Martha Parke (bef. 1737)

Born before 4 Jun 1737 in Voluntown, Windham, Connecticut, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Samuel Cooper — married 22 Sep 1768 in Rhode Island, United States

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Robert Munger [send private message]

Biography

Martha Parke probably b. abt. 1736 and bp. 4 Jun 1737 Voluntown (source Church Abstracts) (RN: The transcribed year of 1727 is an error and should have been 1737 or this record is not for this woman. This Martha was born though about 1737.) Martha was mentioned in her father’s will of Sep 1786 by only her first name. In her sister Tamsen Dunlap’s (1813) will and sister Lois Snow’s (1834), referred to as Martha Cooper.

Martha’s Age Confusion The baptism record accepted by early family researchers can be matched to an entry in the Connecticut records by the date and location, though no father is included in that record. That record supports the birth order Joseph references in his will, which is that Martha is his oldest daughter, Tamsen his 2nd daughter. Martha married Samuel Cooper of Coventry (Rhode Island) on 22 Sep 1768. Rhode Island record states that Martha was of Voluntown, father Captain Joseph Park. There is no question this is the marriage record for this woman, and the woman referred to in both the wills of her sisters was a Martha Cooper, which could be her or her daughter. I challenged the idea that Samuel Cooper remarried to another woman named Martha/Mary but I could find no evidence of this, leaving a better fit that indeed Martha Parke was his last and/or only marriage, despite some of the conclusions other researchers have drawn for her maiden, each of their conclusion, I could not find any document to support. A conclusion that the 1727 baptismal entry is either for a different Martha or was transcribed in error over a hundred plus years ago and should read 1737 aligns actually better with the 1735 marriage record of Joseph Parke to Sarah Jamieson. I also tried to find an earlier marriage for Joseph Parke and did not find one. Here’s where I have landed with this…….the birth order matches the will, I am shifting out the birth year of Martha to ‘abt. 1737’. Your ancestor Robert is an undisputed descent of a mother Sarah Jamieson and unaffected by this situation.

What is in question, the burial of the Martha buried with Samuel, is reported as being 8 years younger, calculated birth year 1735. Was this a 2nd marriage for Samuel and if so when did Martha otherwise die? Was the cemetery record/church record misread as to her age? Did she lie about her age?

If we accept the 1735 calculated birth year, then we would need to adjust Tamsen’s birth year as well, would that fit with her timeline?

Martha married a ‘Cooper’ as evidenced by her sister Lois’ will and sister Tamsen’s will. Martha married Samuel Cooper of Coventry (Rhode Island) on 22 Sep 1768. Rhode Island record states the couple was married by Robert Dixson a Justice of Peace, that Martha was of Voluntown, father Captain Joseph Park. A Samuel Cooper resided in 1747 Coventry, Kent, RI (Source: RI 1746 Colonel Census Index) Unreconciled is the Martha Cooper reference in the wills of her sisters which postdate her death in 1807 but do fit her daughter or perhaps was just meant as a general reference so her sister’s children would inherit her portion. The will would require more careful study.

Samuel Cooper b. calc. 1721, died, age 81, 2 Jan 1802 in Plainfield, Windham, CT. His burial Riverside Cemetery of Sterling, Windham, CT. His wife Martha died at Ashford, CT on 13 Apr 1807, age 72, and she is thought to be his one and only marriage/wife.

Children of Samuel Cooper and Martha Parke

i. Sarah Cooper, born calc. 1769, who died 20 Jul 1788, age 19 yrs. RN: Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions has an age of 9 rather than 19 which is on the headstone.

ii. Martha ‘Patty’ Cooper, born 2 Apr 1771 (or 1772) Coventry, Kent, Rhode Island. Martha died 18 Apr 1819 (age 47) in Canterbury, Windham, CT, unmarried, with no children. This matches with her name referenced as Patty Cooper in her aunt Tamsen’s will in Nov 1813. Records show that she was buried in Carey Cemetery of Canterbury.

iii. Phebe Cooper born 9 Mar 1773 (East Greenwich) Coventry, Kent, Rhode Island. She married Stephen Vaughn (1771-1851) abt. 1795 Washington NY. The couple reportedly had at least one daughter, Mary (Polly) Vaughn (1795-1860). Phebe Vaughn died 18 Mar 1845 and was buried in Moss Street Cemetery of Hudson Falls, Washington, NY.

Sources

• "Parke Families of Connecticut" by Frank Sylvester Parks.
• Estate of Parke, Joseph, Town of Canterbury, Date 1786, No.1593 Plainfield Probate District Ancestry.com. Connecticut, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. (Images 1278 - 1299) https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3124798:9049
• Estate of Tamsen Dunlap, Brooklyn 1813, No 1544 Probate Files Collection, Early to 1880; Author: Connecticut State Library (Hartford, Connecticut) https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3631112:9049
• Estate of Lois Snow (17 Oct 1831 Berkshire, MA) Probate Records, 1761-1917; Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Berkshire County); Probate Place: Berkshire, Massachusetts https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/7040446:9069