Curtis Cooley's Birthday

Digging around the roots of the family tree gives you many opportunities to learn previously unknown facts. I knew Curtis Cooley was the grandson of Lacy and Aggie Cooley, and the second child of George and Mary Cooley. I have since learned Curtis was born on May 28, 1899 in Coaling, Alabama. By the time Curtis was five years old, the Cooleys (including older brother, Edward) had moved to Missouri. This is where little sister Georgia Elizabeth was born in 1904. Within six years the family had continued further north to Iowa, where they lived in Center Township. This was an area north of the Des Moines River, outside of the Ottumwa city limits.

In 1915, the family had migrated to Enterprise, Iowa. This is where Curtis begin working in the coal mines with his father and brother. A few years later, Curtis met and soon married Creasy Southall. They had two sons, Leonard and Curtis, Jr. Looking for a new beginning and job, Curtis moved his family to Detroit, Michigan. Within days of moving there, Curtis found work in one of the mines in the Detroit area. Not all details are known, but there was an accident in the coal mine and Curtis was killed.

Big sister, Victoria Cooley Cogwell took charge and made the funeral arrangements. The body was shipped back to Des Moines for burial in the family plot in Glendale Cemetary. Shortly after the untimely death of Curtis, all contact with Creasy and the two sons ended. For many years, there has been no news of the Detroit Cooleys. I have done some research and learned Curtis Cooley's descendants are living in the Detroit area today. Curtis Cooley (dropping the "Junior" after his father's death) married and had a son he named, Curtis Cooley, Junior. Three generations of Cooley men have been named Curtis. It all began on May 28, 1899 in Coaling, Alabama... Happy Birthday, Uncle Curtis.