J. Herbert Cope was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1882. His mother was born in Assam, being the daughter of Rev. A.H. Danforth, a missionary in India. Elizabeth was also born in Germantown and was baptized in 1906. She graduated from Philadelphia Normal School in 1904, and she taught school for three years before marrying. Between 1904 and 1905, Mr. Cope served as a missionary to Utah. Mr. Cope graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and from Rochester Theological Seminary in 1908. The Copes were married in September 1908 and sailed for the Chin Hills, Haka, Burma that same year.

By 1909, the Copes’ work was centered at Tiddim in the North and Dr. Hjalmar East was based in Haka in the South. The mission station was officially opened November 1, 1910.

Rev. Cope’s work was mainly in evangelism and education. In 1911, he visited 60 villages and traveled over 1000 miles. He was also honorary inspector of schools and had a mastery of three of the main Chin dialects. He worked to translate and provide books for students in the village and station schools. Mrs. Cope was primarily in the U.S. raising the children, as the Copes had lost a son while in Burma. Mr. Cope died in Haka in 1938. Elizabeth went to Burma in 1941 to serve as housemother in the school for missionaries’ children at Taunggyi, but when the school closed due to World War 2, she returned home for good. Elizabeth passed away in 1968.

J. Herbert and Elizabeth had three children: Joseph Howard "Joe" Cope, born 1910; Harry "Babe", born 1911; and Appleton Danforth "Dan", born 1917. Joseph Howard and Harry were born in Burma, while Appleton Danforth was born in Pennsylvania. Harry died in 1915, just days before the Copes returned to the United States on furlough.