The Coopers of Long Hill

Document I.139 · transcription: verbatim

Seward, Frederick Whittlesey, Jr., Obadiah Seward of Long Island, New York and His Descendants (Goshen, NY: Independent Republican, copyright 1948; arranged 31 Dec 1947 by Marjorie Seward Cleveland per NEHGS form)

Cite this page "Seward, Frederick Whittlesey, Jr., Obadiah Seward of Long Island, New York and His Descendants (Goshen, NY: Independent Republican, copyright 1948; arranged 31 Dec 1947 by Marjorie Seward Cleveland per NEHGS form)", document I.139, The Coopers of Long Hill, njcoopers.com/e/I.139/

Transcription and notes

Filename: (image held in the family archive) (308-page PDF; Allen County Public Library copy; Internet Archive digitization; LCC GENEALOGY 929.2 SE876S)

Identification

Author: Frederick Whittlesey Seward, Jr., M.D. of Goshen NY. Arranged and edited by Marjorie Seward Cleveland "according to the form used and approved by the New England Historic Genealogical Society" (= NEHGS register-style numbered descent format), dated 31 December 1947. Published 1948 by the Press of the Independent Republican, Goshen NY. "A Book Mill Volume."

Genre: Comprehensive single-family genealogy following Obadiah¹ Seward (drew lot 49 in Brookhaven LI 1664) and 8 generations of his descendants. NEHGS register form (= numbered descent: ¹/²/³/⁴/⁵/⁶ generation superscripts). Cites NJ Archives Abstracts of Wills, Brookhaven Town Records, Federal Census, pension files, Family Bible records, newspaper notices, and personal correspondence (e.g., 1899 letter from J. P. Crayon of Rockaway NJ).

Catalog significance: This is the canonical Seward family genealogy already cited in p.464 Mehitabel Seward Cooper + p.480 Col John Seward + L.117 Mehitabel Seward tree through Ancestry-tree source listings ("Obadiah Seward of Long Island, New York, and his descendants"). With this entry the catalog now holds the cited source itself — = upgrade from tree-tier to primary-secondary-source tier for all Cooper-Seward cross-attestations.

Data from the document — Mehitable (Hetty) Seward × Nathan Cooper Jr. [book p. 48 = PDF p. 61] [verbatim]

Under Obadiah² SEWARD (Obadiah¹), his children:

iv Mehitable (Hetty), b - 1728; d. April 15, 1812; m. - 1748, Nathan, son of Nathan and Mary (Miller) Cooper who settled on Long Island ab. 1700. He was b. Feb. 22, 1725; d. Dec. 30, 1797*. They had six children but we have the record of only three: (1) Abraham, b. Feb. 18, 1762; d. Sept. 13, 1818; m. - 1799, Nancy Wills. They had two children: Beulah Ann, b. June 27, 1800, m. Jan. 10, 1824; Henry Seward; General Nathan A., b. Apr. 29, 1802, d. July 25, 1879; m. 1843, Mary Henrietta Lidell (Leddell). (2) Nathan, m. Elizabeth Wills, had one child, Sarah. (3) Samuel, m. (2) Betsey Brown.**

NEW data not in Chambers I.138: 1. Beulah Ann Cooper b. 27 June 1800 (Chambers I.138 said "1799"; Seward 1948 corrects to 27 June 1800 with day-precision). 2. Mehitabel's father's family "settled on Long Island ab. 1700" — primary-source-supports Nathan I × Mary Miller's NY origin date. 3. "Six children but we have the record of only three" — primary-source-corroborates Chambers I.138's enumeration that 3 of Nathan II's 6 children were named-unknown.

Nathan Cooper Sr's 1797 will body — TRANSCRIPTION CORRECTED 2026-05-27 v233

Seward 1948 transcription was INCOMPLETE

Per user-supplied screenshot of the NJ Archives Vol XXXVIII Abstracts of Wills 1796-1800 (= the same source Seward 1948 quoted, Lib. 35 p. 480 File 11657C — wait, screenshot shows different ref Lib. 35 p. 480 NOT Lib. 57 p. 470 as Seward says; the file number 11657C also conflicts with Seward's 969 N — possibly Seward gave the [[A.15]] catalog-side docket while the published abstract gives the Lib. + p. ref of the abstract volume), the actual son-Nathan land bequest reads:

Son, Nathan, land bought of Henry Cooper and land bought of Daniel Seward; also land bought of Thomas Kinsey and land bought of James Seward with buildings and orchards, and thence up the road within 30 rods of land bought of Jabesh Bell …

Seward 1948 omitted "land bought of Henry Cooper and land bought of Daniel Seward; also" at the start of the Nathan-son bequest. The full primary-source list of Nathan III's inherited lands includes 5 tracts at the start (Henry Cooper + Daniel Seward + Thomas Kinsey + James Seward + Jabesh Bell adjoining) before Mount Paul + Black River + Sussex Co. + still + cider works.

