Joseph T. Copeland facts for kids

Joseph Tarr Copeland

Joseph Tarr Copeland (born May 6, 1813 – died May 6, 1893) was an important figure in American history. He served as a judge on the Michigan Supreme Court from 1852 to 1857. He was also a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Joseph Copeland's Life Story

Joseph Copeland was born in Newcastle, Maine. He studied at Harvard College and later learned law from Daniel Webster, a very famous lawyer. In 1844, he moved to St. Clair, Michigan. He later built a sawmill in Bay City, Michigan.

When the Civil War began, Copeland joined the army. He became a colonel, leading the 1st Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment and then the 5th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. He was later promoted to brigadier general. He commanded the "wolverines" of the Michigan Brigade. However, he was replaced by George Armstrong Custer just before the important Battle of Gettysburg.

After the war, Copeland moved to Orchard Lake Village, Michigan. There, he built a large house called "The Castle." In 1870, he and some friends turned it into a hotel. In 1873, they sold it to J. Sumner Rogers. Rogers used the site to start the Michigan Military Academy.

In 1878, Copeland moved to Florida. He worked as a judge in Clay County, Florida for a time. He was first buried in Orange Park, Florida. Later, his body was moved to Oak Hill Cemetery in Pontiac, Michigan.

Early Life in Maine

Joseph Tarr Copeland was born in New Castle, Maine. His parents were Royal and Alice Copeland. New Castle is about 40 miles north of Portland, Maine.

Joseph's father, Royal, was born in 1790. His grandfather had fought in the Revolutionary War. Joseph's mother, Alice, was born in Wiscasset, Maine, in 1791. She was raised by her aunt. Joseph's parents married around 1812 in New Castle. Maine became a state eight years later.

Joseph was the oldest of 11 children. He had 7 brothers and 4 sisters. Around 1818, his family moved to Dexter, Maine. His eight youngest siblings were born there. Sadly, two of his sisters died before they turned ten.

Joseph's family was not rich. But his grandfather left him $500 to get an education. Joseph used this money to attend and graduate from Harvard College. After college, he began studying law with Daniel Webster in Boston. Webster was a very famous lawyer and a U.S. Senator.

Joseph returned to Maine and joined the militia. He became an Ensign in 1834. He was promoted to captain in 1838 and colonel in 1839. He may have played a role in the Aroostook War of 1839. This was a border dispute that was solved without actual fighting. Joseph also served as a justice of the peace and a postmaster in Maine.

On July 19, 1835, Joseph married Mary Jane Wilson. They had three children:

Becoming a Judge in Michigan

After his daughter Agnes was born in 1842, Joseph Copeland and his family moved to Michigan. They settled in St. Clair, Michigan in 1844. There, Joseph started his law practice. Other family members had already moved to Michigan.

In 1846, Michigan created a system of county courts. Joseph T. Copeland was elected as a judge for St. Clair County. He was also very active in local politics. In 1848, he became a deputy collector. In 1849, he was elected to the Michigan State Senate. He served one term from 1850 to 1851. He also became the first president of the village of St. Clair in 1850.

In 1850, Michigan changed its court system. The state was divided into circuits, each with a judge. These circuit judges also formed the Michigan Supreme Court. Copeland was elected Circuit Judge for the Sixth Judicial District. This made him the 14th Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.

In 1851, Joseph and his family moved to Pontiac. This city was in his judicial district. Copeland also became interested in the lumber business. He started buying timberland in Michigan. He reportedly built the first sawmill in Bay City, Michigan.

Judge Copeland did not write many opinions while on the Supreme Court. His health was not good during this time. He resigned from his judge position in 1857 before his term ended.

After leaving the court, Copeland moved to West Bloomfield Township, Michigan. In 1858, he built a large, castle-like house on the shore of Orchard Lake. His daughter Florence married Dr. John P. Wilson in 1858. His son, Frederick, married Harriet Drake Talbot in 1860.

Serving in the Civil War

Joseph Copeland had military experience from his time in the Maine Militia. When the Civil War began, he offered his help. At age 48, he joined the 1st Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment as a lieutenant colonel in 1861. In 1862, he became colonel of the 5th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. Copeland was one of the first officers to see how useful the Spencer repeating rifle was. He made sure his regiments had these new rifles.

On November 29, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general. He was given command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade. Copeland and his brigade fought bravely at the First Battle of Kernstown. They chased the retreating Confederate soldiers and captured many prisoners.

Joseph's son, Frederick, also served in the Civil War. He joined the 1st Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. He became a captain and worked on his father's staff. After the war, Frederick moved to Colorado.

On June 27, 1863, General Copeland was leading his cavalry on a mission to find General Robert E. Lee's forces. On June 29, 1863, he was informed that he had been removed from command. This happened just before the Battle of Gettysburg. General George Armstrong Custer replaced him. Copeland protested, but it did not change anything. Historians say his removal was not because of his honesty or patriotism. He was considered too old for a cavalry commander. Also, the army was changing its leaders.

For the rest of the war, Copeland commanded military depots. He was in charge of drafted men in Annapolis, Maryland, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His last command was a military prison in Alton, Illinois. Copeland resigned from the army on November 8, 1865. He then returned to his home in West Bloomfield.

The Hotel Business

Around 1870, Copeland and some businessmen decided to turn "the castle" into a resort hotel. They added two long wooden sections to the sides of the castle. The hotel became very popular. People from Detroit would visit. A stagecoach would carry guests from the train station in Pontiac to the hotel.

Copeland enlarged his house, creating the Orchard Lake Hotel. From the hotel, tourists could take boats to Apple Island. Joseph Copeland was also appointed Postmaster of Orchard Lake in 1873.

The hotel did well at first. But a financial crisis in 1873, called the Panic of 1873, or possibly poor management, caused the business to fail. Copeland eventually sold the property in 1877. Colonel Joseph Summer Rodgers bought it. He used the site to establish the Michigan Military Academy. This school was like West Point and became very famous.

In 1877, Copeland's mother, Alice, died in Dexter, Michigan.

Later Years in Florida

In 1878, Copeland moved to Orange Park, Florida. He continued his public service there. In 1879, he was appointed a justice of the peace. He also became the postmaster of Orange Park. In 1881, Copeland began serving as a judge for Clay County. He was reappointed to this role several times.

After 53 years of marriage, Joseph's wife, Mary Jane, died in Orange Park on January 10, 1888. Later that year, his youngest daughter, Agnes, got married.

Joseph Tarr Copeland died on May 6, 1893, his 80th birthday. He had practiced law for over 58 years. Joseph and his wife were buried in Pontiac's Oak Hill Cemetery. Their simple headstone mentions that he was a Civil War General.

|