Julia Elvira (Townsend) Copeland of Maine - 52 Ancestors: #7

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is "Love," which can be interpreted in a variety of ways. I am going with the "who do I love to research" angle:

What ancestor do I love to research? When I am working on breaking down a brick wall, it is the ancestors and family in that line whom I love to research.

Last week, I wrote about my 4th great grandfather, Doctor Amos Townsend. I don't yet have enough information on his Townsend line to write about his ancestors, so I thought I'd share more about his daughter, Julia Elvira Townsend, my 3rd great grandmother.

Julia Elvira Townsend was born on November 1, 1808, in Norridgewock, Somerset County, Maine, the second of eight children of Amos Townsend and his wife, Tryphena Ellis. [Source: Norridgewock, Maine, "Town and vital records, 1774-1891," index at FamilySearch.org.]

Norridgewock, the name of which came from the Native Americans who lived there, is on the Kennebec River, and was first settled just before the Revolutionary War. It was incorporated in 1788, and made county seat of Somerset County in 1809, when Julia's father settled there.

Julia married Thomas Jefferson Copeland just before her 22nd birthday, on October 10, 1830, in Norridgewock [Source: Norridgewock, Maine, "Town and vital records, 1774-1891," index at FamilySearch.org.] They had four children that I know of:

Henry Clay Copeland (1832-1912), my second great grandfather
Mary Townsend Copeland (1834-1903)
Charles Franklin Copeland (1838-1860)
Julia Alice Copeland (1848-1856)

Google Earth

By 1843, the family had moved from Norridgewock, Maine, to Calais, Maine, where Julia Copeland is named in the 1850 and the 1860 U.S. Federal Censuses:

Detail from 1850 US Census, Calais, Washington, Maine; Roll: M432_273; Page: 143B

Thomas J. Copeland, no age listed (it should read 49), occupation Trader, born in Massachusetts. Julia Copeland, 41, born in Maine.
Henry C. Copeland, age 18, born in Maine, occupation of Clerk, in school within past year.
Mary T. Copeland, age 16, born in Maine, in school.
Charles Copeland, age 11, born in Maine, in school.
Alice Copeland age 2, born in Maine.
Jane Morrison, age 24, born in Ireland. (It doesn't say so, but she is likely a live-in servant.)

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Detail from 1860 US Census, Calais, Washington, Maine; Roll: M653_454; Page 170

Thomas J. Copeland, age 59, born in Massachusetts, occupation Lumberman. $20,000 is the value of his real estate and $25,000 is the value of personal estate.
Julia E. Copeland, age 54, born in Maine.
Benjamin F. Kelley, age 29, occupation Attorney at Law, born in Maine.
Mary (Copeland) Kelley, age 25, born in Maine.
     They were married in May and the census was taken here in July.
Margaret Kelley, age 50, born in New Brunswick, is a live-in servant.
Hugh Fogg, age 18, born in New Brunswick, is a live-in servant.

Their son (and my 2nd great grandfather), Henry Clay Copeland, was living nearby with his wife, newborn son, and in-laws. Thomas' and Julia's daughter, Julia Alice had died four years before. See her memorial at Find A Grave. Their son, Charles Franklin Copeland had died earlier in 1860, at the age of 22. See his memorial at Find A Grave.

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Based on her gravestone in Calais Cemetery, Calais, Maine, Julia E. (Townsend) Copeland died on October 19, 1868. She was born, married, and died in rural Maine. I like to think that her family was close to each other; Julia, Thomas, their four children, and several grandchildren are all buried in Calais Cemetery.

My descent from Julia Elvira (Townsend) Copeland:

Julia Elvira (Townsend) Copeland

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Henry Clay Copeland

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Lowell Copeland

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Lowell Townsend Copeland

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my mother

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me