John Cooper merchant of London

[kiterunner]

I don't seem to have done a thread about this one before - trying to trace John Cooper's family back. Any help gratefully received!

The LMA Catalogue has an entry for the marriage settlement of Jn Cooper of Stepney, mercht, and Sarah Parricke of Limehouse, widow, with Abraham Graves of Stepney, shipwright (Sarah's father) and Jn Harris of London, mercht, as parties of the third part. Date is 8 Feb 1675/6. I haven't managed to find a record of their marriage, apart from this, but assume they married around then. (Edit - I have now come across mentions of John Harris being in business with John Cooper.)

The will of John Cooper, merchant, of London, was written on the 25th Jul 1713 and proved at the PCC 3 May 1716.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5111/40611_310755-00419/1000860?backurl=http://person.ancestry.co.uk/tree/19209336/person/28063481945/facts/citation/140155359326/edit/record

My daughter Rebecca, now wife of Joseph Heaton
my son in law Henry Dry of Lincoln's Inne Esquire
my loving friend Richard Taylor of London, Gent (husband of Sarah's sister Mary)
my daughter Mary Bagwell widow of Peter Bagwell deceased
my daughter Elizabeth Cooper
my daughter Abigail Dry now wife of the said Henry Dry
my grandchildren Sarah Bagwell Mary Bagwell John Bagwell Martha Bagwell and Katherine Bagwell
my grandchildren Rebecca Heaton John Heaton and Sarah Heaton
my grandson William Adams (his mother Sarah nee Cooper had died in 1699)
my late wife Sarah Cooper
My sister in law Mary Cooper, widow of my late Brother Benjamin Cooper deceased
my Cousin Elizabeth Cooper


The will of Sarah Cooper, wife of John Cooper of London, merchant, written 7 Jul 1697 and proved at the PCC 15 Oct 1707 (very long document)
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5111/40611_310719-00336/1015184?backurl=http://person.ancestry.co.uk/tree/19209336/person/28078224143/facts#?imageId=40611_310719-00336
my late honoured Father Mr Abraham Graves deceased
my late honoured Mother Mrs Sarah Graves
Mr Michaell Perry and Mr Thomas Lane of London Merchants (holding money in trust for her)
Mrs Anna Cousins of the Royal Exchange London (also holding money in trust for her)
my late sister Rebecca Greaves
my Eldest Daughter Sarah the wife of William Adams of London Silkman
my Sister Mary Taylor wife of Richard Taylor minister or preacher of the gospell
my four daughters Mary Rebecca Elizabeth and Abigaill
my cousin Mary Martin
Richard Taylor's three children Abraham Mary and Sarah
my aunt Mary Andrews
my cousin Rebecca Mills
Mrs Mary Hayes (her will of 1713 left an annuity to Abigail)
my son in law James Cooper ... son of my husband John Cooper


Burial records of St Margaret Pattens, London
22 Jan 1697/8 James the sonne of John Cooper was buried... on Rebecah Graves
16 Feb 1699 Sarah the wife of William Adams was buried in the North Ile on her brother James Cooper.

I have sorted out the daughters, apart from what happened to Elizabeth, and sorted out Sarah's side of the family, but I am stuck with John Cooper's side. Not managed to find his first marriage, nor James's baptism.

Any ideas?

[Merry]

Is James the only child you are aware of from John's first/previous marriage, or are any of the others listed not Sarah's children?

[kiterunner]

James is the only one I know of.

[kiterunner]

Just found this in the St Margaret Pattens burial records:
Cooper John Deputy was Buryed in ye Church April 24 1716.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1624/31281_A101964-00088/7539418?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dLMAearlyparish%26gss%3dsfs28_ ms_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d 1%26gsln%3dco%253Fp%253Fr%26gsln_x%3d1%26gskw%3dpa tten*%26gskw_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults
It would fit nicely with the date that my John's will was proved (3 May 1716). But what did Deputy mean at that time? Could it be my John?

Ooh, and I never saw this before because it is so badly mistranscribed:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1624/31281_A101964-00086/7539339?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dLMAearlyparish%26gss%3dsfs28_ ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26msdd y%3d1707%26msddy_x%3d1%26gskw%3dpatten*%26gskw_x%3 d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults
Fourth entry on the left-hand page.
Saray ye wife of John Cooper marchant was buried in her daughters grave July ye 9... 1707.
What does that bit after July ye 9 say? Any ideas?

