Sander Cooper
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Alexander Cooper (abt. 1625 - abt. 1683)

Alexander (Sander) Cooper
Born about in Scotlandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
Descendants descendants
Father of
Died about at about age 58 in Berwick, Mainemap
Profile last modified | Created 20 Aug 2011
This page has been accessed 542 times.

Contents

Biography

Alexander Cooper was born about 1625 in Scotland. Alexander's children were:

  1. Sarah (Cooper) Gray (~1656 - ~1726) born at Kittery/Berwick about 1656 and died at Kittery in 1726. She may have married, first, at Kittery in July 1672, GEORGE GRAY., and may have married, second, after 30 Aug 1693 and before 1697/8, FRANCIS HARLOW. 4 Jan 1697/8 Court Sessions at York, Maine: “We present ffrancis Herloe for swearing he would cut his wiues throat.”[1]
  2. John Cooper (~1667 - <1758) b. at Berwick before 9 Feb 1667; Will d. 13 May 1759 in Berwick; m. in Kittery 13 Dec 1692 SARAH LORD.

Alexander Cooper was captured at the battle of Dunbar in 1650. He was sent to Maine as an indentured servant. His daughter Sarah married George Gray, also a battle of Dunbar survivor and indentured servant.

Alexander died about 11 Nov 1683 in Berwick, Maine aged ~58 and left his estate to his young and only son, John.[2]

Research Notes

ALEXANDER COOPER, aka SANDER COOPER, was born probably about 1625, in Scotland and died at Berwick, Maine between 9 Feb 1683 (date of will) and 28 Feb 1684, probate (suggested date of 11 Nov 1683)10 He married at Berwick, Maine, by 1654, (_____).[3][4]

Alexander Cooper worked as an indentured servant at the sawmills in Kittery, Maine and is referred to as “Sander Cooper” in Court records in 1662. “His family should be carefully distinguished from that of “Phillip Cooper the Walloon,” who had a grant of land in York, in 1673.”[5] Alexander was an acquaintance and friend of SPOWs: James Warren, George Gray and Peter Grant, which is shown by their mention in Alexander Cooper’s Will and his leaving the care of his only son, John Cooper, …unto my Loueing freinds…[6] On 9 July 1662, John Neale, a SPOW from the Town of Kittery, sold land (a portion of which he had previously bought 15 July 1656 from another SPOW, Alexander Maxwell, that just so happened to lay on the Northside of James Warren’s lot), to Alexander Cooper, also of the Town of Kittery. The 25 acres were located on the Northeast side of Pischataqua River, …being neare a place Commanly Called by the name of Whittes Marsh…[7] Later, it is recorded, that the selectmen and inhabitants of the parish of Unity, on the 13th of April, 1671, granted sixty acres of land to Alexander Cooper, and as many more to George Gray, by virtue of a general act of the town, made the 24th of June last past.[8] Alexander Cooper’s land grant location was on the brook coming out of Wilcox pond in Berwick. There is also indications that these Scots did not adapt to the norms and values of the mainstream inhabitants. “In 1669, the York County Court admonished Sander [Alexander] and his wife, as well as John Taylor and several other Scotsmen, [Including SPOW James Warren] “for using profane speeches” and referring to the “divell” in their “common talk.” A few years later, Sander’s daughter Sarah married Scotsman George Gray, who paid his young wife’s fine “for breach of sabboth & for strikeing of Patience Everington.””[9]

Alexander was supposedly one of the Scottish prisoners taken after the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 and sent to work in the colonies. He was part of Sir David Leslie's Scots army and during the battle on the 1st and 2nd of September 1650 about 3,000 Scots were killed and 10,000 taken prisoner. After a week of marching with little food and bad water, the remaining 3,000 Scottish prisoners arrived in Durham. The prisoners were housed in Durham Cathedral with the prisoners and guards stripping the interior to fuel their fires. The deaths from starvation and dysentery continued and at times 100 men a day died. After about two months about 150 surviving Scottish captives were sent by sea to London and on 11 Nov. 1650 they were put aboard the "Unity" bound for Boston. About 60 of the prisoners were sent to the Saugus Iron Works and 25 were sent up the Newichawannock River with Richard Leader who was an engineer and director of the Saugus Iron Works. Leader put his gang of prisoners to work at the sawmills which numbered about 20 saws. These prisoners were sold for £15 to £30 each and regained their freedom in five to eight years. “Sander” Cooper settled near the Great Works with other Unity Scotsmen. In 1669, the York County Court admonished Sander and his wife, as well as John Taylor and several other Scotsmen, “for using profane speeches” and referring to the “divell” in their “common talk.” A few years later, Sander’s daughter Sarah married Scotsman George Gray, who paid his young wife’s fine “for breach of sabboth & for strikeing of Patience Everington.” [10]