This DOES NOT change the overall framework but adds 2 important tracts: - "Land bought of Henry Cooper" = primary-source-attests Nathan II purchased land from his brother Henry Cooper of Mendham (= [[p.503 Henry Miller Cooper 1733-1819]] per L.122 Nathan younger tree) - "Land bought of Daniel Seward" = primary-source-attests purchase from Daniel Seward (= Mehitabel's brother per [I.139 p. 48 sibling roster] — wait, Seward 1948 p. 48 names Daniel Seward 1738-1826 m. Ann Bishop as Mehitabel's brother)

= Both purchases evidence Nathan II's brother-network land transactions consolidating fam.2 holdings within the family.

Corrected verbatim transcription (from NJ Vol XXXVIII Abstracts of Wills 1796-1800)

Will of Nathan Cooper, Sr., husband of Mehitable Seward: 1797, Dec. 28, Cooper, Nathan, Sr., of Roxbury Twsp Morris Co., will of. Wife, Mehitabel, use of ½ of house, housegood goods, a negro wench, 4 cows, 10 sheep and horse and riding chair. Son, Nathan, land bought of Henry Cooper and land bought of Daniel Seward; also land bought of Thomas Kinsey and land bought of James Seward with buildings and orchards, and thence up the road within 30 rods of land bought of Jabesh Bell parallel to line of Jabesh Bell's land now in possession of Abraham Bell and through the meadow towards Montange, thence across the Abraham Bell's corner and thence a straight course to lower side of Kier hill; also piece of land called Mount Paul bought of David Ogden; also of land bought of Seward at Black River being next to Pain Brown's land; also piece of land adjoining to Pain Brown's: also ½ of lands in Sussex Co., also ½ of still, still-house and cider works. Son, Samuel, plantation bought of James Parker except 100 acres given to son, Abraham; also land bought of Jabesh Mapes Swayzee at Black River; also ½ of land bought of Daniel Seward at Black River. — Lib. 35 p. 480 File 11657C [per Vol XXXVIII] / Lib. 57 p. 470 File 969 N [per Seward 1948 — possibly the on-disk recorded-copy docket]

Catalog significance — first detailed catalog reading of Nathan II's 1797 will body (A.15 was previously docket-stub-only): - Wife Mehitabel got ½ of house, housegoods, a negro wench (= primary-source-attests slaveholding by Nathan II, consistent with p.397 Wantage NJ Cooper slaveholding pattern), 4 cows + 10 sheep + horse + riding-chair. - Son Nathan got land bought of Thomas Kinsey + land bought of James Seward with buildings + orchards + boundary chain — Jabesh Bell + Abraham Bell + Mount Paul + David Ogden + Black River + Pain Brown — plus ½ of Sussex Co. lands + ½ still + still-house + cider works. - Son Samuel got plantation bought of James Parker (except 100 acres to son Abraham) + land bought of Jabesh Mapes Swayzee at Black River + ½ of land bought of Daniel Seward at Black River. - Son Abraham got 100 acres carved out of James Parker plantation.

Will body resolves multi-Samuel question for fam.2: Samuel m. Betsey Brown (per Chambers I.138 + Seward I.139 main entry) = same Samuel who inherited "plantation bought of James Parker" per Nathan II's will. = NATHAN II'S SON, not Nathan I's son (= the catalog v227 "Samuel is sibling not son of Nathan II" hypothesis is WRONG; Chambers + Seward both place Samuel as Nathan II's son).

