Cooper's Chapel Church and Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker at Cooper's Chapel Church and Cemetery has to say, and friends, this one's got roots that run deep in Titus County soil. Now settle in. The pioneer families of William Cooper and William Ellis pulled up from Tennessee and made their way here sometime during the 1850s.

Two families, one destination, a piece of East Texas that would hold their names for generations. The land had no marker then, no deed, no church. Just families putting down roots in a place they decided to call home.

By 1886, the earliest burials recorded here were those of W. A. Cooper, Lizzie Dixon, and a Mrs.

Harvey. Three names. Three graves.

The beginning of something that would outlast everyone who knew them. Then, by 1895, William Cooper made it official. He donated two acres, right there including those early grave sites, for church and graveyard purposes.

Now, local tradition holds that the sanctuary itself was built in 1892 by members of the Cooper's Chapel Church of Christ. But here's the thing about tradition, it doesn't always show its paperwork. The earliest record of the church's existence turns up in a deed recorded in 1913.

Tradition says 1892. The deed says 1913. And the building itself just stands there, quiet, not saying a word.

It is a modest frame structure, a hipped roof overhead, double doors at the front entrance. Nothing fancy. Rural.

Honest. The kind of building that does its job without calling attention to itself. And it did that job as a place of worship all the way until 1980, serving along the way as the site of numerous social activities, particularly during the hard years of the 1930s depression period.

In 1981 the building was transferred to the Cooper's Chapel Cemetery trustees. But the life of this place was never just inside those walls. Every spring, something called Decoration Day draws people back.

It began early in the community's history, and it continues today as an annual event often attended by over two hundred people. Two hundred people, returning to a patch of Titus County ground to remember. Now among those buried here is William, the son of that same Mrs.

Harvey whose 1886 burial is among the earliest recorded. William grew to become a prominent local citizen. And he is there alongside many of this area's pioneer settlers and their descendants, and veterans of wars ranging from the Civil War all the way to the Vietnam conflict.

Soldiers from across more than a century of American history, all resting on two acres that a man named William Cooper once simply gave away so the community would always have a place. And every spring, over two hundred people show up to prove he was right to do it.

What the marker says

The pioneer families of William Cooper and William Ellis moved from Tennessee and settled here sometime during the 1850s. The burials of W. A. Cooper, Lizzie Dixon, and a Mrs. Harvey in 1886 are the earliest burials recorded here. By 1895 William Cooper had donated two acres, including the early grave sites, for church and graveyard purposes. Although local tradition indicates that this sanctuary was built by members of the Cooper's Chapel Church of Christ in 1892 the earliest record of its existence is contained in a deed recorded in 1913. It is a modest example of a rural frame church sanctuary featuring a hipped roof and double-door primary entrance. The site of numerous social activities, particularly during the 1930s depression period, the building served as a place of worship until 1980; it was transferred to Cooper's Chapel Cemetery trustees in 1981. A springtime event known as "Decoration Day" began early in the community's history and continues today as an annual event often attended by over 200 people. Among those buried here are Mrs. Harvey's son, William, a prominent local citizen, many of this area's pioneer settlers and their descendants, and veterans of wars ranging from the Civil War to the Vietnam conflict. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1993 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1993