This site is dedicated to the branch of the Cooley family that are the descendants of Arthur Singleton Cooley & Sarah LouEllen Harper Cooley (a.k.a. "Arter & Lou Cooley"). Arthur was married to Drucilla Wells before he was married to Sarah LouEllen Harper. He had one child with Drucilla, Thomas Singleton Cooley. Arthur & Sarah had 12 children, two of them died as small children. Their children were as follows: Melvin Middleton Cooley, Berry Anderson Cooley, Oliver Seyborn Cooley, James Patrick Cooley, Roy Cooley, Dempsey L. Cooley, Henry Houston Cooley (died at age 1 1/2 months), Bateman Eugene Cooley, Aloa Cooley (died at age 1), Addie C. Cooley, Sevella Cooley, and Della Cooley.

Arthur's parents were Little Berry Cooley and Lovenia (Arrington) Cooley. Little Berry was born in Wayne County, Mississippi on July 21, 1821. Lovenia was born on December 28, 1833 in Mississippi. They had 10 children. Little Berry was also married to Milly Ann (Arrington), she died during childbirth of their only child. Milly Ann was the aunt of Lovenia. Lovenia's father, William James Arrington, and Milly Ann were brother & sister. The Arrington branch traces back to Ireland (1775). So far, I have the Cooley branch tracing back to North Carolina (1725).

Little Berry and his brothers, Ira and Middleton, left Southern Mississippi and headed West. Middleton settled in Texas. Little Berry & Ira settled across the border in Southwest Louisiana in the 1870's. They settled on what is known as Hickory Branch, at that time in Old Imperial Calcasieu (but now Beauregard) Parish. This area is between current day Singer & Longville. They have one of the greatest number of descendants of any family in Southwest Louisiana.