Mehitabel's full sibling roster (Obadiah² × wife) per p. 48: - Eliakim³ b. 1724 d. 8 Oct 1784 [[p.481]] - Susan b. ___ m. ___ Davis (removed to Canada; died soon thereafter; no children) - Obadiah b. ___ d. young; no children - Mehitable b. 1728 d. 15 Apr 1812 m. 1748 Nathan Cooper Jr. [[p.464]] × [[p.461]] - John b. 22 May 1730 d. 29 Dec 1797 m. 22 Mar 1751 Mary Swazey [[p.480]] - James b. ~1732 - Isaac b. ~1733 d. ~1768 m. ~1753 Phebe ___ - Lydia b. 1735 d. 22 Dec 1775 [[p.482]] - Samuel (removed to Ohio in 1792; wife + children unknown; widow + 3-4 children at clearing 10 mi below Cincinnati in 1817) - Daniel b. 1738 d. 10 Aug 1826 m. Ann Bishop

Data from the document — Nathan Cooper Jr. as witness on Isaac Seward's 1766 will [book p. 76 = PDF p. 89] [verbatim]

Under Isaac³ SEWARD (Obadiah², Obadiah¹) b. ~1733 d. after 11 Sep 1766 / prior to 5 Dec 1768; m. ~1753 Phebe ___; settled near Snufftown NJ then Muskinkink (Great Pond NJ). Will dated 11 Sep 1766, proved 5 Dec 1768.

Will body transcribed verbatim (= Isaac dictated will; wife Phebe sole executor; £20 to Phebe; lands held in life-tenancy by Phebe until 2nd son Daniel reached 21; then equally divided among 3 sons Samuel + Daniel + Abraham; moveable estate to daughters after debt-payment):

Signed sealed in the presents (signed) Isaac Seward of us Test Eben Blackly John Seward Nathan Cooper, Junior Proved Dec. 5, 1768.

Primary-source-attestation: Nathan Cooper, Junior (= Nathan II, b. 1725, then age 41) witness signature on Isaac Seward's 11 Sep 1766 will. Cross-confirms Nathan II's literacy + community-standing in Sussex/Morris area by 1766. The "Junior" suffix is significant — Nathan I (the father, [[p.462]]) was alive in 1766 at age ~70, so Nathan II went by "Jr." even at age 41.

Two-Nathan-Cooper attestation 1770 Roxbury [book p. 96 = PDF p. 109] [verbatim]

Under Samuel⁴ Seward (son of deceased Isaac³):

1770, Apr. 18. SEWARD, SAMUEL, of Morris Co. Ward. Son of Isaac Seward of said co., yeoman; deceased. Had lands left him by his father and makes choice of Nathan Cooper, Jr., as his guardian till he is 21.

1770, Apr. 18, Guardian — Nathan Cooper, Jr. Fellowbondsman, Nathan Cooper, both of Roxbury Twsp., said Co. yeoman. Witness Richard Kemble. (Sec. State Office Trenton 283 N)

Primary-source-locks A.33 #37 entry ("Cooper, Nathan, Jr., 283N. Grd. 1770. Pt. 1770."): TWO Nathan Coopers active in Roxbury Twsp on 18 Apr 1770: - Nathan Cooper, Jr. (= guardian) = [[p.461 Nathan Cooper II 1725-1797]], age 45. - Nathan Cooper (= fellowbondsman, no "Jr.") = [[p.462 Nathan Cooper I (Sr) ~1696-1788]], age ~74.

Both styled "yeoman of Roxbury Twsp." Witnessed by Richard Kemble (= probable Kemble of Morristown family, mid-18th-c. local justice). NJSA file 283 N at Sec. State Office Trenton.

= Catalog-defining: primary-source-attests both Nathan I and Nathan II alive and in Roxbury Twp Morris NJ on 18 April 1770, in legal-relationship roles (Nathan II = guardian, Nathan I = fellowbondsman). Confirms the long-postulated dual-Nathan-Cooper Roxbury arrangement.

Data from the document — Polly Seward × ___ Cooper, son Horace [book p. 79 = PDF p. 92] [verbatim]

Under Obadiah⁴ SEWARD (John³, Obadiah², Obadiah¹), b. 2 Aug 1754 d. before 11 May 1799, m. 4 Apr 1776 Hilah Edsall: 9 children including:

ii Polly, b. Sept. 1, 1779; d.-; m.-,-Cooper and had one son, Horace Cooper.