[Phoenix]

In(y?) ye church

[kiterunner]

Thanks, Phoenix.

[kiterunner]

This is the will of Mary Hayes' husband William:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5111/40611_310609-00223/766549?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

William Hayes of the parish of St Katherine Coleman in London Merchant...my loveing wife Mary Hayes...my loving freinds Mr Thomas Lane, Merchant of Bednall Greene in the parish of Stepney and Mr John Cooper Merchant in Fenchurch Streete...my loving freinds Mr John Chambers Mr Arthur North Mr John Carew Mr Francis Lee Mr Richard Bark Mr Thomas East Mr Micajah Perry Senr Mr William Fownes Mr Thomas Ellice Capt John Browne Capt Thomas Haiscee(?) Mr Thomas Wych ... my loveing freinds Mrs Mary Lane Mrs Sarah Cooper and Mrs Anne Perry...
Mr Thomas Lane and Mr John Cooper appointed Overseers, Mary Hayes appointed Executrix.
Signed 8 Mar 1691, proved 28 Jul 1692

I don't know of a connection with Sarah's side of the family, though of course there could be one I haven't found yet, or it could be that he wasn't actually related to John and Sarah at all, but just possibly, he or Mary could be a relative of John's. Mary's will (signed 30 Nov 1710, proved 24 Jun 1713) mentions "my sister Hanna Selfe's children Thomas Mary and Katherine Selfe", plus Mrs Mary Baggwell, Mrs Rebecca Eaton and Mrs Elizabeth Cooper all three daughters of Mr John Cooper of Fenchurch Street London Merchant" and "my loving friend Mr John Cooper... his daughter Mrs Abigal Cooper"
Mr John Cooper and Mr Ralph Smith (whose wife was called Anna Maria Lane) appointed Overseers and Mr George Sendall and Mr Thomas Wych appointed Executors. It's one of those wills which goes on forever and names loads of people, so it still doesn't tell us whether she or her husband was actually related to John or Sarah.

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5111/40611_310744-00189/967980?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

[kiterunner]

This is Thomas Lane's will but it doesn't mention the Coopers:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5111/40611_310734-00323/836603?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return#?imageId=40611_310734-00323

[kiterunner]

Just so I don't forget, there is a John Cooper / Mary Lanes marriage 18 Aug 1665 at St Katherine by the Tower, London, but the marriage record doesn't have any more information about them (just thinking his first wife could have been a Lane because of Thomas Lane.) So no idea whether it's the right John Cooper or not.

Another very tenuous possibility:
26 Mar 1674/5 burial at Stepney - Barbary wife of John Cooper of Ratliff tobacconist
19 Aug 1666 baptism at Stepney - James sonne of John Cooper of Ratcliff mariner & Barbara (born 6th Aug).
Tobacconist could = merchant, but is this the same couple in both cases with his occupation changing from mariner to tobacconist? I can't find the marriage to see what Barbara's maiden name was.

[kiterunner]

Aha, but I've just found this, thanks to FamilySearch as it was mistranscribed on ancestry:
Baptism at Stepney 31 Mar 1672, John sonne of John Cooper of Ratcliff, merchant, & Barbara.

Off to have another look for John and Barbara's marriage...

[Merry]

Oooh, I looked at that one yesterday (how did I find it on Ancestry??!)

[Merry]

Aha, but I've just found this, thanks to FamilySearch as it was mistranscribed on ancestry:
Baptism at Stepney 31 Mar 1672, John sonne of John Cooper of Ratcliff, merchant, & Barbara.

Off to have another look for John and Barbara's marriage...

I've just realised it was this one was looking at, not John:

James Cooper
Christening
19 Aug 1666
St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney, Middlesex
John,
Barbara

[Merry]

and the reason I didn't post was because John was a mariner and I didn't think that worked with merchant.

[Merry]

Barbara/y seems to have died at the right timeframe to fit.

Barbary
Burial
26 Mar 1674-1675
St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney, Middlesex
John

The entry says Cooper and he was a tobacconist this time!

[kiterunner]

and the reason I didn't post was because John was a mariner and I didn't think that worked with merchant.
Same here!

Barbara/y seems to have died at the right timeframe to fit.

Barbary
Burial
26 Mar 1674-1675
St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney, Middlesex
John

The entry says Cooper and he was a tobacconist this time!
Yes, I've just been looking at that too. Thanks!

