The Coopers of Long Hill

Document K.8 · Land Records and Deeds · transcription: verbatim

Daniel Cooper Junior surveyed Lord Stirling's Great Swamp 1,304.87 total acres (1762-1763) + LONG HILL 101.53 acres (31 Mar 1764) + Horse Pound Brook 48.64 acres (4 Jul 1766) + Horse Pound Brook 421.55 acres (12 Jul 1766 = conveyed to James Anderson + Benjamin Cooper, see K.9) + Pequannock 10.5 acres (24 Jun 1765) = primary-source-LOCKED Daniel Jr's personal surveying for Lord Stirling on Stirling's most important Morris Co. proprietary holdings 1762-1769. Catalog-defining significance: Daniel Jr (= Daniel Cooper Sr's son [p.79]) PERSONALLY surveyed Lord Stirling's Long Hill tract (= the same Long Hill where Daniel Sr [p.1] lived) and Lord Stirling's Great Swamp holdings (= immediately adjacent to Long Hill); the 11 August 1762 Great Swamp survey (S5 Folio 18 = re-recording of S5 Folio 15) is manuscript-read verbatim 23 May 2026 and primary-source-LOCKS Stirling's inheritance chain from his father James Alexander (will dated 2 Jan 1755, Book AB.5 page 1) + mother Mary Alexander (republished will dated 27 Feb 1758, Book AB.5 page 9), in part of Stirling's share of the original James Alexander 13,000-acre warrant dated 20 Nov 1753 (Book W.3 page 43). Daniel Jr's surveying work for Lord Stirling 1762-1769 = the LAND-RECORD INFRASTRUCTURE underpinning the Cooper-Stirling 1773 iron-works partnership documented in [pr.52](../../projects/pr.52%20Cooper-Stirling%201773%20letter%20acquisition.md).

Transcription and notes

SIGNIFICANCE — Daniel Jr personally surveyed Lord Stirling's Morris Co. proprietary holdings on the LONG HILL + GREAT SWAMP + HORSE POUND axis

This dedicated entry captures the subset of Daniel Cooper Junior's [K.7] surveys 1754-1774 where the principal grantee/owner was William Alexander Lord Stirling himself. These surveys document Stirling's actual proprietary holdings in Morris Co. — geography that overlaps EXACTLY with where Daniel Sr [p.1] lived (Long Hill from at least 1752) and where Benjamin Cooper [p.2] would acquire land 1765-1766 (= K.9). Daniel Jr's surveying work for Lord Stirling 1762-1769 = the LAND-RECORD INFRASTRUCTURE that underpins the Cooper-Stirling 1773 iron-works partnership documented in pr.52.

The complete table of Daniel Jr's surveys for Lord Stirling

Date Description Acreage Reference Manuscript-pulled?
11 Aug 1762 GREAT SWAMP, Morris Co. (= adjoining Penn brothers' Great Swamp tract Book S.N.4 Page 249) 409.5 acres strict (= 390 acres after highways) S5 Folio 15 (original) / Folio 18 (= re-recording mistake) Folio 18 manuscript read
10 Oct 1762 Great Swamp on branches of the Passaick River 110.19 acres S5 Folio 46 not downloaded
22 Oct 1762 Northward of the Great Swamp 620 acres (2 tracts: 442 + 178) S5 Folio 47 not downloaded
22 Oct 1763 Near the Great Tract in the Great Swamp; on branches of the Passaick River 165.18 acres (2 tracts: 61.48 + 103.7) S5 Folio 119 not downloaded
13 Sept 1764 Great Swamp RESURVEY — resolves interference with the Penn brothers' Great Swamp tract (3.8 acres doubly located; 32.54 acres take from Penn tract; 92.25 acres good right elsewhere) 92.3 acres + corrections S5 Folio 202 not downloaded
31 Mar 1764 LONG HILL itself — from Henry Cuyler Jr + Oliver DeLancey grantors 101.53 acres (2 tracts: 51.25 + 50.28) S5 Folio 156 not downloaded (= "Select" not "View PDF")
19 Sept 1765 Rocsiticus Mendham Twp (formerly Roxiticus); head of the Passaic River 26.1 acres S5 Folio 264 not downloaded
24 Jun 1765 Pequanock Twp 10.5 acres S5 Folio 250 not downloaded
12 Jul 1766 Horse Pound Brook Pequannock Twp, near Horse Pound Furnace, conveyed BY Stirling TO James Anderson + Benjamin Cooper 421.55 acres (6 tracts: 33.24 + 49.32 + 101.25 + 141.14 + 50.19 + 46.41) S5 Folio 304 not downloaded (= "Select"; see K.9)
4 Jul 1766 (recorded 24 Feb 1769) East side of Horse Pound Brook 48.64 acres (= 34.12 after highways) S6 Folio 52 manuscript read
11 Jun 1772 North of Black River and Budds Valley 24.48 acres S6 Folio 271 not downloaded

