Marian Frances Cooper 1871-1923

Marian Frances Cooper is the youngest of the fourteen known children of Austin COOPER and Elizabeth GIBSON  in their 20 plus years together. She was born on 6 Nov 1871 in Galway, Ireland. Her birth location was Eyre Square directly across from the town’s railroad station. Austin was promoted to Superintendent of the Midland Great Western Railway.

Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/ : accessed 15 June 2017), image, birth registration of Marian Frances Cooper, (6 November 1871, Galway) citing Group Registration ID 11710438; registration filed 6 May 1872 by Edward Connidine, Deputy register, page 283, stamped no. 02198154, entry 351.

Her first sibling to marry was Alexander Sisson Cooper (my great-grandfather) in Dublin in 1875. Did the family travel for his wedding? Another brother, Henry, was also wed in Dublin in 1877. Two older sisters were married including Bessie in Ballintemple, Cavan, Ireland, 1878 and Mary in Killeshandra, Cavan, Ireland, in 1881. In 1883, her father, Austin, died in Bellananagh, Cavan, Ireland. So sometime between 1871-1878, Austin was moved to Co. Cavan from Galway.

Bessie Cooper Pearson’s (her elder sister) obituary shares the answer as to what happened to Frances after her father’s death (1883) and her mother’s travel to the United States (1884). Frances “made her home with Mrs. Pearson in Dublin, Ireland for about seven years before coming to America at the age of 19.” Aunt Bessie was very involved with the Baptist Church in Dublin.

Mrs. J.W. (Bessie) Pearson obituary. Sedalia Weekly Democrat, 2 Dec 1938, p.5, col. 4.  Newspapers.com on Ancestry.com: Accessed 18 Mar 2015.

I find “Maria” F. Cooper on board the S.S. City of Richmond leaving from Liverpool to New York City on 28 April 1890. The columns mention her age of 18, her sex as Female, a Spinster from [erased?], Ireland destined for Texas on line 1175. Image 115 of 735. She is traveling with her brother-in-law, John D. Pearson (married to Bessie), seen on line 1174. He is Male Age 39 a Clerk from [erased?] Ireland for Texas (see below).

"New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 June 2017), Image 115 of 735, Line 1175, Maria F. Cooper entry: citing List Number 555 of National Archives Microfilm Publication M237, Roll 547; Ship City of Richmond out of Liverpool, Francis S. Land master, arrived New York on 28 April 1890.

Three years later, Marian Frances is found in Galveston Co., Texas, marrying Fred Marion Gearhart on 23 Feb 1893. Fred Marion Gearhart was born 1 Jan 1870, in Osceola, St. Clair, Missouri.

Fred and Frances are found in the town of Wichita in the Kansas State Census of 1895. They have an 11-month old son, Frederick Irwin Gearhart (1894-1990) born in Houston, Texas. This states that Fred is a captain with the Salvation Army. This leads me to newspapers. I find the Gearharts mentioned in two articles about “the Salvationists” coming to the town of Waco, Texas, in the late summer of 1893.

By 1900 the Gearhart family is settled in Sedalia, Pettis, Missouri. Fred is a wood-dealer. They have their son and a daughter, Joy Muriel Gearhart (1896-1984), born 26 March 1896. A second daughter, Bessie Edna Gerhart (1902-1976), was born 25 Dec 1902. 

Elizabeth Gibson Cooper obituary, The Sedalia Democrat. Tuesday, May 2, 1905. page 3.,  col. 3.  www.newspapers.com. on Ancestry.com :  accessed 12 Feb. 2015. 

The three grandchildren were happy to see their grandmother, Elizabeth Gibson Cooper when she came to town to visit her youngest daughter in 1905. Elizabeth Gibson Cooper died on 1 May at the age of 77 in Sedalia, Missouri. Grandma Cooper is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Sedalia. I find her tombstone on Find a Grave (only front side is shown).

Find a Grave, datebase and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 02 Feb 2018), memorial page for Elizabeth Gibson Cooper (19 Apr 1828-30 Apr 1905), Find A Grave Memorial no. 146443552, citing Crown Hill Cemetery, Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri, USA; Maintained by andrea (contributor 48069374).

Fred and Frances’ youngest daughter, Juanita Zephyr Gearhart (1906-1944) was born the following year on 28 Oct 1906.

By 1910, Fred tried general farming in the Dresden Township. 

In 1920, Fred is a delivery trucker living in the neighboring town of Sedalia. 

On 14 Dec 1923, Marian Francis Gearhart died of apoplexy or a stroke contributed to hypertension in Sedalia, Missouri. She is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery.  She is listed as "Francis Marion Gearhart." Her husband, Fred Marion Gearhart is the supplier of the information on her death certificate. Her birthdate is 5 Nov 1871. He states her birthplace as County Galway, Ireland.  Her father is Austin Cooper, born in England (Ireland). Her mother is Elizabeth Gibson born in Scotland (Ireland).1

Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com: accessed 13 July 2017). memorial page for Frances Marian Cooper Gearhart (1872-1923), Find A Grave Memorial no. 77193350, citing Crown Hill Cemetery, Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri; the accompanying photograph by Diana is materially informative,

I have covered her parents in past blog posts proving their birth locations to be Ireland. Their family heritage includes England and Scotland.