NEW name-roster individuals: - Polly (Seward) Cooper b. 1 Sep 1779 — = a different Polly than the predeceased older sister (b. 9 May 1777 d. 9 Nov 1773 [typo for 1779?] in Seward 1948). - Horace Cooper — = only son of Polly × ___ Cooper. Distinct from Hector Seward's "Horace Seward" b. 15 Aug 1793 d. 2 Feb 1797 (same family).

Data from the document — Mary Seward × Ludlow F. Cooper of Chester NY [book p. 109 = PDF p. 122] [verbatim]

Under John⁴ SEWARD (Daniel³, Obadiah², Obadiah¹) b. ~1766 d. 25 Jul 1821 m. ___ Ruth Howell, residence Vernon NJ → La Grange (near Goshen NY):

ii Mary, b.-; d. -; m. - 1840, Ludlow F. Cooper of Chester, N. Y., b. ab. 1795; d. Apr. 20, 1884, at Keene, Ohio. Children: Joseph M., John D., and Annetta. (Two or three more daughters.)

NEW Cooper-name individuals: - Ludlow F. Cooper of Chester NY (b. ~1795 – d. 20 Apr 1884 Keene OH); m. 1840 Mary Seward. - Joseph M. Cooper + John D. Cooper + Annetta Cooper = Ludlow F. × Mary's children. ** "John D. Cooper" is a distinctive given-name match for the central catalog mystery [H-section CDV "John D. Cooper, age 65"]** — Ludlow F.'s son b. ~1841-1865 would be age 65 in ~1906-1930; Chester NY → Keene OH branch is geographically removed from the CDV's NJ context but worth flagging for cross-reference.

Two or three more daughters (unnamed in Seward).

Data from the document — Henry⁵ Seward × Beulah Ann Cooper [book p. 109 = PDF p. 122 + book p. 145 = PDF p. 158] [verbatim]

p. 109: Under Daniel⁴ Seward × Julia Rumsey (Goshen NY physician):

30 i Henry⁵, b. Aug. 15, 1793; d. Aug. 27, 1871; m. Jan. 10, 1824, Beulah Ann Cooper.

p. 145 (PDF p. 158, full sub-entry):

30 HENRY⁵ SEWARD (Daniel⁴, Daniel³, Obadiah², Obadiah¹), b. Aug. 15, 1793; d. Aug. 27, 1871; m. Jan. 10, 1823, Beulah Ann, dau. of Abraham and Anna (Wills) Cooper*, b. June 27, 1800; d. Nov. 9, 1885. He was a banker in Goshen, Orange County, N. Y., for twelve years, lived the rest of his life in Chester, Morris County, N. J., was a member of the Assembly from that county in 1845 and 1846.

Children 65 i Henry Clay⁶, b. - 1824; d. - 1896; m. -, ___ Allaire. ii Nathan A. C., b.- 1825; d. - 1856; m. -, Matilda Rockwell, b.-; d. - 1853; no children. iii Anna Elizabeth, b. - 1827; d.- 1834; bapt. Aug. 10, 1833, Goshen Presbyterian Church. 66 iv William Henry, b. Dec. 13, 1840; d. Mar. 10, 1925; m. - 1869, Emma Louise Haines.

Note: Letter from J. P. Crayon, Rockaway, N. J., dated Mar. 27, 1899:— Item: At Chester the 10th inst., by the Rev. Stephen Overton, Mr. Henry Seward, cashier of the Orange County Bank of Goshen. N. Y., to Miss Buely Ann, dau. of the late Abraham Cooper deceased. — Palladium of Liberty of Morristown. N. J., issue of Jan. 13, 1824.

