His obituary in the Owingsville Outlook reported:

“Reuben Copher, aged about 90 years, died at his home in the Ore Mines neighborhood Wednesday, Dec. 2, of rheumatism, from which he had been confined to his home for two years.

Deceased was a son of “General” Jacob Copher and a brother of Mrs. Mary Teal, widow of Howard Teal, of Olympia; Buck, of Pendleton county; John P. of Olympia; Henry (Dunk) and Jas., Monroe (Babe), of near middle Slate bridge.

Reuben Copher was reared near old Slate Furnace. He married Miss Melvina McQuithy, daughter of Samuel McQuithy, and lived at various places in the eastern part of the county. He was a soldier in Capt. James Ewing’s company in the Mexican war and in the Seventh Ky Calvary, U.S.A., in the Civil war. He drew a pension for his services in the army.

He was a very quiet, civil and unassuming man, but one of good intelligence and life-long industry. He and his wife reared a large family: Samuel, deceased; Mrs. Caroline Hall, of Salt Lick; James, deceased; Robert, Reuben and John, of Ore Mines; Mrs. Grizella Spencer, of Clear Creek; Mrs. Thos. Young, of Yale; Christopher, of West Virginia, and May, deceased. Mrs. Copher survives.”

Her death certificate records Melvina Copher, age 81 years 11 months 26 days, born 16 Mar 1838 in Bath Co., Ky, died 12 Mar 1919 in Levee precinct, Montgomery Co., Ky, widowed, father Samuel McQuithy, born in Scotland, mother’s maiden name don’t know Anderson, born in Estill, cause of death broken femur at hip joint, informant Rube Copher, Levee, burial in Neal grave yard.

Bath Co., Ky marriage book 3, p. 5, lists the marriage on 20 Aug 1858 of Reuben Cofer, age 28, and Melvina McWorthy, age 22, both born in and residents of Bath Co., first marriage for both. (Their respective surnames are more often spelled Copher and McQuithy.)

There is a son Samuel who does not appear with Reuben and Melvina in any of the censuses. Reuben’s obituary lists a son Samuel, and Bath Co. death records list a Samuel Copher, son of Reuben Copher, who died at a reported age of 41 in May 1901, single, cause of death burns.

In 1860 he is recorded as Samuel Cofer age 5 with a widow Ellen Gillon (no known relationship); in 1870 he is recorded as Samuel Copher age 14 with Melvina’s parents; in 1880 he is recorded as Samuel Copher age 25, nephew, with the family of Melvina’s brother Christopher, and in 1900 he is recorded as Samel Copher age 45, nephew, with the family of Melvina’s brother Elias McQuithy.

1860 census of Bath Co., Ky, Owingsville P.O., enumerated 2 July, lists on p. 90 as family #665:
Reuben Copher, 35, farmer; Melvian, 25. Mary Lyons, 8; Armilda, 6; John, 4. All born in Kentucky.

This household is at the very bottom of the page. The parents of the three Lyons children are Robert Lyons and Cynthia Ann Sexton, who are recorded on the same page at household #660, with three other children. I know of no relationship between that Lyons/Sexton amily and this Copher/McQuithy one, so it is possible that this is one of those cases where a census taker accidentally skipped some members of a family, and put them at the bottom of the page when he noticed.

1870 census of Bath Co., Ky, White Sulphur precinct, enumerated 13 June, lists on p. 27 as family #194:
Copher, Reuben, 45, farmer; Malorna (?), 30; James, 12; Caroline, 10; Robert, 7; Ajazelle, 5; Christopher, 3; Maria, 9/12. All born in Kentucky.

The given name of Reuben’s wife is hard to read. Ancestry.com has indexed it as Musonna, interpreting the tall letter as a capital S. It looks most like like Mudornu to me, but is probably intended as Malverna. This census taker often leaves a’s wide open at the top, making Martha look like Murthu and Maria like Muriu.