Document A.14 · will · transcription: partial
Will of Ann Cooper of Chester Twp., Morris Co., N.J. — made 3 October 1849, proved 13 May 1856 — a widow's large real-estate devise. NJSA File 3745N.
A.14: Will of Ann Cooper of Chester Twp., Morris Co., N.J…People named
| As written | Role | Identified as | What this document says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Cooper | testator | Anna (Wills) Cooper, 1775–1856 | residence: 1849, Chester Twp., Morris Co., New Jersey probate: 13 May 1856, Morris Co., New Jersey |
| Nathan A. Cooper | executor | Gen Nathan A Cooper 1802–1879 | |
| Nathan A. B. Stewart | executor | ||
| Bridle[?] Anne Stewart | legatee | ||
| Anna Elizabeth Cooper | legatee | ||
| Charles S. Emmons | witness | ||
| Philip Welsh[?] | witness | ||
| William K. Osborn | witness | ||
| Fred. Dellicker | official | ||
| Elizabeth Wright | mentioned | ||
| Bessie Hunt | mentioned | ||
| Ralph Drake | mentioned |
What this document records
Out of scope
THIS FAMILY IS OUT OF SCOPE, AND THE ENTRY IS KEPT ANYWAY. Ann is the mother of Gen Nathan A Cooper Gen. Nathan A. Cooper of Chester Twp., part of the Chester/Roxbury Cooper cluster that [pr.26] established is a distinct line from Daniel Sr's Long Hill family. ⇒ nothing here advances the Benjamin questions. It is retained for disambiguation value — this cluster is a recurring source of false matches — and because the catalog records what it is shown. The identification is argued on Anna (Wills) Cooper,, not here.
Corrections 2026 09 01
ONE CROP PASS OVER THE AFFIDAVIT (image 315) CORRECTED THREE THINGS: (1) the Surrogate is Fred. Dellicker, not "Fred Pellickin" — the same error found in [A.13], which is the neighbouring file in the same series, proved five months earlier; (2) the affidavit names two further will-witnesses the entry had never recorded — Philip Welsh[?] and William K. Osborn; (3) it confirms "the Surviving Executor" wording verbatim. That is three findings from ONE of eight images. The will body has had no such pass — which is exactly the argument of the todo.
No inventory
THE FILE CONTAINS NO INVENTORY — will and probate affidavits only. For an estate of this size (552 acres at Pheebe Mountain alone) an inventory almost certainly existed; NJSA may hold it separately under the same file number.
Maiden name not in this document
THE WILL NEVER GIVES HER MAIDEN SURNAME. The catalog knows it from elsewhere — Anna (Wills) Cooper, records her as Anna "Nancy" (WILLS) Cooper — but nothing in this document supplies it, and the entry must not be cited as though it did. What the will DOES give, and what makes the Wills identification look right, is a reference to "Samuel and James Wells dec." and a Bishops Lake property. Wells and Wills are the same name under two spellings, which turns a loose guess into a plausible kin reference — possibly her brothers. Still not stated by the document; see Anna (Wills) Cooper,. Her two sisters appear only under married names — Elizabeth Wright and Bessie Hunt — so they could never have yielded it either.
Transcription and notes
Provenance, the out-of-scope finding, the 2026-09-01 affidavit corrections, the absence of an
inventory and the unknown maiden name are all in the source: and coverage: headers and are not
repeated here. The people and the family identification are argued on [p.499] and [p.496].
Verbatim transcription — Cover sheet (page 00308)
Will of Ann Cooper, Decd Proved May 13th 1856 Recorded in the Morris County Record of Wills Book G., fol. 541, 542, 543 & 544 Pellickin Surrogate Compd 3745 N Paid
Verbatim transcription — Will body opening (page 00309)
In the name of God. Amen. I, Ann Cooper of the township of Chester in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey, being of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament.
First. It is my will and I do order my Executors hereinafter mentioned to defray all my funeral charges and expenses as soon after my decease as conveniently may be done.