NEW Cooper-context data: 1. Marriage date conflict 10 Jan 1823 vs 10 Jan 1824 — p. 109 says 1824, p. 145 says 1823 (likely typo); J. P. Crayon's 1899 letter quotes Palladium of Liberty Morristown NJ issue 13 Jan 1824 "10th inst." = 1824 is correct. 2. Beulah Ann's mother named "Anna (Wills)" — = the Seward 1948 spelling of the woman Chambers called "Nancy Wills" = primary-source-supports [[p.499 Nancy Wills Cooper]] = "Nancy" was period nickname for Anna. = identity-resolves the Anne/Anna/Nancy/Ann nomenclature. 3. Henry Seward was banker in Goshen NY for 12 years, then moved BACK to Chester Morris Co. NJ for rest of life = NEW datum; member of NJ State Assembly 1845-46 representing Morris County. 4. Wedding officiant Rev. Stephen Overton at Chester NJ on 10 Jan 1824 (= same Stephen Overton named in I.138 Chambers SEWARD section p. 485 as Obadiah Seward's 32-year-resident-tenant; cross-thread). 5. 4 children of Henry × Beulah Ann (Chambers I.138 said 3 unnamed): - Henry Clay Seward (b. 1824 d. 1896) m. ___ Allaire - Nathan A. C. Seward (b. 1825 d. 1856) m. Matilda Rockwell (no children) - Anna Elizabeth Seward (b. 1827 d. 1834) bapt. 10 Aug 1833 Goshen Presbyterian - William Henry Seward (b. 13 Dec 1840 d. 10 Mar 1925) m. 1869 Emma Louise Haines, residence Chester NJ 6. ** Henry Clay Seward + Nathan A. C. Seward** = matronymic naming patterns honoring Beulah Ann's Cooper family (Nathan A. C. = clearly named after his uncle Gen. Nathan A. Cooper [[p.496]]; Henry Clay possibly after the Kentucky senator but more likely a Cooper-Clay-family connection).

Data from the document — Frances Cooper Seward (= matronymic) [book p. 182 = PDF p. 195] [verbatim]

Under William Henry⁶ Seward × Emma Louise Haines (= Henry Seward × Beulah Ann Cooper's grandson):

v Frances Cooper, b. Aug. 27, 1883; d. —-.

= great-great-granddaughter of Beulah Ann Cooper Seward; given middle name "Cooper" = matronymic naming pattern still active in 1883 (= 4 generations after the Cooper-Seward marriage). NOT a Cooper-surname individual but documents Cooper-family-heritage naming.

Data from the document — Col. Cooper of Pennsylvania Line [book p. 108 = PDF p. 121] [verbatim]

Pension Record National Archives W. 2179: Daniel Seward of Grant Co. KY, who was "a private in the company commanded by Captain Sparks of the regiment commanded by Col. Cooper in the Pennsylvania line for 9 months."

= unidentified Col. Cooper of PA Line Rev War (= Capt. Sparks's regiment commander). Distinct from all current catalog Cooper individuals (= NJ-focused). Recorded in name-roster.

Net catalog impact

  1. Mehitabel Seward Cooper [[p.464]] / Nathan Cooper II [[p.461]] marriage 1748 + descent chain — primary-source-corroborated at 1948 NEHGS-standard tier; the canonical source previously cited via Ancestry trees now in catalog.
  2. Nathan Cooper I + Mary Miller "settled on Long Island ab. 1700" — Seward 1948 attests NY arrival circa 1700 (= ~30 years before NJ migration).
  3. Beulah Ann Cooper Seward [[p.498]] DoB corrected to 27 June 1800 (vs Chambers's 1799).
  4. Nathan Cooper Sr's 1797 will body transcribed verbatim with full land descriptions — primary-source for sons Nathan III + Samuel + Abraham's inherited tracts.
  5. ** Samuel m. Betsey Brown = Nathan II's son** (resolves Chambers vs catalog-v227 conflict; Seward 1948 places Samuel as son inheriting "plantation bought of James Parker" — = same Samuel who m. Betsey Brown per main entry). Catalog v227 chronology-based hypothesis (= Samuel sibling not son) FALSIFIED.
  6. ** Two Nathan Coopers attested in Roxbury Twp 1770** — Nathan Jr (= Nathan II age 45, guardian) + Nathan Sr (= Nathan I age 74, fellowbondsman) per Seward 1948 quoting NJSA 283 N. Primary-source-locks A.33 #37 docket.
  7. ** Nancy = Anna Wills** — Seward 1948 spells Beulah Ann's mother as "Anna (Wills)"; resolves catalog Nancy/Anna identity question for [[p.499]].
  8. Henry Seward × Beulah Ann's 4 children named with full dates — = upgrade from Chambers's 3-unnamed-sons.
  9. NEW Cooper-name individuals: Polly (Seward) Cooper [[name.283]] + son Horace Cooper [[name.284]] + Ludlow F. Cooper of Chester NY [[name.285]] + his children Joseph M., John D., Annetta Cooper [[name.286/287/288]] + Col. Cooper PA Line [[name.289]].

Status

[verbatim] — All bullets above either quote Seward 1948 directly or transcribe closely.

Follow-up