Bessie Mae Goedert's Story
One morning as Bessie, her son William Elzmon, and her daughter-in-law Opal, were sitting down for breaksfast, Bessie related this story to them.
Bessie told them that her mother, Susie Welch, had given her to a man. This man had got her pregnant and she had
a daughter and named her Edrie Mae. Edrie Mae Cope was born December 9, 1907 in Arkansas.
She also said that later she had a son by this man, but the son died later.
This same man took Bessie and the children out in a boat on a lake and was going to drown them.
Bessie said she hit the man over the head with an oar and knocked him in the water and then escaped in the boat to shore.
Bessie went back to her Mother Susie. Susie would not let Bessie raise Edrie because Susie felt Bessie was too young.
Susie refused to let Bessie see her daughter Edrie and told her never to come back.

Later in Edrie's life she regained contact with her Mother Bessie and her step brother's and step sister's.

Through research it has been found that this man was called Leroy Cope. He is reported to have been a river boat gambler.
No other information is yet to be found about this man.
It is unknown if Bessie ever married Leroy Cope.
No other infrmation is known about the son that Bessie may have had.
NOTE: Bessie was only 15 years old at the time Edrie was born.

Bessie later married William Franklin Goedert, II and had 10 children with him.

Goto William Franklin II
Goto Main Page

Jerry Lee Goedert Jr is currently researching this family. If you have any information please contact Goedert@charter.net