Union control of Chattooga County in particular would help explain why a Civil War era ancestor we are looking for might have continued to live in the County throughout the War and have three children during that time. These mountain men didn't necessarily flock to the Secessionist cause and he may have been glad to be beyond the grasp of Governor Brown and the Ga. militia.

We had thought him possibly a coward, too old, too infirm -- you name it -- as a reason for not serving. We are not positive he didn't serve, but can't find a record of an A.J. Cooper serving from the counties where he lived, or had previously lived in (Chattooga & Floyd Georgia; and Cherokee County, Alabama, just across the state line adjacent to Chattooga County.)