Oswald Bentley Cooper Sr.
Files
Title
Oswald Bentley Cooper Sr.
Subject
African Americans - Virginia - Shenandoah County
Cooper, Oswald Bentley Sr. (1916-1981)
Description
Photograph of Oswald Bentley Cooper Sr. of Woodstock Virginia.
Oswald Bentley Cooper, Sr., was born in Arlington County, the son of Joshua Allen and Georgia Ann (Rowe) Cooper. In 1930, he lived with his father and an older brother, Lloyd, on Glebe Road in Arlington. His father worked at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing and owned his home.
In November 1935, Oswald married Evelyn Pearl McAfee (1918-1973) in Woodstock. Oswald met his wife while he was at Camp George Washington, a CCC camp for African American men at Wolf Gap. When he married, he worked as a cook at the Massanutten Military Academy. His bride was from Woodstock and the daughter of Roy and Julia (Spinner) McAfee.
Oswald and Evelyn started out their marriage in Washington D.C. and their oldest son was born there. By 1950, however, they lived on W. Spring Street in Woodstock and had five sons and a daughter. Three more children arrived after that. Oswald worked at the “Viscose Corp” which later became Avtex Fibers in Front Royal. He retired from there and lived in Edinburg when he died.
He is buried in Riverview Cemetery in Woodstock Virginia.
Oswald Bentley Cooper, Sr., was born in Arlington County, the son of Joshua Allen and Georgia Ann (Rowe) Cooper. In 1930, he lived with his father and an older brother, Lloyd, on Glebe Road in Arlington. His father worked at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing and owned his home.
In November 1935, Oswald married Evelyn Pearl McAfee (1918-1973) in Woodstock. Oswald met his wife while he was at Camp George Washington, a CCC camp for African American men at Wolf Gap. When he married, he worked as a cook at the Massanutten Military Academy. His bride was from Woodstock and the daughter of Roy and Julia (Spinner) McAfee.
Oswald and Evelyn started out their marriage in Washington D.C. and their oldest son was born there. By 1950, however, they lived on W. Spring Street in Woodstock and had five sons and a daughter. Three more children arrived after that. Oswald worked at the “Viscose Corp” which later became Avtex Fibers in Front Royal. He retired from there and lived in Edinburg when he died.
He is buried in Riverview Cemetery in Woodstock Virginia.
Creator
Morrison Studio
Source
Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society
Publisher
Shenandoah County Library
Date
The glass plate negative of this image was stored in a box labeled "Feb 1946".
Contributor
Identified in 2025 by Roy Cooper.
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED
Relation
Oswald B. Cooper appears in Morrison Studio Collection numbers 006640 and 021999.
Identifier
021999
Original Format
Glass Negative
Collection
Citationzork
Morrison Studio, “Oswald Bentley Cooper Sr.,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed December 5, 2025, https://archives.countylib.org/items/show/51567.
Comments
Roy Cooper
This is a picture of my dad. Oswald Bentley Cooper sr