguous as to whether they are meant to inherit from the head of household (Nancy Plank), or from the last line that has a surname (John Birk).
Notes for Franklin “Frank” & Amanda (Family)
It is tentative as to whether Frank Cooper was the father of Amanda’s children who were born out of wedlock.
The source for this indentification is that their daughter Abigail’s death certificate, for whom Abigail’s daughter Irene was the informant, gives Abigail’s father’s name as Frank Cooper. So presumably Abigail told Irene that her father’s name was Frank Cooper.
The only Frank Cooper I can find in Fleming or Rowan Co., though, is the one who was married to Lyda Ann Johnson from 1877 until his death in 1939. This Frank Cooper, born 1855 and thus the same age as Amanda, was the son of the George W. Cooper whom Amanda married in 1891. It would seem somewhat unusual for a woman to have several children out of wedlock by one man, and later marry her lover’s father, but stranger things do happen.
Note that although Abigail’s surname, and that of her siblings, is given as Plank in many records (and Burk in others), this does not represent a likelihood that the father of Abigail (and of Amanda’s other children) was a Plank. Rather, it reflects the fact that Amanda was also born out of wedlock, and even as a child she alternated between the surnames Burk and Plank, Burk being the maiden name of Amanda’s mother, and Plank being the surname of Amanda’s father or stepfather.
The source for this indentification is that their daughter Abigail’s death certificate, for whom Abigail’s daughter Irene was the informant, gives Abigail’s father’s name as Frank Cooper. So presumably Abigail told Irene that her father’s name was Frank Cooper.
The only Frank Cooper I can find in Fleming or Rowan Co., though, is the one who was married to Lyda Ann Johnson from 1877 until his death in 1939. This Frank Cooper, born 1855 and thus the same age as Amanda, was the son of the George W. Cooper whom Amanda married in 1891. It would seem somewhat unusual for a woman to have several children out of wedlock by one man, and later marry her lover’s father, but stranger things do happen.
Note that although Abigail’s surname, and that of her siblings, is given as Plank in many records (and Burk in others), this does not represent a likelihood that the father of Abigail (and of Amanda’s other children) was a Plank. Rather, it reflects the fact that Amanda was also born out of wedlock, and even as a child she alternated between the surnames Burk and Plank, Burk being the maiden name of Amanda’s mother, and Plank being the surname of Amanda’s father or stepfather.