Fred died 32 years after his wife. He died of heart failure on 9 July 1955. He is buried alongside his wife at Crown Hill Cemetery, in Sedalia, Missouri. His daughter, Joy M. Gearhart Hopper gave the information for his death certificate. His parents are listed as Virgil M. Gearhart and Carolina Roberts.2 


1. Pettis County, Missouri. Death Certificates. Death Certificate #37163 (1923) Francis Marion Gearhart; Missouri State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.  Missouri Digital Heritage. Death Certificates. www.sos.mo.gov.  ancestry.com : Accessed 23 Nov 2015.

2. Pettis County, Missouri. Death Certificates. Death Certificate #23121 (1955) Fred Marion Gearhart; Missouri State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.  Missouri Digital Heritage. DeathCertificates. www.sos.mo.gov. ancestry.com : Accessed 23 Nov 2015.

Elizabeth “Bessie” Cooper Pearson (1857-1938) Part 1

The Old Cooper Bible 

Bessie Cooper Pearson in New York City 1921

Aunt Bessie was our family historian of the nineteenth century. 

She was the sixth child, second daughter of Austin COOPER and Elizabeth GIBSON. I have a mystery about where she was actually born. 

She came to the U.S. in 1921, with the intention to visit several of her siblings to present them family heirlooms.

"New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 May 2017), Image 835 of 1107, Line 3, Bessie Pearson entry; citing List Number 14 of National Archives Microfilm Publication T715, Roll 2930; Ship Carmania out of Liverpool, Geo. W. Melson master, arrived New York on 28 February 1921.

I found her on the New York Passenger Lists departing on 19 February 1921, on the S.S. Carmania sailing from Liverpool, England, to New York, arriving on 28 February. She is typed on Line 3 of List 14. She was a 59 year old Widow. She was a Housekeeper who could read & write. She was living in Dublin, Ireland with her niece, Mrs. Barlow of  “12, Davenmore Rd, Withington.” Her final destination is typed in as Sedalia, Miss[ouri]. This is handwritten over with “NY New York.” On the second page, it states that Bessie does not have a final ticket for Missouri. She did self pay for her passage. She had at least $50 in her possession. This was her first trip to the United States. She was planning to visit her “Sister, Mrs. [Francis Cooper] Gearhard [Gearhart] of 509 N. Quincey Ave. Sedalia, Mo.”  Written over is her brother, my great grandfather, “Alexander Cooper on 413 488[th St.] Brooklyn, NY.” Bessie was in good health. She was 5’4” tall. Fresh complexion. Grey hair. Blue eyes. The most important statement is that Bessie stated she was born in Aldershot, England.

1901 Census of Ireland, County of Dublin, South Dublin, District Electoral Division (DED) Rathmines, unpaginated, Winston Avenue, household no. 560, John David Pearson; digital image, National Archives of Ireland, Census of Ireland 1901/1911 (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie : accessed 7 May 2017).

In the 1901 Ireland census with her husband, John David PEARSON; they are both listed as Baptist, and Bessie is listed as born in the city of London, Middlesex. The 1911 Ireland census also states that Bessie as born in Middlesex county. This information was provided by her husband, David.

1911 Census of Ireland, County of Dublin, South Dublin, District Electoral Division (DED) Rathmines & Rathgar East, unpaginated, Charleston Road, household no. 37, John D. Pearson; digital image, National Archives of Ireland, Census of Ireland 1901/1911 (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie : accessed 7 May 2017).

Referring to her father’s blog entry, Austin Cooper (1825-1883) was working as a booking clerk at Faringdon Station in April 1857 (70 miles east of London), at Maidenhead Station in June 1857 and Taplow Station in November 1857 (both 20 miles east of London). At the time of Elizabeth’s birth on 31 May 1857, her father is working in Faringdon!

The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Collection: Great Western Railway Company: Staff Records; Class: RAIL264; Piece: 1. Book Title : 1835-1910 Clerks Vol·1. Ancestry.com : accessed 9 March 2017.

According to the family Bible, Elizabeth Cooper was born on Tuesday the 31st May1857 at Faringdon Rail??? baptized by her grandfather July 185[?].” Could be a 7.

Cooper, Austin and Elizabeth. Family Bible Records. 1848-1868. The Holy Bible. [Cover page torn out.] Privately held by Mary R. Cooper. San Diego, California. 2005.

Aldershot, Faringdon, London (all within a 25 mile range)….geesh, where was Bessie born?

Her maternal grandfather, Rev. Alexander Gibson, must have baptized her in July 1857, as he resigned his religious position the following February 1858. Austin and Elizabeth, must have made a special trip home to Mullingar for her baptism knowing of the  conflicting circumstances for the Rev. Gibson. See future post on Rev. Alexander Gibson (1790-1863) Westmeath, Mullingar, Ireland - Part 1.

I also need  to find & order her birth record from BMD website.  I cannot find a Bessie, Eliza nor Elizabeth Cooper born around May 1857 in Faringdon in the index. 

Looking at the last two sources, written at the time of Bessie's birth, I conclude that she was born in Faringdon, Berkshire, UK. Her father with his family returned to Ireland by 1860.

Elizabeth was married to John David Pearson, on 4 June 1878, in Ballentemple, Co. Caven, Ireland.

Ireland Marriage Records. John David Pearson and Elizabeth Cooper. 4 June 1878. Quarter 2. Volume 3. Page 57. No. 83. Civil Registration Office, Roscommon, Ireland. Accessed 13 November 2008. 

To be continued...