James Copeland (outlaw)
James Copeland | |
|---|---|
The execution of James Copeland. | |
| Born | January 18, 1823 |
| Died | October 30, 1857 (aged 34) |
| Resting place | Buried on the banks of the Leaf River, near Augusta, Mississippi, later body stolen |
| Occupation(s) | outlaw, hog thief, horse thief, slave-stealer, smuggler, pirate, counterfeiter, burglar, looter, arsonist, murderer, criminal gang leader |
| Parent(s) | Father: Isham Copeland Mother: Rebecca Wells Copeland |
| Founded | 1830s |
|---|---|
| Founded by | Gale H. Wages, Charles "Preacher" McGrath, and James Copeland |
| Founding location | Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama |
| Years active | 1830s-1857 |
| Territory | Southern Mississippi and southern Alabama (around Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama) |
| Ethnicity | European-American |
| Membership (est.) | 60 |
| Criminal activities | hog thievery, horse thievery, slave-stealing, smuggling, piracy, counterfeiting, burglary, looting, arson, murder |
James Copeland (January 18, 1823 – October 30, 1857) was an American outlaw during the early to mid nineteenth century, whose crimes took place mostly in southern Mississippi and southern Alabama. He was born in Jackson County, Mississippi. He was the co-leader of a gang known as the Wages and Copeland Clan. On October 30, 1857, Copeland was executed by hanging in Perry County, Mississippi.