John Cooper (1610 - 1689) Part One

John Cooper was born in England on July 22, 1610 in London, England, the son of Thomas (or Stephen) Cooper. Much has been written about him so I will divide his story into three long posts He came to Boston on June 26, 1637 on the Hector with several other founders of New Haven. John Cooper was one of the original 63 signers of the covenant of June 4, 1639, founding New Haven. In the first division of land in 1641, he received 9 acres in the first division, 1 ¾ acres in the neck, and 3 acres in the meadow with 12 acres in the second division. His annual tax for this land was 6 shillings and 7 pence. John is listed in attendance in the general court of July 1, 1644, as well as March 10, 1646. In the court of April 7, 1646 he was fined 6 pence for improper military equipment along with William Ives, James Bishop and several others. He lived at corner of Grove and Church Streets and was still living there in 1665.

John held a number of roles in the town. In 1643, he was appointed by the New Haven court as the first town chimney sweep. According to Levermore (The Republic of New Haven), every chimney in continual use had to be cleaned once a month in winter and once every other month in the summer. The cost of cleaning was related to the height of the chimney. If the owner wanted to do the job themselves, that was okay but then John inspected their work. If it was not done well then John re-did the job at double the regular fee. Also, every home owner, under five shilling fine, had to have a ladder leaning against the chimney at all times that provided access to any part of the roof and the chimney to provide access for fire prevention. After a few years John requested the town to name a successor in the chimney swipe role, since had several other town roles. but they could not find anyone. Finally, in 1658, the court declared that no one had to be the town chimney sweep.

John was also appointed the Town Crier in 1646 to proclaim the news. This role was eventually replaced by the newspaper. At the court of Oct. 26, 1646, he was chosen, along with Brother Mansfield, surveyor “for the other side of town.” In 1648 John Cooper was appointed “to begin to view and look to the fences presently, and when he gives warning to any quarter that he will view the first time, they are to go with him, show him every man his fence, and if they neglect, they shall pay 12 pence a man.” His role, supervising all the fence viewers was referred to as the “Public Pownder” because he and his two assistants would “overlook a convenient compase of ground on every day, and who should take and pound all the cattle and hogs they put there, mending any small defect in any fence or acquainting the owner with any breach.”

Later that same year John Cooper informed the court that “there is a great deal of fence down about Mr. Evans farm…the court ordered that it be made up with speed.” He also sited others for down fences. The next year John was “advised to view all the fences well, and where he sees them failing and not likely to keep cattle out of the corn, that he warn the owner of them and if they be not mended sufficiently between this and the next court, that they be warned to answer it.” He was also ordered to drive the neck and to “pound those cattle which are not orderly put in.” John also requested that the court appoint a man in each quarter “to know the quantity of corn every man hath sowen or planted this year, that he is to be paid for.”

At the court of Nov. 6, 1649 John Cooper complained that Thomas Osborne let his four of hogs “go abroad in the summer for the most part, contrary to order. Thomas Osborne could not deny it. The court ordered that he pay to John Cooper 12 pence a hog.” At the same court, John Cooper also complained that David Atwater and William Wooden let their hogs abroad in the summer contrary to order and that they have not been ringed, according to the last order. “The court witnessed against their disorderly walking, and they are to pay John Cooper for each swine which he found abroads of theirs, 12 pence, and for each swine not ringed and marked according to order.”

Levermore writes that one winter John Cooper summoned a large portion of the town for defective fences. So many influential townspeople were accused that the court, while complimenting John for his work, wiped out all the fines and gave every one a clean slate. John informed the court of June 11, 1666 that the corner in the beaver field was in danger of spoiling by hogs with the dam broken and requested the liberty of five or six men to go and make up the fence there and this granted to him.

Comments

[Linda Alcott Maples]

This info is so interesting. I am a descendant of John Cooper via his daughter Mary who was the wife of Abraham Dickerman; and their daughter Mary Dickerman who married Samuel Bassett.
My father's 9 th great-grandmother Margery Alcock (Mrs. Thomas Alcock of Dedham/Boston, MA)) as a widow married John Benham of New Haven Colony and moved from MA to CT about 1660.

I also am the 10th great-granddaughter of Gov. Theophilus Eaton and his 2nd wife Ann Lloyd Yale Eaton who is a descendant of King John of England via John's illegitimate daughter Joan who married
Prince Llewelyn 'Fawr' ap Iorweth of Wales.

I noticed you have several lines that I have: Bassett, Dickerman, Peck, Cooper.

Is your Yale line the Thomas Yale of New Haven, Ann Eaton's son?

These early American colonists were amazing!

Thx for putting together this blog.

Linda Alcott Maples (Alcott/Alcox are variants on Alcock - came about in early 1800's with Amos Bronson Alcott one of first to use Alcott)

[Bill Ives]

Linda - Thanks for your input. Yes. I am a descendent of Thomas Yale. If you click on the Yale bios link in the right side column, you will see my Yale line.

[Linda Alcott Maples]

Bill, I finally dug my 'round to it' out of my stack of genealogy papers and started reading. Your blog is great. Love all the info on the Yales (even though I only have indirect connection) and Theophilus and Anne.

You may have this as a subject and my eyes didn't light on it but ... have you researched Anne's push and pull with John Davenport's 'church'? My husband and I have read a bit on this
sressfull time for Anne and most certainly for Gov. Eaton - he had to look at her across the dinner table every night. I have read that Eaton tried not to take Anne's or Davenport's side. And besides
the 1/3 portion of his estate he willed her an extra 50 pounds to show his love and affection.

My husband, Jim, is thinking about working up a program about Anne and John Davenport's religious feud to give to the my Colonial Dames of the XVII Century chapter. He has given a program
centered around the New Haven Colony and the difference between the Puritans of New Haven and the Separatists of Massachusetts.

I apologize for going on about Anne's descent from King John. With the Yale line, you have so many more illustrious ancestors. Just find all this fascinating.

Of course, I have more regular old people on my father's side and my mother's side.

My next pick: The Military Treason Trial of Sarah Hutchins

Sincerely,

Linda A. Maples

[Bill Ives]

Linda Thanks for your comment. I do not have anything to add on the subject but would welcome more from you on the topic.

[Pamela Bigelow Johnson]

Hi Bill, thanks for writing this up. John is my 13th Great grandfather, through Sarah and Samuel Hemingway.
I'm so glad to find links for many of my New Haven ancestors here and your research as well. I'm working on my direct matrilineal ancestress, Tacy Cooper Hubbard and her descendants. It appears we have a very rare haplotype and researchers are interested in anyone who matches and is interested in genetic genealogy and wants to contribute info. I'm looking for female direct line descendants. They can contact me at my email: pamelajinteriors2@gmail.com. Looking forward to your future posts!

[Bill Ives]

Pamela - Thanks for your comment. We share William Ives but then I am a descent of John's brother Joesph. I would help you out but do not meet the gender requirements. I hope some of the bog readers contact you.