Welcome to Darrell's Genealogy Stories

  Coppock family history would not be complete without mentioning Le Mars, Iowa, home to over four generations of Coppock's..  Harvey J Coppock, our great-grandfather, and his young wife Mary Jane (Horton) moved from Carroll County, Iowa, to Le Mars in the mid-1880's.  The original Coppock house was located on Silver Street (believed to now be 8th Street SW). Six Coppock children (4 daughters and 2 sons) were born and raised in that house, including our grandfather, Arnold Coppock.   In 1910, the population of Le Mars was about 4,100.  The history of Le Mars dates back to the early 1850's when white settlers arrived to the region known as Plymouth County.  In 1869, the town got its name when railroad builder John Blair arrived by special train with a company of officials and a group of ladies.  Legend has it that the ladies wrote down the 1st initials of their 1st names and created the town's name from those letters.  Whatever, the railroad junction was renamed "Le

  Edwin Coppock was hanged for treason on December 16, 1859, in Charlestown, Virginia.  Was he a spy for a foreign country?  No.  Did he defect from the U.S. Army?  No.  Is he one of our ancestors?  Yes and no.  Edwin Coppock, born June 30, 1835, is a distant cousin.  His great-great grandfather John Coppock had several sons, among them John (our direct ancestor) and Samuel (Edwin's great grandfather). Have you ever heard of the abolitionist John Brown?  He was very active in anti-slavery campaigns in the United States during the 1850's.  While trying to raise money and volunteers in Springdale, Iowa,  Edwin and his brother Barclay, both Quakers, became avid followers.  John Brown eventually recruited 22 men to follow him to Virginia, to rage war against southern slavery; however, he needed ammunition to do so.     On October 16, 1859, they raided the military arsenal in Harper's Ferry, VA.  Several soldiers and a few citizens were either killed or wounded during the 3-day