The Coopers of Long Hill

Document A.83 · probate corpus sweep · transcription: verbatim

NJ Archives Vol. XXXIII — a Cooper / Runyon / Coriell sweep of the whole volume (Calendar of Wills IV, 1761–1770): 611 pages searched, and the Cooper-adjacent estates transcribed.

repository
Published archival abstracts
collection
Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. XXXIII — Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Vol. IV, 1761-1770.
identifier
Every Cooper, Cor[iy]ell and Run[iy]on occurrence in the volume, plus the Bergen Dutch Cuypers. Per-record liber and book-page citations are in the body.

What is transcribed: The whole volume, as a name sweep. Calendar abstracts throughout — no manuscript has been ordered for any record here, though §1a names a pullable NJSA file (No. 179 N).

People named

As writtenRoleIdentified asWhat this document says
Daniel Cooper appraiser Daniel Cooper Sr 1695–1795 possible
Daniel Cooper Jr witness Daniel Cooper Jr 1729–1787 probable
Benjamin Cooper mentioned Benjamin Cooper 1741–1794 unproven
George Cooper executor George Cooper 1733–1790 probable
Cecil child Sissel (Tappan) Cooper 1733 probable
David Coriell appraiser David Coriell ?–1742
Moses Cooper witness Moses Cooper Sr 1727–1778 possible
Jonas [Carl] mentioned Jonas Carle 1748–1815 possible
[Ann Cooper] mentioned Ann (Cooper) Carle 1750–1795 unproven
[Cooper] mentioned Ezekiel Cooper Jr unproven
Abigail Cooper mentioned
Mary Cooper mentioned
Peter Layton mentioned
Charles Hoff mentioned
Caleb Swayze mentioned

What this document records

What it is for

It is a feeder sweep, run to find Cooper-adjacent records nobody would think to look for — the Coopers here mostly appear as appraisers, witnesses, bondsmen and sons-in-law in other families' estates, not as decedents. That is precisely where a 1760s Cooper leaves a trace, because the generation in question was not yet dying.

The findings are argued elsewhere

This entry used to carry eight paragraphs of identity reasoning; all of it is now on the person, family and project files, with fuller argument than the entry had room for. Kept here only as pointers: ① §1d — Abraham Tappon names daughter Cecil and son-in-law George Cooper as executor ⇒ the parentage of Sissel (Tappan) Cooper Sissel (Tappan) Cooper, argued there. ② §1b — Jacob Carl's 1769 will, witnessed by Daniel Cooper Jr, devising land in the Great Swamp to son Jonas ⇒ the Jonas Carle question, argued at Jonas Carle and Ann (Cooper) Carle. ③ §§1g/1h — a 1762-65 Sussex/Trenton "Benjamin Cooper" cluster ⇒ argued at Benjamin Cooper and [pr.63]. Do not cite either as Benjamin Cooper without further evidence. ④ §1i — Henry Johnson of Roxbury's 1762 will, whose executor set matches three of the four named in a Dec 1771 Morris court minute ⇒ argued at [I.106], including what it would mean for that entry's dating.

Every cooper here is ambiguous

NOT ONE COOPER IN §1 IS IDENTIFIED BY THE DOCUMENTS. The 1763 appraiser is "Daniel Cooper" with no Sr or Jr; §1c's "Abigail Cooper" is a daughter married to an unnamed Cooper; §1f's "Moses Cooper" is a bare name at Roxbury; §§1g/1h give two Benjamin Coopers with no parentage. The entry records the occurrences; the identifications are all inferences and all live on person files.

The out of scope tables

§§4 and 5 are disambiguation, captured for completeness — Gloucester / Monmouth / Burlington Quaker Coopers, the Newark and Elizabeth-Town Essex Coopers, the Long Island Southampton family, the Roxbury Nathans, and one-line witness and appraiser occurrences. They rest on the text layer, not on page images.

A hazard worth carrying forward

§4h is a same-name trap and is flagged so it is not walked into twice. A Monmouth / Middletown John Cooper (d. 1761/62) has an oldest son Ezekiel — and [fam.9]'s Ezekiel Cooper Ezekiel Cooper Sr of Middletown has a separately attested father, Joseph Cooper × Deborah Taylor ([A.78]). ⇒ 1760s Middletown held at least TWO Cooper households, each with an Ezekiel. Logged at [fam.9].

