Born in southern Greenville County 19 Aug. 1819 (Possum Kingdom), he was the son of Hiram Cooley and Mary Ann Woodson Cooley. He was born the son of one of the richest men in Greenville county. He suffered the loss of his first wife Emily Chapman. He went to war (Civil War) and fought for the south. During the war he was wounded, shot in the hip. For the rest of his life he walked with a limp.
After the war he made Corn Liquor for the Government. He attempted to make extra money by watering down the liquor. The inspector was going to test the batch that had been loaded and not wanting to get caught he had his son Thomas Oliver Cooley pull the pulg on the wagon and the whole batch was spilled onto the ground. (Oral History)
His second wife was Stacy Ann Chasteen.
John Joseph Cooley died 13 Dec 1896 and is buried next to his first wife Emily Chapman Cooley at Fork Shoals Baptist Church in southern Greenville County.
