Will and inventory of Nathan Cooper of Roxbury Twp., Morris Co., N.J. — made 28 December 1797, proved 1 February 1798 — with the £229 inventory. NJSA File 990N.

Transcription and notes

Provenance, the relationship to [J.36], the out-of-scope finding, the "John Coper" witness question and the missing frame are all in the source: and coverage: headers and are not repeated here. The family is argued on [p.461]; the witness lead is on [p.102].

Verbatim transcription — Cover sheet (page 00671)

(Faint cursive; partial reading)

[Nm or Wm?] [Coper or Cooper] Will and Inventory [Mar / May?] 1798 [unclear: probate notation] Recorded in liber 27 of Wills folio 178[?] 990 N

(The cover-sheet first letter "N" or "W" reading uncertain in current image quality; but the will body itself clearly opens "I Nathan Coper", confirming testator = Nathan Cooper.)

Verbatim transcription — Will body opening (page 00672)

In the Name of God Amen, I Nathan Coper of the township of [Roxbury — partial in current cursive scan; J.36 abstract supplies "Roxbury Twsp., Morris Co."], County of Morris and State of New Jersey, being weak in body, but of a sound mind and memory, thank be given to God therefor, and calling unto the mortality of my body and not to be my [unclear text — typical religious clauses about dying/hereafter]. Do make this my last Will and Testament, [unclear text on commendation of soul to God + body to earth] to be buried in a decent Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named, and as touching such Worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, I dispose of the same in the following Manner;

It is my Will and Intention at my just debts and funeral Charges to be first paid, and I give and bequeath to my Wife Mehitable Coper the use of all my Dwelling House and my Household Furniture, except my Coffin Chest, also my [unclear: bedding / negro?] Abrahem Coper[?] and that my said wife shall enjoy [unclear: of of my negroes?] to my [Esten / Estate / Eston?] of a [Tract of land?] he made gain or which means the [unclear text continues]...

Verbatim transcription — Will body real-estate bequests (page 00673)

(Heavy cursive, dense text; multiple boundary descriptions; partial reading.)

The will makes extensive real-estate bequests to multiple sons and uses property-purchase history as boundary descriptions. References (verbatim or near-verbatim, all [partial]):

• "lands at Black River" (= Chester / Mendham / Long Valley NJ region)
• "lands in Sussex County" (Sussex Co., NJ; north of Morris Co.)
• "mill at Black River"
• Lands bought of:
• Joseph Bowls (= Joseph Bowles or Joseph Bowlsby, Hanover-area surname)
• Pain Brown (Roxbury-area neighbor; per J.35 Pain Brown was witness to Nathan I's 1788 will)
• Pain Greenwald
• Stephen Brand (or Stephen Brant — surname on multiple Hanover/Roxbury Cooper-adjacent rolls per I.29e p148 1793 Hanover Twp Stephen Brant freeholder)
• Abraham Hill
• Joseph Bell (Bell family — Roxbury cluster)
• Amos Apter[?]
• James Howell Senr
• James Mickler[?]
• Per J.36 abstract additional grantors: Henry Cooper (testator's brother) + Daniel Seward + Thomas Kinsey + James Seward + Jabesh Bell

(The lands-bought-of patterns make this will a good source for Roxbury/Chester area land-tenure relationships in the 1780s-1797 period — useful for J.31/J.32 deed-index cross-referencing if needed.)

Verbatim transcription — Will closing + executor appointment (page 00674)

[unclear] Abraham Cooper to whom the same is given. And [hereby?] [Nominate, Constitute and?] appoint my sons Nathan Coper and Abraham Coper Executors of this my last Will and Testament, [unclear] following all former Wills by me made or [unclear] to be my last [Will]. In testimony whereof I the said Nathan Coper have hereunto set my hand and seal [unclear] day of [unclear month] in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety [seven — per J.36 abstract supplies "28 December 1797"]

Signed, Sealed, Pronounced and declared by the said Nathan Coper to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of: [Witness signature 1] [reading uncertain — possibly John Coper OR Wm Woodhull] [Witness signature 2] Christopher Tichr [or Tichenor] [Witness signature 3] [reading uncertain — possibly Abraham Bell OR similar] [Testator signature, right margin] Nathan Cooper

(Per the 1798 probate affidavit, the three witnesses are confirmed as John Coper + Abraham Bell + Christopher Tichr. The will-body signature readings have alternate candidates per cursive ambiguity but should resolve to those three.)

Verbatim transcription — Probate affidavits (page 00675)

Witness affidavit (John Coper + Abraham Bell deposing)

MORRIS COUNTY — John Coper and Abraham Bell two of the witnesses to the within letters being duly sworn deposeth and saith. that they saw Nathan Cooper the testator therein named sign and seal his Will and heard him publish, pronounce and declare the within writing to be his last Will and Testament, and that at the doing thereof the said testator was of sound mind, [memory and understanding?] as far as the deponents [know?] and as they verily believe; and that the said Christopher Tichr also signed his name as a witness to the said Will in the presence of the said testator.

Sworn at Morristown the 1st day of February A.D. 1798 Before me Jabez Camfield Surrogate [Signatures] John Coper / Abraham Bell

Executor oath (Nathan + Abraham deposing)

MORRIS COUNTY — Nathan Cooper and Abraham Cooper executors in the within testament being duly sworn deposeth and say, that the within testament contains the true last will and testament of Nathan Cooper [the deceased] therein named so far as they know and as they verily believe, that they will well and truly perform the same by paying first the Debts of the said decedent and then the Legacies in the said testament specified so far as the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased can hereunto extend, and that they 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 the said deceased that have or shall come to their knowledge or possession, or to the possession of any other person or persons for their use, and render a just and true account when thereunto lawfully required.

Sworn at Morristown the 1st day of February A.D. 1798 Before me Jabez Camfield Surrogate [Signatures] Nathan Cooper / Abraham Cooper

Verbatim transcription — Inventory (pages 00677-00678)

Inventory header

An Inventory of the Moveable Estate of Nathan Cooper, Late of [Roxbury — township partial reading] Morris County in [State?] of New Jersey deceased, taken Inventoried[?] this [unclear] day of January 1798 by us the under Subscribers

Inventory items (selected; dollar/£ values approximate readings)

Notable: 4 enslaved persons (Negro Pegg, Joseph, Rachel, Beck) listed in the inventory at substantial appraised values (£20–£60 each). Per J.37 Mehitabel's 1812 widow's will, slaves named Paris + Clock + Jude + Rose appear — different roster than 1798, suggesting Mehitabel acquired or manumitted slaves during the 1798-1812 period (or some 1798 slaves had died / been sold).

Appraiser oath

MORRIS COUNTY — C. Vator [Henry] [= Christopher Vator-Henry?] and Abraham Bell, the appraisers of the within mentioned [estate] being duly sworn deposeth and saith they did appraise [unclear text re. estate] and that of effects ratable [text continues re. proper appraisement procedure].

Sworn at Morris[town] [day] February A.D. 1798 Before me Jabez Camfield Surrogate [Signatures] C. Vator [Henry] / Abraham Bell

Executor inventory oath

MORRIS COUNTY — Nathan Cooper and Abraham Cooper Executors of the within will and Testament of Nathan Cooper [the deceased] therein named being duly sworn deposeth and say that the within writing contains a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased so far as have come to their knowledge or possession.

Sworn at Morris[town] [day] February 1798 Before me Jabez Camfield Surrogate [Signatures] Nathan Cooper / Abraham Cooper