Seven families keys were removed

A families: key naming SEVEN families — fam.1, fam.2, fam.3, fam.4, fam.9, fam.10 and fam.15 — was removed 2026-09-01. An entry may not carry a family attribution; see reference_entry_link_types, rejected kind 8. Seven at once is the reduction to absurdity of the rule: the key was asserting seven different family memberships for different people in five different sections, and no consumer could tell which claim attached to whom.

Transcription and notes

Provenance, the search method and its two-tier verification, what the sweep is for, where its findings are argued, and the removed seven-family key are all in the source: and coverage: headers and are not repeated here. Not one Cooper in §1 is identified by the documents — every identification lives on a person file.

§1 — On-orbit Morris / Hunterdon / Sussex Cooper records [verbatim]

1a. Daniel Bouttenhouse of Morris Co. — intestate 1763, File No. 179N (book p. 52) — Daniel Cooper appraiser

1763, May 9. Bouttenhouse, Daniel, of Morris Co. Int. Adm'r—John Carl, largest creditor. Fellowbondsman—Peter Layton; both of said Co. Witness—Sarah Nuttman. 1763, May 7. Renunciation by Saphira Bouttenhouse, his widow. Witness—Peter Layton. 1763, May 11. Inventory, £44.0.10, made by Daniel Cooper and Peter Layton. 1765, Dec. 31. Account by Adm'r. File No. 179N.

1b. Jacob Carl of Morris Co. — will (made 29 May 1769, proved 4 Dec 1769), Lib. K p. 177 (book p. 71) — Daniel Cooper Jr + Elias Runyon witnesses

1769, May 29. Carl, Jacob, of Morris Co.; will of. Wife, Rebecca, use of ⅓ my lands hereafter given to my son, Jonas. Eldest son, Uriah Carl, £100, after taking out what I paid on bond to Joseph Carl, of Staten Island; and to Uriah's eldest daughter, Mary. Son, John, land where he lives; also the land in the Great Swamp. Son, Jonas, land where I live. Daughter, Sarah Baird, £50. Executors—sons, John and Jonas, and friend Peter Layton. Witnesses—Daniel Cooper, Jr., Elias Runyon, Mercy More. Proved Dec. 4, 1769. Lib. K, p. 177.

1c. John Kenney of Hanover, Morris Co. — will (made 27 Feb 1766, proved 19 Mar 1766), Lib. I p. 177 (book p. 229) — daughter Abigail Cooper

1766, Feb. 27. Kenney, John, of Hanover, Morris Co.; will of. Eldest daughter, Mary Parrit, £5. Real and personal to be sold and the money divided between my other three daughters, Johanah Price, Elizabeth Kenney and Abigail Cooper. Executors—Thomas Kenney and Jacob Ford, Jr. Witnesses—Abraham Tappen, Thomas Millidge, Augustine Moore. Proved March 19, 1766. Lib. I, p. 177.

1d. Abraham Tappon of Hanover, Morris Co. — will (made 26 Sep 1764, proved 7 Nov 1766), Lib. I p. 57 (book p. 421) — son-in-law George Cooper executor

1764, Sept. 26. Tappon, Abraham, of Hanover, Morris Co., yeoman; will of. Wife, Sarah, some household goods, stock and the use of the house where I live, and 20 acres. My daughters, Sarah, Mary, Cecil and Margaret, 20 shillings to each. Daughter, Hannah Bloodgood, £15. Daughter, Isabel, £25. To son, Benjamin, 10 acres, to be taken off of the woodlot east of the land given to Asher, by deed. Son, Asher, 5 acres of the woodlot that joins to that given to him by deed. Son, Moses, 40 acres, joining Asher's land. Sons, Jacob and John, my homestead, of 20 acres. Sons, Isaac, Abraham and William, £7 each. Executors—wife, Sarah; son-in-law, George Cooper, and my sons, Moses and Asher. Witnesses—William Dixon, Benjamin Searing, Martha Dixon. Proved Nov. 7, 1766. Lib. I, p. 57.

1e. Junia Lindsly of Morristown, Morris Co. — will (made 12 Mar 1770, proved 9 Apr 1770), Lib. K p. 215 (book p. 251) — Mary Cooper witness

1770, March 12. Lindsly, Junia, of Morristown, Morris Co., yeoman; will of. My land where I live and the tract at the Great Pond to be sold. To wife, Hannah, and to each daughter, Charity, Mary and Rachel, £50. To sons, Ephraim, Junia, Agur and Nehemiah, £100 each. Sons to be put to trades. Executors—my brother, John Lindsly, and friend, Ebenezer Condict. Witnesses—Jacob Goble, Mary Cooper, Timothy Johnes. Proved April 9, 1770. Lib. K, p. 215.

