John was also involved in a number of estates. He was the overseer of the estate of William Bassett with Abraham Dickerman in his will of Jan. 1, 1679. He took the inventory of the estates of: Joseph Dickenson with Samuel Hemingway on May 10, 1683, Joseph Potter with Thomas Yale on Aug. 17, 1669, Thomas Powell with Abraham Dickerman on Oct. 10, 1681, Elizabeth Rose (widow) with John Winston on Aug. 2, 1677, John Rose, Sr. with Samuel Hemingway on May 10, 1683, John Harriman, Sr. on Dec. 6, 1681 with Abraham Dickerman, Widow Hitchcock on June 5, 1685 with John Winston, Sr, Thomas Hogge on June 5, 1685 with Thomas Kimberly, Andrew Low on Feb. 12, 1670 with William Bradley, William Luddington (no date) with Matthew Moulthrope, Richard Miles on Dec. 28, 1666 with Roger Alling, Elizabeth Morris (widow) on Nov. 8, 1681 with Jeremiah How, Matthew Moulthrope on Dec. 1668 with William Andrews, Francis Newman on Jan. 8, 1660/1 with Richard Miles and John Wakeman, William Osbornoe on April 29, 1662 with Richard Miles, George Smith on Dec. 20 with Roger Alling, Benjamin Stabbe on April 30, 1678 with Henry Glover and Thomas Trowbridge, John Thomas, Sr. on Jan. 4, 1669 with Roger Alling, John Tuttle, Sr. on Sept. 12, 1683 with John Winston, Sr. He also witnessed the will of Christopher Tod on March 25, 1686 with Abraham Dickerman.
On Sept. 6, 1664 he presented the inventory of the estate of John and Elinor Vinton. The court was concerned for the welfare of their children, also John and Elinor. The court asked who they would like to be guardian or overseers of their estate. They requested John Cooper and Thomas Yale and the court approved it. Then the court concerned the disposition of the children, now orphans. The court received a letter from Purchase Clarke, who was at the ironworks in Lynn, MA that was read and kept on file. It said he had much affection for the children and that they formerly lived in Lynn and had other fiends there. He promised to take care of them and see that they were disposed of for their good. John Cooper said to the court that Purchase was an able man and of good repute for godliness. The court approved that the children be sent to Purchase and ordered to Thomas Yale and John Cooper to see that the children were comfortably provided for the voyage there. The record said that later word was received by Patrick, formerly servant to Purchase that they children were lovingly received by Purchase and well disposed for their good.
On June 23, 1654, he was appointed corporal of a military company then organized for a contemplated expedition against the Dutch on the Hudson, and served as deputy for New Haven to the Colony's General court, May and August, 1661; May and November, 1662. John was representative to the Connecticut General court in April and October, 1665; October, 1666; May, 1671; October, 1674, and May, 1675. He was judge of the New Haven Town court in 1661, and a member of the committee to settle disputes between the town and individuals. The court of Nov. 11, 1667 appointed John Cooper, along with James Bishop, John Nash, and John Morse to meet with men from Branford and settle the boundary dispute and appointed again to a committee for the same purpose in April 26, 1669. An agreement was reached and read at the December 6, 1669 town meeting.
This same 1667 court appointed John Cooper and a number of others to act as attorneys for the town to make sure the covenants for grinding at the mill were properly upheld as there had been complaints. In February 1668 he was appointed to a committee, along with James Bishop, to settle the boundary dispute with Milford. In the court of March 1, 1669/70, he served on a jury in a dispute between William Chatterton, plaintiff, and Grace Mattocke, defendant.
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