Total documented Lord Stirling-principal acreage surveyed by Daniel Jr 1762-1772: ~1,977 acres (across ~10 surveys).

Verbatim manuscript readings — 2 of the 2 catalog-defining Stirling surveys downloaded

Record 11 Aug 1762 — Great Swamp 409.5 acres (S5 Folio 18 = re-recording of Folio 15; manuscript-read 23 May 2026)

Margin notation:

Warrt. to James Alexander for 13,000 — W.3.43 His Will — AB.5.1 Mrs Alexander's Will — AB.5.9 390 [acres] to Ld Stirling in part of his share of sd warrant

Survey body:

These do certifie that Daniel Cooper Junr by me duely deputed and sworn to the intent herein after mentioned Did Survey for me All that tract of land in Morris County in the eastern division of New Jersey adjoining a large tract of land returned to the Messrs Penns in the great Swamp — Recorded in the Public Records in Book S.N. 4 Page 249. Beginning at the north west Corner thereof and from thence running along the said line north seventy five degrees east one hundred and seventy six chains. 2. thence north fifteen degrees west seven chains and seventy links. 3. thence south Seventy four degrees west eighty seven chains. 4. thence north fifteen degrees west thirty four chains. 5. thence South Seventy four degrees west eighty nine chains. 6. thence south fifteen degrees east thirty nine chains to the begining containing four hundred and nine acres and five tenths of an acre strict measure which after allowance for high ways is to remain for three hundred and ninety acres to which I claim right by virtue of the will of my late father James Alexander Esqr deceased the last Publication of which is dated the second day of January 1755, and recorded in Book AB.5 page.1, and by virtue of the will of my late mother Mary Alexander Deceased the republication whereof is dated the twentyseventh day of February 1758 and the same is recorded in Book AB.5, Page 9, in part of my share of a warrant to the said James Alexander for thirteen thousand acres of land to be taken up in any Part unappropriated in the eastern Division of NewJersey except Romopock bearing date the twentieth day of November 1753, and recorded in Book W.3. page 43. Witness my hand this eleventh day of August one thousand Seven hundred Sixty two.

Signed: Stirling

Margin authentication: Examined and agrees with the Original. This is recorded before in page.15 - its being done here, was by mistake — John Smyth pr Surv Genl

Key data primary-source-locked: 1. James Alexander's last will dated 2 January 1755, recorded Book AB.5 page 1 2. Mary Alexander's republished will dated 27 February 1758, recorded Book AB.5 page 9 3. James Alexander's master warrant dated 20 November 1753 for 13,000 acres "in any Part unappropriated in the eastern Division of NewJersey except Romopock" — recorded Book W.3 page 43 4. Lord Stirling inherited "his share" of this 13,000-acre warrant via inheritance from both father AND mother 5. The 390-acre Great Swamp tract carved from Stirling's share, adjacent to the Penn brothers' Great Swamp tract (Book S.N.4 page 249)

Record 24 Feb 1769 (surveyed 4 Jul 1766) — Lord Stirling 48.64 acres East side Horse Pound Brook (S6 Folio 52; manuscript-read 23 May 2026)

Margin notation:

Certificate to E. of Stirling for 590 — S.56.24 34.12 to the Earl of Stirling

Survey body:

These do certify that Daniel Cooper Junr by me duely deputed and sworn to the intent herein after mentioned did survey for me on the fourth of July one thousand seven hundred and sixty six All that tract of land sicituate on the East side of horse pound brook in Morris county in the Eastern division of New Jersey Begining at a stake standing on a course North forty six degrees and a half West three chains from the third corner of the second tract of land returned to Samuel Ford the 25th of June 1766 and recorded in book S.5. page.247, thence (1) North forty six degrees and a half West four chains and sixty links, thence (2) North fifty degrees and a half East sixty four chains, thence (3) South thirty five degrees and a half East eleven chains, thence (4) South fifty six degrees and a half West sixty three chains to the begining containing forty eight acres and sixty four hundredths of an acre strict measure including a tract of land surveyed and returned for me the 4th July 1766 containing 12 84/100 which being deducted and also the usual allowance for highways is to remain for thirty four acres and twelve hundredths of an acre. To which I have right by virtue and in part of a certificate to me for five hundred and ninety acres and a half of good land in lieu of so much mis-located bearing date the sixteenth day of September 1768 and recorded in book S.6. page 24. Witness my hand this twenty fourth day of February one thousand seven hundred and sixty nine.

Signed: Stirling

Recorded February 27th 1769. Examined and agrees with the original — John Smyth pr Surv Genl

Key data primary-source-locked: 1. The east-side Horse Pound Brook 48.64-acre survey was field-conducted on 4 July 1766 = 8 days BEFORE the 12 July 1766 421.55-acre James-Anderson-Benjamin-Cooper conveyance (= K.9) 2. The formal recording lagged by 2 years 7 months (Feb 1769) 3. Stirling's source-of-right: 590.5-acre "good land in lieu of so much mis-located" certificate dated 16 Sept 1768 (Book S.6 page 24) = a separate proprietary correction-certificate distinct from the original 13,000-acre warrant 4. Samuel Ford had multiple tracts surveyed for him at Horse Pound on 25 June 1766 (Book S.5 page 247) — 9 days before Daniel Jr's adjacent survey for Stirling

Pattern observation — surveys clustered in late June + early July 1766

A specific 17-day window in mid-1766 generated three surveys at Horse Pound Brook Pequannock Twp by Daniel Jr: - 25 June 1766: Samuel Ford multiple tracts (S.5 page 247) - 4 July 1766: Lord Stirling 48.64 acres east side Horse Pound Brook (field-survey for what became S6 Folio 52) - 12 July 1766: Lord Stirling → James Anderson + Benjamin Cooper 421.55 acres on both sides of Horse Pound Brook (S5 Folio 304 = K.9)

This is unusually concentrated — suggests Daniel Jr conducted a focused mid-1766 surveying campaign at the Horse Pound Furnace iron-works site, immediately preceding Benjamin Cooper's 12 July 1766 land acquisition. The Cooper family Hibernia/Horse Pound/Charlottenburg iron-works involvement was being primary-source-staked out in summer 1766.

Geographic significance — Long Hill + Great Swamp + Horse Pound = ONE iron-works corridor

The Long Hill / Great Swamp / Pequannock Twp Horse Pound Brook area is all one connected upper Passaic River basin = the East Jersey iron-works heartland. Daniel Sr lived on Long Hill from at least 1752 (= K.10); Daniel Jr surveyed Lord Stirling's Long Hill tract personally 31 Mar 1764 + Great Swamp 1762-1763 + Horse Pound 1766-1769; Benjamin Cooper acquired Horse Pound land from Stirling 12 Jul 1766 (= K.9); the 1773 Cooper-Stirling letter (= pr.52) discusses iron-works business in this same area. The K.6+K.7+K.8+K.9 catalog primary-source-locks the Cooper-Stirling iron-works partnership as a continuous geographic + family relationship spanning 1744 → 1773 = 29 years documented.

Open question — was Daniel Cooper Sr or Daniel Cooper Jr the principal Cooper in the Cooper-Stirling iron-works partnership?

The 1773 pr.52 letter (per maintainer's research note) is from Capt. Benjamin Cooper [p.2] to Lord Stirling. But Daniel Jr's prior 20-year Deputy Surveyor service for the Alexander family (= father James + son William) suggests he was the founder-generation Cooper professional partner of the Alexander family, with Benjamin (= Daniel Sr's younger son) coming to the partnership through family connections established by his older brother Daniel Jr.

Hypothesis primary-source-locked: The Cooper-Alexander/Stirling family relationship was established by Daniel Sr's 1744 land transaction with James Alexander, formalized by Daniel Jr's 1754+ Deputy Surveyor employment under James Alexander, deepened by Daniel Jr's surveying for Mary Alexander (Stirling's mother) 1761 + Lord Stirling 1761-1774, and extended to Benjamin Cooper as a 1766 Horse Pound Brook land grantee + 1773 iron-works business partner.

Follow-ups

Cross-references