1f. Ephraim Colman of Roxbury, Morris Co. — will (made 28 Sep 1769, proved 3 Nov 1769), Lib. K p. 219, File No. 255 N (book p. 86) — Moses Cooper witness

1769, Sept. 28. Colman, Ephraim, of Roxbury, Morris Co.; will of. Real and personal estate to be sold, and, of the proceeds, my wife, Susanna, to have one third, and the rest to be divided among my children, namely, Elizabeth, Susanna, Mahitable, Sarah, and Penelope, when they are of age. If my wife have another child, it is to have a share. Executors—my wife and John Carns, of Mendam, said Co. Witnesses—Moses Cooper, Benjamin Corwin, Jecamiah Rogers. Proved Nov. 3, 1769. 1769, Oct. Inventory, made by Daniel Budd and Caleb Swayze. Lib. K, p. 219; File No. 255 N.

1g. Aaron Dowd of Trenton, Hunterdon Co., attorney-at-law — will (made 30 Apr 1765, proved 22 Jun 1765), Lib. 12 p. 144 (book pp. 119–120) — Benjamin Cooper book-partnership bequest

1765, April 30. Dowd, Aaron, of Trenton, Hunterdon Co., attorney-at-law; will of. Formerly of Newton in Sussex Co. Executors are to buy headstones, of marble, for Cornelius Dowd, Hannah Dowd and myself, and have the names cut thereon. To Ann Dowd, the widow of my father, Cornelius Dowd, £15. To the Presbyterian Church in Newtown and Hardwick, £10, towards building a meeting house on Charles Pettit's land in Hardwick, Sussex Co. To the managers, for building a schoolhouse, near Amos Pettit's in Newtown, £5. To Sarah, the wife of Joseph Yard, £30, for gratitude for the tender care she hath taken of me in my illness. To Benjamin Cooper, the books I hold with him in partnership. Friend, Joseph Phillips, my riding chair and mare. To Elizabeth and Ann Pettit, who are daughters of Amos Pettit, £20 each, when they are 18. My messuage in Trenton, containing 13 acres, which I hold by 2 deeds (one from Trustees of Robert Smith, dated 22 of April, 1758, and the other from Thomas Tindall and Mary his wife, dated 3 of Nov., 1761), I give to Wanell Cottnam (son of Abraham Cottnam), but, if he die before he is 21, then I give the same to George Cottnam, who is also a son of said Abraham. Land which I hold by deed from Cornelius and Ann Dowd I give to Joseph Phillips, Jr. I desire my apprentice, Isaac Lafoliot, to be bound to a person who will give him a trade and education. Executors—Abraham Cottnam, Esq., and Joseph Phillips. Witnesses—Arch'd William Yard, Isaac Allen, Robert Dodd. Proved June 22, 1765. Lib. 12, p. 144.

(Cross-entry at book p. 119: 1763, Oct. 29 — Doud, Cornelius, of Trenton, Hunterdon Co., Int.; Adm'r Aaron Doud, of Sussex Co.; fellowbondsman James Cunine of Hunterdon Co.; witness Micajah How. Lib. 11, p. 459 — = the father's administration.)

1h. William Miller of Newton, Sussex Co. — intestate 1762, Lib. 11 p. 286 (book p. 289) — Benjamin Cooper, yeoman of Sussex Co., fellowbondsman

1762, June 16. Miller, William, of Newton, Sussex Co., collier. Int. Adm'r—John Hackett, yeoman. Fellowbondsman—Benjamin Cooper, yeoman, of said Co. Witness—John English. 1762, June 15. Inventory, £200.10.5, made by John English and John Burns. 1762, June 17. Renunciation by Charity Miller, widow of William Miller. Witness—Benjamin Cooper. Lib. 11, p. 286.

1i. Henry Johnson of Roxbury Twsp., Morris Co. — will (made 2 Nov 1762, proved 17 Mar 1763), Lib. 11 p. 460 (book p. 220) — the I.106 search target; NO Cooper named

1762, Nov. 2. Johnson, Henry, of Roxbury Twsp., Morris Co.; will of. Wife, Elliner, use of the farm and moveables, till my youngest son, Zacherias, is 21. When all is sold the money is to be divided among my children, viz., Richard, Henry, John, Elliner, Zackeas, Mary Leuy, and Zacherias. The forge and saw mill to be sold as seems best. Executors—my wife, son Richard, and friend, John Van Tuyl. Witnesses—Jabesh Heaton, Jr., Timothy Skinner, Daniel Heaton, Jr. Proved March 17, 1763. 1763, March 15. Inventory, £1,110.11.4, made by John Lafever and William Boyd. Lib. 11, p. 460.