[kiterunner]

I'm just reading "The Letters of William Fitzhugh" in the Virginia Historical Magazine, which I found by Googling. He wrote several letters to John Cooper, merchant of London, in 1681 and 1682 saying he was sending him first 8, then 11, then 18, hogsheads of tobacco, and asking him to buy some furniture, bedding etc on his behalf and ship it over to him. So I now understand better what "tobacconist" meant - I was thinking of him running a small shop! Importing tobacco does fit better with the amounts of money etc left in his will. There is one letter where William Fitzhugh says he wants to start exchanging news with John Cooper, so I hope the replies are available somewhere!

Edit - not found any information about whether letters to William Fitzhugh have been kept, but I did find some interesting information about John Cooper in one of Fitzhugh's letters to a third party: "Upon the (Royal) Exchange in the Virginia Walk
you'll meet Mr. John Cooper a Virginian Mercht who will take care in conveying your and their letters to me".

[Merry]

Oooh, that's good. Also fits with him being recorded as a mariner - not sailing a ship, but owning one perhaps and importing goods in it?

[kiterunner]

I thought mariner could be a mistake - maybe it was originally written down as "mart" short for "marchant" and misread as "marr" short for mariner when they were copying it out? But your explanation could be right.

[Merry]

Your explanation is at least as plausible. :D

[kiterunner]

I've found this information in "New World Immigrants, Vol I" on ancestry, which now looks as though it must be connected to my John Cooper (his will mentions Mary, the widow of his brother Benjamin Cooper):

Some Early Emigrants to America
(indentures from 1683 and 1684)
(a) Type of printed form and information about the apprentice: Hand-written form, number 452, Benjamin Cooper the son of John Cooper of the parish of St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, occupation victualer; no age stated; signs or marks - signs
(b) Name, address and occupation of the person to whom the apprentice was bound: William Cooper of the parish of Stebunheath alias Stepney, merchant
(c) Place where the apprentice was going - Virginia, bound for 4 years
(d) Date the Indenture was signed and names of witnesses: 17 Sep 1683, John Cooper (the father), Thomas Elwood. Magistrates: W Smyth and Ro Hastings.

I think the "victualer" bit is Benjamin's occupation rather than John's.

[kiterunner]

Hmm, there is a Beniamin Cooper baptised 11 Mar 1653 at Barking, Essex, son of John Cooper. Of course I could be barking up the wrong tree here (sorry, couldn't resist). Might need to take out a short sub to SEAX...

[kiterunner]

I'd looked at this before I found the connection with Virginia, and of course now I think he must be connected to my John Cooper but John isn't named in the will as far as I have made out so far (still need to read through it properly):
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1704/31787_A003000-00364/338873?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return
William Cooper of Mile End, Stepney, mariner, setting sail for Virginia, proved 1686.

Assuming this is the same William Cooper as on Benjamin's indenture, it does look as though some of these merchants also described themselves as mariners, Merry!

[kiterunner]

Burial at Stepney 9 Sep 1684: Anne, wife of Wm Cooper of Mileend, mariner. That would be the reason why he wrote a will / power of attorney on the 4th Nov 1684. His will leaves everything to his daughter Mary Cooper, or if she is deceased, to his friend Peter Rogers of Mile End, blacksmith.

[kiterunner]

I see there is a John Cooper / Barbera Vinabeles marriage 13 Jul 1665 at Droxford, Hampshire; just trying to figure out whether I can rule it out for my John.

(Recap so people don't have to reread the whole thread - my John Cooper was a tobacco merchant / mariner in London; he and his first wife Barbara had a son James born 6 Aug 1666 at Ratcliff, Stepney, London, and another son named John born 1672 also at Ratcliff. Barbara died Mar 1674 Ratcliff.

[kiterunner]

There is a John Venables of Ropley, Hampshire, whose will proved at the PCC 25 Mar 1657 (signed 10 Dec 1656) mentions his son John Venables of Sutton, daughters Martha Venables and Olive Venables (Olive being under 21) and "naturall daughter" Barbara Venables, also under 21. Then the will of John Venables of Sutton, proved 8 Nov 1658, I assume the son of the first John, mentions his son John and another child on the way, and wife Barbarah.

So either of those Barbaras could be the one who married a John Cooper at Droxford in 1665, but I still don't know whether they are the same people as my John Cooper and Barbara.

Olive could be the one who married a Richard Smithson 7 Nov 1661 at St Mary Abbots, Kensington, but I have got nowhere with them yet either.