Item. I give and devise all my lands and real estate (except my Bliss Lake[?] herein-after mentioned and described) viz. the Pheebe[?] Mountain farm containing five hundred and fifty-two acres and twelve [acres?] in the Goldsmith[?] place, the two lots of land in Flanders set off to me by the Commissioners out of lands [late?] of my sister Elizabeth Wright dec [unclear] a [unclear] acre lot of land containing eighteen and a half acres entitled lot No. 1, the other to wood lot containing eighteen and a half acres entitled lot No. 2, also the lots of land in Marcelhana[?] set off to me by the Commissioners out of lands late of my sister Bessie Hunt dec. The first, a lot of cleared land containing nineteen acres entitled lot No. 1, The second, a wood lot containing fourteen acres and forty-five hundredths of the acre entitled lot No. 2, the third, a lot comprising two equal moieties [parted?] in [unclear] [equal] [tenths?] [acres] and a half acres or thereabouts, and also[?] my one equal [share/sixth/half] [continued on next page]...
Notable real-estate (verbatim or near-verbatim):
- Pheebe Mountain farm — 552 acres (Chester Twp, NJ; the main estate)
- Goldsmith place — 12 acres
- Flanders lots (set off from sister Elizabeth Wright's estate): 18.5-acre lot + 18.5-acre wood lot
- Marcelhana[?] lots (set off from sister Bessie Hunt's estate): 19-acre cleared + 14.45-acre wood + a third lot of unclear acreage
- Plus an "undivided sixth part of lands at Stanhope and Flanders" devised by Ralph Drake et al by deed dated 18-- (year not transcribable)
(Place-name "Marcelhana" is uncertain — could be "Marcellena" or "Mt. Cellinas" or similar; Morris/Sussex county placename. "Pheebe Mountain" likely "Phoebe Mountain" — a real Morris-County feature near Chester. "Bliss Lake" likely "Hopper Lake" or similar local lake.)
Verbatim transcription — Will body bequests (pages 00311 + 00312)
Item — Bridle[?] Anne Stewart bequest
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Bridle[?] Anne Stewart, [unto?] her [unclear] my Eight China tea set with two[?] plain stainless, my china coffee cups and saucers, the gold piece of the value of twelve dollars given me by my Father, my old solitaire and pictures in the back room old time, also the small mahogany table in the back room, the small looking glass [unclear] back room [unclear] upper and middle beds, bolsters and pillows in my back room, my saddle, and bridle, and (bird-bath?) bowl, three sad quilts in the [unclear] with chair drawers, the new made of white and [pieces?] calico and woolen, and the new sole me my body, and all my mowing apparel.
(Note "the gold piece of the value of twelve dollars given me by my Father" — primary-source reference to Ann's father, but father's name is not transcribed in this clause.)
Item — Nathan A. Cooper bequest
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Nathan A. Cooper, and [to his] heirs and assigns, my [tall?] brass clock and case, the dining table, body and dining stand and (unclear), high oval candlestick, the looking glass, and the upper and (unclear) bed, bolster and pillows in the [bee?] room, the bed quilts on the light and dark shades and the light and blue [unclear] quilts, the silver-onyx tea Wedgwood mug carpets in the West Room, my (cream?) spoon, [silver?] table spoons (unclear) by my dear (in-law?) Bridle Anne, also the (unclear) tea (unclear) of all the [silver?] the earthenware, all the linen, and the entire residue of my [unclear] in the (mostly?) divided between my Son Nathan A. Cooper and Bridle Anne Stewart.
Item — Anna Elizabeth Cooper (granddaughter) bequest
Item. I do give and bequeath to my granddaughter Anna Elizabeth Cooper, her [heirs?] and the [tea?] bottles and pillows in the West bed-room.
Item — Bridle Anne Stewart additional bequest (with remainder to grandson)
Item. I do give and bequeath to my daughter Bridle Ann Stewart, my large gilt frame'd looking glass in the West room, also my silver tea pot, sugar cup, milk cup and dish, sugar tongs and at her decease to my grand son Nathan A. Stewart, if he shall [survive?] her.