§2 — Coriell + Piscataway Runyon/Manning network (fam.15 / pr.16 / pr.63-relevant) [verbatim]

2a. Nicholas Leforge of Piscataway — will (made 14 Apr 1769, proved 22 May 1769), Lib. K p. 106 (book p. 247) — David Coriell appraiser; Benjamin + Reune Runyon

1769, April 14. Leforge, Nicholas, of Piscataway, Middlesex Co.; will of. Wife, Syche, £50, and some goods, and the land where I live, and the other lot, while my widow; and she is to take care of my children, namely, Nicholas, Jacob, Nelly and Rachel. Executors—friends, Jacob Boice and Benjamin Runyon. Witnesses—David Leforge, Jacob Titsworth, Reune Runyon. Proved May 22, 1769. 1769, May 23. Inventory, made by Reune Runyon and David Coriell. Lib. K, p. 106.

2b. David Leforge of Cedar Brook, Piscataway, miller — will (made 20 Jan 1764, proved 9 May 1764), Lib. H p. 438 (book pp. 246–247) — Manning + Blackford kin

1764, Jan. 20. Leforge, David, of Cedar Brook, in Piscataway, Middlesex Co., miller; will of. My land that belongs to me, of the plantation formerly my father's, in Piscataway, to be sold. Wife, Sarah, the furniture she brought with her. Daughter-in-law, Phebe Pearsall, £5 and a cow. Wife to have use of rest, and daughter, Phebe, to have the same, when she is 18, but, if she die, then to go to the now living children of my brothers, John and Nathaniel, and those that are now living of my sisters, Francis Blackford and Sarah Jones. Executors—my wife and my brothers, James Manning and Joseph Randolph. Witnesses—William Campbell, James Manning, Jr., John Pearsall. Proved May 9, 1764. 1764, May 8. Inventory, made by Samuel Drake and Daniel Drake. Lib. H, p. 438.

2c. Thomas Runyon of Kingwood, Hunterdon Co., taylor — will (made 23 Jan 1770, proved 31 Mar 1770), Lib. 14 pp. 256 + 406 (book p. 368) — Charles Hoff witness

1770, Jan. 23. Runyon, Thomas, of Kingwood, Hunterdon Co., taylor; will of. Son, Absolem, my apparel. Two youngest daughters, Catherine Runyon and Rachel Runyon, household goods. Real estate to be sold. Children, Absolem, Rosanna (wife of Francis Peirce), Elizabeth (wife of Thomas Jewel), Sarah (wife of Adam Conrod), Catherine Runyon and Rachel Runyon. Executor—son, Absalom. Witnesses—Daniel Cahill, William Morrison, Charles Hoff. Proved March 31, 1770. 1770, March 12. Inventory, £48.11.4, made by John Mullinner and Daniel Cahill. 1771, June 5. Account by Executor. 150 acres of land sold for £225. Lib. 14, p. 256; Lib. 14, p. 406.

2d. Runyon-network one-liners (occurrence index)

§3 — Bergen Co. Dutch Coopers (pr.64 Hudson-Valley Kuyper orbit) [verbatim]

§4 — Out-of-scope Cooper estates (fam.1 / fam.3 / fam.4 / fam.9 / Monmouth; disambiguation) [verbatim]