I John Neale in… Kittery… do… sell… unto Allexandr Cooper of the Town aforesaid… Twenty five Acers… upon the North East side of Pischataqua River being one halfe of a Tract of Land wch I… bought of Allexandr Maxwell of… Yorke… neare a place Commanly Called by the name of Whittes Marsh for… Tenn pounds… this 7th Mo 9th In ye Yeare… 1662…
John Neale his marke I
In the Prsence
Of us James Heard
Peter Grant his Marke P" [11]

Alexander had town grants of 60 acres on the brook coming out of Wilcox pond in Berwick on 13 Apr. 1671:

"At a Meeteing of the Selectmen togeather with the Inhabitants of the parish of Unity, In this Town of Kittery, this 13th day of Aprill 1671: appointed for the granting of Lands by virtue of a Generall Act of the Town made the 24th of June Last past, Granted unto Allexandr Cooper sixty Acers of Land…

Alexander Coopers Grant of sixty Acers was layd out on the East side of William Spencers Land by Willcocks pond… being bounded on the South with the brooke yt runnes out of Willcocks pond…

Decemr 19th 1674: Allexandr Coopers Addition of Land layd out at the North end of his Lott, Neare Whittes Marsh… Contayneing eighteen Acers & three quarters of Land."[12]

He signed a petition to the General Court in 1669.[13]

Alexander signed the petition to the General Court at Boston complaining of the sale of Maine to Massachusetts by Ferdinando Gorges' heirs, 28 Mar. 1679. [14]

"The last will & testament of Allexandr Cooper of Barwicke...

I do in the Presence of these Prsons now with mee too of whome I have desired to subscribe it as witnesses hereto, Namely John Taylor & George Gray, give & bequeath my whoole Estate of Land, Cattle Chattles & all moveables & all other appurtenances belonging thereunto unto my onely sonn John Cooper as the true & proper heyre of the sd Estate, & for the better Improveing Preserveing & secureing yr of till ye sayd John Cooper comes to age of Twenty one yeares being now about sixteen years of age; It is my will & desire to Commit... my sonn, & my estate left him untill hee come to age, unto my Loveing freinds vidzt Richard Nason Senior, James Warrine Senior, & Peter Grant whome I leave as feofees in trust, faithfully to take Care of both my sonn & Estate… before these witnesses John Taylour & George Gray... James Warrine Junior... Pattericke Bryce traveler, being desired to bee scribe by the aforesd Allexandr Cooper… dated at Barwicke this ninth day of February one thousand six hundred Eighty three."
George Gray his marke X
Pattericke Bryce
John Taylor
His marke X[15]

An Inventory of the Lands, Cattle, Chattles, & Goods of Allexandr Cooper, late of Barwicke deceased ffebru: 11th 1683 : 84 :

Imprs his weareing Cloaths at Three pounds.03 00 0
It his homestall with 24 acres of Land with
housing……………………………...........................…030 00 0
It A peece of Meddow liing at Whittes Marsh
at 15£………………………………..............................015 00 0
It An house & eighty acres of Land by Will : Spencers
Marsh……………….................................................30 00 0
It Two oxen, 2 three yeareling steres & three
Cows………………………………..................................20 00 0
It a Too yare ould Heffer too Calfes, & one Mare &
horse……………..…………........................................07 00 0
It A sow too barrows, & six young swine at…..06 00 0
It One feather bed & bowlster, 7 blanketts Two
ruggs & 5 sheetes……………….............................11 00 0
It lining Cloath 2£ : Wollen Cloath 4: 10 : 0……06 10 0
It Three pewter dishes, one bason, & one quart
pott……………….………………...................................01 00 0
It one brass Kettle, one Iron kettle, one Iron pott
at………………………………….....................................01 13 0
It Three small guns, a sword, a peyre of
bandaleres………………………….……......................02 05 0
It a betle flue wedges, foure axes, & an
handsaw………..…………………………......................01 00 0
It a New plow, one small Cheyne, & a Cleuice
at……………..……………………...................................01 05 0
It Too Hows, too yoakes & a spade, & a tramell
all………………….……………......................................00 13 0
It Hay & Corne & a barrel of porke at……………07 00 0
...........................................................................143 6 00

