Infancy and Death
Eva Coovert died in infancy at only 15 days old. The top of her small headstone features her first name, ‘Eva’.
Lack of Official Records
Statewide registration of births and deaths in Oregon did not begin until 1903, though some municipalities kept records prior to this. Despite extensive research, no newspaper articles, obituaries, or other historical records have been found to confirm Eva’s birth or death.
Uncertain Parentage
The identity of Eva Coovert’s parents remains unknown. She has previously been attributed as the child of Abram and Martha Coovert, but no known evidence confirms this relationship. Given that Abram would have been 55 and Martha 52 at the time of Eva’s birth, it is unlikely—though not impossible—that they were her biological parents.
A stronger possibility is that she was the youngest child of Johnson E. Coovert and Elizabeth Fudge Coovert Robertson, who were 44 and 36 at the time, respectively. Supporting this theory is the fact that Eva’s grave is located next to Johnson’s and Elizabeth’s.
Ongoing Mystery
Other Cooverts lived in the Webfoot, Dayton, and Yamhill County areas during this time, so it is possible that Eva belonged to a different branch of the family. However, no records have been found to confirm any specific parentage. Until further evidence comes to light, Eva’s origins remain a mystery.