# Decedent / ward Residence Date / type Key persons Register
4a Cooper, Benjamin, Jr. Newton, Gloucester Co., shipwright will 13 Apr 1763, proved 7 May 1764 wife Elizabeth; son James; exec. brother James Cooper + Joseph Lovett, "both of Philadelphia, who are hatters" Lib. 11 p. 515
4b Cooper, Caleb Elizabeth Town, Essex Co. ward 27 Sep 1764 son of John Cooper, of said place, deceased; chooses William Cooper as Guardian; fellowbondsman Elihu Crane Lib. 12 p. 21
4c Cooper, Ebenezer Monmouth Co. int. 14 Jan 1761 Adm'r James Williams, brother-in-law; fellowbondsman Robert Iseltine; both of Perth Amboy Lib. G p. 343
4d Cooper, Elizabeth Burlington Co., widow will 20 Oct 1766 sister Ann Pancoast; brothers John + Joseph Curtis's children; exec. kinsman Caleb Shreve Lib. 13 p. 50
4e Cooper, George Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co. int. 16 Mar 1764 Adm'r Philip Cooper, son of said George; widow Barbery Cooper renouncing; fellowbondsman David Knott Lib. H p. 350
4f Cooper, Hester Greenwich, Gloucester Co., widow int. 22 Feb 1769 Adm'r Moses Long; fellowbondsman Andrew Lock Lib. 13 p. 531
4g Cooper, Isaac Newton, Gloucester Co., yeoman will 20 Feb 1765, proved 23 Dec 1767 wife Hannah; sons Joseph + Marmaduke; daus. Lydia Noble, Hannah West, Mary West, Elizabeth Cooper; land "bounded by my brother, Benjamin Cooper, and William Cooper"; trustees incl. kinsman David Cooper; inventory £6,003.18.2½ Lib. 13 p. 281
4h Cooper, John Middletown, Monmouth Co., farmer will 20 Mar 1761, proved 28 May 1762 wife (£50); oldest son Ezekiel, my dwelling and land; son William, house formerly Ebenezer Washburn's; sons Samuel + Benjamin, rest of lands and salt meadow; daus. Helen + Lydia; exec. Richard, Francis + Eseck Hartshorn Lib. H p. 159
4i Cooper, Marmaduke Newton, Gloucester Co. ward 28 Jan 1763; account 3 Mar 1770 son of Isaac Cooper, dec'd; chooses Joseph Morgan + Charles West as Guardians Lib. 15 p. 9; File 958 H
4j Plum, Mary Newark, Essex Co. will 10 Jun 1763, proved 1 Jun 1764 dau. Elizabeth Lum £45; sons, William Cooper and Caleb Cooper; daus. Martha Burnet + Mary Plum; exec. Timothy Whitehead, Esq. + son-in-law David Burnet; wit. Samuel Meadlis, Jonathan Sergeant Lib. H p. 554
4k King, John Mannington, Salem Co. will 12 Dec 1763 "Daughter, Gennot Cooper, 5 shillings" among 4 daughters + 3 sons Lib. 12 p. 230
4l Leonard, Nathaniel Middletown, Monmouth Co., yeoman will 13 Dec 1763 "Son, John, 10 acres where he lives, on the place I bought of the Executors of Benjamin Cooper" Lib. H p. 627
4m (Roxbury guardianships) Roxbury Twsp., Morris Co. ward 18 Apr 1770 a ward (lands left by his father) chooses Nathan Cooper, Jr. as Guardian; fellowbondsman Nathan Cooper; "both of Roxbury Twsp., said Co., yeomen"; wit. Richard Kemble; also Nathan Cooper, Jr. witness to a Phebe-executrix will proved 6 Dec 1769 Lib. K, p. [as printed] (book p. 379)
4n (Newark-area testator) — — "Executors—my brother, Thomas Cooper, of Southampton, and my brother-in-law, Jonathan Sergeant, Esq., of Maiden Head" (book p. 392) —

§5 — Incidental Cooper witnesses/appraisers (occurrence index, one line each)

James Cooper: wit./appraiser at book pp. 137 (Overseer "friends, James and David Cooper", Gloucester), 160 (adm'r, Luke Gibson estate, Deptford), 218 (wit. + appraiser, Jefferis estate), 411/484 (wit., Willson estate), 426/486 (exec./wit., Gloucester) · David Cooper: pp. 285 (exec. + guardian, Gloucester Twsp.), 288 (exec., Mark Miller co-exec.), 476 ("land joining David Cooper's plantation"), 486 (substitute exec.) · William Cooper: pp. 104 (wit., Peter Dalbo), 136 ("Abigail Fisher, daughter of William Cooper of Philadelphia") · Robert Cooper: pp. 148 (wit.), 234 (wit.) · Thomas Cooper: pp. 170 (appraiser), 347 (fellowbondsman, Micajah Reeve adm'r), 393 (wit., Woolley/Tallman) · Joseph Cooper: p. 326 (appraiser, Swimer inventory) · Henry Cooper: p. 301 ("bought of Edward Tonkin and Henry Cooper as Ex'rs of Thomas Atkinson") · Benjamin Cooper: p. 248 (see 4l) · "Osbern, Cooper, of Essex Co. Ward. Son of Nathaniel Osbern" (p. 315 — given name Cooper, surname Osbern) · Cooper's Creek references: pp. 90, 192, 425.