The Birthplace of Tom
J. Cope is not known at this time but was most likely Fannin County which was the birthplace of his
brother Madison Earl Cope (Buried at Old Fort Cemetery in Fort Stockton). Tom was a rancher in the Pecos County area and was also Commissioner
for many years. Tom married Maggie Valentine and had four children. Tommie Lee, Jack, Willard, and Jesse (aka
“Backy”). Tom was half owner of
the Santa Rosa Spring Ranch which is located about 25 miles north of Fort Stockton. Maggie died at the age of 42 and
it is not clear as to what the cause of death but it was in 1918 so it is quite
possible that she died of child birth. Apparently, Tom lost the election after
1924 and moved to McCamey Texas where he died in 1932. He is
buried in an unmarked grave at East Hill Cemetery in Fort Stockton in "the old Valentine
Plot"
Tom’s son Willard was killed in 1944 WWII (possibly
at Normandy Beach).
Tommie Lee died young of tonsillitis, Jack went to Nevada and
Jesse went to Corpus Christi, Texas.
Note: Jul 14, 2003
Jack Cope
was actually John Cope per 1920 Census
Tom
Re-Married a woman named Mary E. Landers who had two girls from a previous
marriage, a
Ruby and a Robbie Landers.