(Granddaughter Anna Elizabeth = Nathan A. Cooper's daughter likely; grandson Nathan A. Stewart = Bridle Anne's son.)
Item — gold beads / gold rings to granddaughter
Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter Bridle Anne Stewart, my gold rings and single string of gold beads, and my double string of gold beads to her in trust for my granddaughter Anna Elizabeth Cooper, [if?] to give her when she shall arrive at the age of twelve years — if my daughter should not live till my granddaughter has arrived at that age, it is my will that they be given to my granddaughter immediately on the death of my daughter.
Verbatim transcription — Stone wall + family burying ground clause (page 00313)
[continuation of an earlier item about Bishops Lake property] form the estate of Samuel and James Wells dec. for the use and occupation of the Bishops Lake during and respecting that out of the same be paid to be erected, if it be not done before my decease, a good stone wall built up with lime and sand, around my burying ground, and that the big the [headstones / over the family graves] in the family burying ground in the year of the first Congregational church in Chester.
(Family burial site explicitly named: First Congregational Church in Chester. Ann directs that proceeds from her share of the Wells estate / Bishops Lake property pay for a stone wall + headstones around the family plot at the First Congregational Church in Chester Twp Morris Co. NJ.)
Verbatim transcription — Executor clause + signature (pages 00313 + 00314)
Lastly. It is my will that my son Nathan A. Cooper, and grand son Nathan A.B. Stewart, be the Executors of this my last Will and Testament; and I do hereby Nominate, Constitute and appoint them for that purpose.
In witness whereof I, hereunto, in the presence of Philip Welsh, Charles S. Emmons and William H. Osborn, whom I request to be the subscribing witnesses to this my last Will and Testament, have hereunto set my hand and seal this third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine [= 3 October 1849].
Signed and sealed in the presence of: Philip Welsh [witness 1 signature] Charles S. Emmons [witness 2 signature] William H. Osborn [witness 3 signature]
[Testatrix signature, right margin] Ann Cooper [seal blob L.S.]
Verbatim transcription — Probate affidavits (page 00315)
Witness affidavit (Charles S. Emmons)
MORRIS COUNTY, ss. Charles S. Emmons one of the Witnesses to the annexed Will, being duly sworn, did depose and say, that he saw Ann Cooper the Testatrix therein named, sign and seal the same, and heard her pronounce, publish, and declare it to be her last Will and Testament; and at the doing thereof the said Testatrix was of sound and disposing mind, and memory, as far as this deponent knows and as he verily believes; and that Philip Welsh and William H. Osborn the other subscribing evidence were present at the same time, and signed their names as witnesses to said Will, together with this deponent in the presence of the said Testatrix.
Sworn before me, May 13th, 1856 Fred Pellickin, Surrogate [Signature] Charles S. Emmons
Executor oath (Nathan A. Cooper as 'Surviving Executor')
MORRIS COUNTY, ss. Nathan A. Cooper the Surviving Executor in the annexed Will named, being duly sworn, did depose and say, that the annexed writing contains the true last Will and Testament of Ann Cooper the Testatrix therein named, so far as he knows and as he verily believes; and that he will well and truly perform the same by paying first the Debts of the said deceased, and then the Legacies in said Testament specified so far as the goods, chattels, rights and credits of said deceased can thereunto extend, and that he will make and exhibit into the Surrogate's Office of the County of Morris, a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of said deceased that have or shall come to his knowledge or possession, or to the possession of any other person or persons for his use, and render a just and true account when thereunto lawfully required.
Sworn before me, May 13th, 1856 Fred Pellickin, Surrogate [Signature] Nathan A. Cooper
KEY DATUM: "Surviving Executor" wording = Ann's grandson Nathan A.B. Stewart predeceased her (or was unable to serve) before 13 May 1856. Stewart was alive Oct 1849 (will-witness time) but predeceased pre-May 1856 — death window 1849-1856.