Morre brought in to bee added by Peter Grant…
In Corne flesh & some Cloathing & other Lumbers
as barrels ould Hodges belonging to ye Estate...10 00 00" [16]

Sources

  1. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB84/i/7503/283/6011560
  2. Maine Wills: 1640-1760 By William Mitchell Sargent, Page 41. accessed on 8/13/18 at https://archive.org/stream/cu31924081314852?ui=embed#page/n93/mode/2up
  3. Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.
  4. “John Cooper.” Edited by Elizabeth Hyatt, WikiTree: Where Genealogists Collaborate, 6 May 2016, www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cooper-12993
  5. “The First Permanent Settlement in Maine, c. 1926 – Everett S. Stackpole.” Old Berwick Historical Society, May, 1968, www.oldberwick.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=375%3Athe-first-permanent-settlement-in-maine-c-1926-everett-s-stackpole&Itemid=126.
  6. Maine: Early Wills and Deeds, 1640-1760. CD-ROM. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006. (Online database.AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB84/i/12362/54/138195349
  7. Maine: Early Wills and Deeds, 1640-1760. CD-ROM. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006. (Online database.AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.)https://www.americanancestors.org/DB84/i/7516/59/22206577
  8. Maine: Early Wills and Deeds, 1640-1760. CD-ROM. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006. (Online database.AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.)https://www.americanancestors.org/DB84/i/7516/7/22206590
  9. Scots for Sale: Scottish Prisoners in Seventeenth Century Maine and New Hampshire– Diane Rapaport, in “New England Ancestors”- Vol. 5, No.5, p. 26
  10. Scots for Sale: Scottish Prisoners in Seventeenth Century Maine and New Hampshire- Diane Rapaport, in "New England Ancestors"- Vol. 5, No.5, p. 26
  11. York Deeds- Vol. III, fol. 22
  12. York Deeds- Vol. III, fol. 22
  13. Mass. Archives- Vol.3, p.288
  14. Mass. Archives- Vol.3, p.341
  15. “Maine Wills, 1640-1760”, Sargent, William M., database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89J3-NRF : 5 April 2021), FHL microfilm 007600602, image 83, Portland, Brown Thurstone & Company, 1887, Page 77.
  16. York Deeds- Vol.5, pt. I, fol.26
  • Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire- Charles Thornton Libby, Sybil Noyes, Walter Goodwin Davis, Southworth Press, Portland, 1928-1938- pp.161-2

Acknowledgements

WikiTree profile Cooper-2414 created through the import of mike_walton_2011.ged on Aug 20, 2011 by Mike Walton.





Is Sander your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message private message private message a profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of Sander's DNA have taken a DNA test.

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 4

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
Cooper-15799 and Cooper-2414 appear to represent the same person because: Bios show same lifestory. Death dates are actually the same. Original record is 11th of 11th month 1683, which in modern terms is 11 February 1684 due to the calendar change but in Cooper2414 has been misinterpreted as 11 November.
posted by Andrew Millard
Cooper-19794 and Cooper-2414 appear to represent the same person because: Same death date and place. Birth dates only rough estimates
posted by Andrew Millard
A Scot who was banished by Cromwell to New England. Probate Kittery ME 28 Feb 1684. p 36. Scottish Emigration to Colonial America, David Dobson. Call #973.049163 DOB
posted on Cooper-15799 (merged) by Beryl Meehan

C  >  Cooper  >  Alexander Cooper

Categories: Berwick, Maine | Cooper Name Study