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Congratulations to Elizabeth Duncan For Identifying Mystery Person #18


John Copeland was born in Lake City, Tennessee.  When he was 10 years old, his family moved to Williamsburg, Kentucky.  He attended high school there and attended Cumberland College.  When his education was completed, he landed a job as a clerk at an A & P grocery store.  He soon became a relief manager at the store and traveled all over East Kentucky for the company.  One of his stops was in Hazard, Kentucky where he met Grace Bullard, who he would later marry.  After 4 years with A & P, he resigned to become manager of Southern Collieries Industrial Store in Lake City, Tennessee.  He also served as manager for the Pioneer Coal Company Store in Kettle Island, Kentucky.  After that, he went in the grocery business for himself in Lake City.  Three years later, he sold his business and went to Oak Ridge to manage a supermarket there.  Copeland moved to Hazard after learning that an office supply business was for sale.  He bought out the Hazard Office Supply Company, owned by Z. Coleman Daniel.  Shortly afterwards, Bert Bibee joined Copeland as a business partner there.  Bibee was married to Copeland's sister - Katie.  Copeland was President and General Manger of the business while Bibee served as Vice President and Sales Representative.  Congratulations to Elizabeth Duncan, the first to identify Mystery Person #18 as John Copeland.

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