Will of Daniel Cooper of Bernards Twp., Somerset Co., made 10 August 1824, proved 4 October 1826 — Somerset Wills Vol. C–E, pp. 277–278. No sons: this branch's Y-line ends.

Transcription and notes

Provenance, the no-sons finding, the wife's name, the three generations of Manning women and the corrected date are all in the source: and coverage: headers and are not repeated here.

Verbatim — will body

Opening + Bernards Twp lands clause (1st)

The last will and Testament of Daniel Cooper of the Township of Bernards County of Somerset State of New Jersey.

I Daniel Cooper being of sound mind and memory (Blessed be Almighty God for the same) do make and publish this my last will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah the use during her natural life of the lands and premises which I purchased of William Davison lying in Bernards township where I now live by a deed bearing date the first day [of] January one thousand eight hundred and one containing about [?] acres of land, also one other Lot of land and premises which I bought of Thomas Lewis by two deeds bearing date, one the twentieth day of March one thousand eight hundred and four and the other the ninth day of February one thousand eight hundred and nineteen containing sixteen acres one quarter & fifteen [hundredths?] of land, my will is that my beloved wife is to have the use & profits arising from the above described premises during her natural life and at her death my will is that the above described premises be equally divided between my two daughters Agness Vail wife of Isaac Vail and Susan M. Cooper their heirs & assigns forever. and that no transfer whatsoever shall be made of the above premises during the natural life of my said wife.

Bank shares + personal property clause

And also I give unto my beloved wife Sarah the Interest and profit of the [twenty] shares in the United States Bank of the city of New York during her natural life & at her decease the same to be equally divided as before mentioned between my two daughters Agness & Susan their heirs & assigns forever. Also I further give unto my wife Sarah all my personal property of every description (except twenty shares of Bank Stock my Bureau and my half of the Pew in the church) under the following condition which is that she my said wife do pay unto Agness Vail wife of Isaac Vail five hundred dollars, also that she pay unto my daughter Susan M. Cooper one thousand dollars in the following manner which is five hundred dollars to be paid to her at twelve per cent below the inventory in such things as she may chuse and the remaining five hundred dollars to be paid in cash within one year after my decease. — Also It is my will that all my Just debts be fully paid my funeral charges and every necessary expense be settled out of my moveable property the residue of said moveable be entirely at the disposal of my said wife —

Susan's Warren Twp farm bequest (2nd)

2nd. I will & bequeath unto my daughter Susan M. Cooper all that part of my farm in Warren township on which Philip Blazer now lives Beginning at where Pound brook empties into dead river and running up said brook the several courses to a stone on the east side of the said brook then with Jonas Bird's line South seven degrees twelve chains and sixty seven links In the middle of the road and near the brook, then North Eighty seven degrees and thirty minutes west eight chains and fifty one links to a Black oak tree near the road then north four degrees & thirty minutes west three chains and thirty four links to a hickory tree near said road, then north sixty eight degrees west along the road five chains to a stone then north Eighty seven degrees and thirty minutes west four chains and Eighty five links to a stone in said road [continuing metes-and-bounds] ...then north ten degrees and fifty minutes East thirty [?] chains to dead river passing an Elm tree or sapling in the meadow and an ash sapling near the bank of dead river which said sapling is to be considered a line tree thence down said river the several courses to Pound brook where it began to her and her heirs and assigns forever.

And further I will and bequeath to her ten Shares of the Stock in the United States Bank in the city of New York and my Bureau and one half of the pew in the church my wife to have the use of the pew during her life also one thousand dollars as I have left for my wife to pay unto her my said daughter Susan M. Cooper.

Agness Vail's Warren Twp farm residue bequest (3rd)

3rdly I will and bequeath unto my daughter Agness Vail wife of Isaac Vail all the residue and remainder of the farm whereon Philip Blazer now lives to her and her heirs & assigns forever, which is Bounded northerly by dead river Easterly by the land hereinbefore bequeathed to my daughter Susan Southerly by the highway and Ephraim Pennington and Benjn Moore and also I will and bequeath Ten Shares of the Stock in the United States Branch bank in the city of new york to my daughter Agness wife of Isaac Vail her heirs and Assigns.

Sarah Manning Sr annuity clause

And whereas I have an annuity or yearly sum of twelve dollars to pay to Sarah Manning my wife mother as long as the said Sarah shall live the same I do hereby make chargeable equally on the lands herein before bequeathed to my wife and daughters that is to say they each to pay her four dollars per year.

Susan M. Cooper under-18 contingency (5thly)

Fifthly. In case my daughter Susan M. Cooper should die under the age of eighteen years the Share bequeathed to her to remain in the hands of her mother.

Executor appointment (6thly)

Sixthly. I appoint my son in law Isaac Vail and my friend Wm C Annin Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made

In witness whereof I have set my hand and Seal this tenth day of August one thousand Eight hundred and twenty four 1824.

Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Daniel Cooper to be his last will & Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our names as witness in the presence of the Testator and each other

Daniel Cooper [Seal]

Witnesses

Martin Winne Thomas Lewis Stoffel Barkalow

Probate attestation (Thomas Lewis sworn-in)

Thomas Lewis being duly sworn according to law deposeth & saith that the annexed writing contains the last will and testament of Daniel Cooper Decd as far as he Knows and as he verily believes; and that he saw the Testator sign and seal the same and heard him publish pronounce & declare the same as his last will & testament and that he was of sound and disposing mind & memory at the time of the execution thereof; and that Martin Winne and Stoffel Barkalow the other subscribing witnesses were present and evidenced the same together with him this deponent in the presence and at the request of sd Testator. ——

Sworn at Somerville Octr 4th 1826 Before me JW Frelinghuysen [Surrogate] Thomas Lewis

Executor sworn-in (William C Annin)

William C Annin the surviving Executor named in the annexed last will and Testament of Daniel Cooper Decd Being duly sworn according to law did dispose and say, that the same writing contains the last will & Testament of sd Testator as far as he Knows and as he verily believes; & that he will well and truly perform and fulfill the same by paying first the debts of said decd and then the Legacies therein set down & specified so far as goods chattels and credits can thereunto and exhibit unto the Surrogate office of the County of Somerset a true and perfect Inventory of all and Singular the goods and chattels rights & credits of sd Decd that shall or may come to his Knowledge or possession or possession of any other person or persons for his use ——

Sworn at Somerville Octr 4th 1826 Before me JW Frelinghuysen Surrogate Wm C Annin

Probate certification

Probate Issued as follows. viz:

State of New Jersey } I John Frelinghuysen Surrogate of the County of Somerset } Somerset, do certify the annexed to be a true copy of the last will and testament of Daniel Cooper late of the County of Somerset deceased and that William C Annin the Executor (surviving) therein named proved the same before me and is duly Authorized to take upon himself the administration of the estate of the Testator agreeably to the said will. — Witness my hand and Seal of office the fourth day of October 1826.

JW Frelinghuysen