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Descendants of Robert Cooper

4. BENJAMIN "O"³ COOPER (ROBERT², ROBERT¹) was born Abt. 1691, and died 1761 in Granville Co., N.C.. He married ELIZABETH CANNON Abt. 1735 in Virginia, daughter of JOHN CANNON and MARY PRICE. She was born 1716, and died Aft. 1761.

Notes for BENJAMIN "O" COOPER:

This Benjamin Cooper is often confused with a Benjamin Cooper who was son of James Cooper of Philadelphia. There is also a James Benjamin Cooper, son of Reuben, in the same generation and same locale. Additionally, there is a Benjamin Cooper born 1691 who was an orphan raised by a Joseph Cooper.

Benjamin COOPER of Isle of Wight Co; 100 acs
(N.L.), Surry County, ss of Nottoway River and ss of
Racoon Swamp, 24 Mar 1725, 10 Shill.
Records for a Benjamin COOPER who made his
mark with an "O" have been found in Southampton
County, VA, as late as 1757 (Southampton was
formed from Isle of Wight in 1749). A Benjamin
COOPER who made the same "O" mark wrote his
will in Granville County, NC, in 1759. His will made
no mention of a Fleet, nor have I found that given
name among his descendants. It's noteworthy that
this Benjamin had sons named William, Benjamin,
James, John and George.
A Surry Co, VA deed dated 20 Oct 1747 reveals a
Benjamin COOPER (mark "O") of Isle of Wight,
VA, granting the land that a Benjamin COOPER had
patented in 1725 to a James COOPER, of Surry Co,
VA. A deed dated 7 Jan 1754 and recorded in Surry
Co. VA on 15 Jan 1754 reveals James COOPER and
wife Elizabeth COOPER selling the same land to
John RICHARDSON JR. of Brunswick Co, VA.
This sale by Benjamin "O" COOPER appears to
refute the assertion by Murphy Rowe Cooper that
Benjamin of Philadelphia received this 1725 patent

From Southhampton Co., Va. land records: Pages 190-191: BENJAMIN COOPER to DRURY PARKER dated 10 Nov 1757
1) 190 acres on the south side of the Nottoway River (patent on – Sep
1739), 2) 130 acres (patent on – Jan 1747), S: BENJAMIN (O) COOPER, W:
JAMES (signed) BARHAM, SOLOMON (signed) DeLOACH, and BENJAMIN (T) BARHAM

From price.ged (Gordon Price): It is possible that Benjamin was born in the British Isles, but we believe
Surry Co VA. Some believe he was born 1701, however I believe 1691, based upon
the fact a Benjamin Cooper was a juror in Surry County in 1712, if true he
would have been at least 21 years of age.

Note:

The records of Charles City County, Va, from which Prince George County was
created indicates that is is possible that the Orphans Court Held at Westover
15 Sept 1693 ordered Joseph Cooper to produce an Orphan who we believe may have
been our Benjamin. However, the identity of that orphan and how the orphan came
to be in custody of Joseph Cooper is not apparent from the records available

Note:

In 1741, Kannon Cooper, son of Benjamin Cooper, is named as cousin and one of
heirs in will of John Cannon of Southwark Parish (Surry County:), see copy in
file. (N.B.: Benjamin Cooper's wife was Elizabeth Cannon).

Note:

Jo White Linn's 18 April 1992 report, identified William Cooper in Granville
County, NC, in 1750 with two slaves Ben and Sam, and again on the 1755
Granville County, NC, tax list. Williams's father, Benjamin Cooper, whose wife
was Elizabeth Cannon, is identified as having left a 1759 Granville County, NC,
will and as having gone to Granville County, NC from Isle of Wright County, VA
where he had patented 100 acres on 24 Mar 1725. Again based upon the facts as
we have them today, it is believed that this is the Benjamin with Wife Sara
Burton and Elizabeth Kelly. --No, this is Benjamin married to Eliz. Cannon. --DPY

Note:

Jo's report identified Benjamin Cooper as a juror in Surry County, VA on 19 Nov
1712. A deed recorded in Surry County, VA, on 20 Oct 1747, shows Benjamin (x)
Cooper of Isle of Wright, VA selling to James Cooper, of Surry County, VA, the
land Benjamin Cooper had patented in Isle of Wright County, VA in 1725. A deed
dated 7 Jan 1754 and recorded in Surry County, VA on 15 Jan 1754 shows James
Cooper and wife Elizabeth Cooper selling the same land to John Richardson Jr.
of Brunswick County, VA. Again however, we believe this is the Benjamin with
wives Burton and Kelly. No, wrong again. --DPY

Note:

The Abstracts of the Wills and Estate Records of Granville County, NC,
1746-1808, indicate on page 12, the Unrecorded Will of Benjamin Cooper, dated 9
Apr 1759, probated 11 Aug Court 1761. It mentions his wife Elizabeth, and their
children (Kenon, Sarah, Grace, James, William, John, George and daughters Mary
Jelks and Elizabeth Wiggins) listed on this Family Group Record. The executors
were, wife Elizabeth Cooper, and son Kennon Cooper.

Note: Witnesses were Richard Bennett and John Mublow. (see copy of will in file).
Note:

There has arisen a question regarding Elizabeth Wiggins, for in Fleet Cooper,
Sr's will he leaves five shillings to his daughter Elizabeth Wiggins. We favor
going with the record here, that the Elizabeth Wiggins mentioned in Benjamins
will is not the same as the one mentioned in Fleet's will.

Note:

Fern Oliver Shelley of Mesa, Arizona says that Benjamin was born abt 1697,
Philadelphia, Pa, USA. However Gary Cooper indicates he was born about 1692,
this is more reasonable, as it would have made him about 20 years of age when
he was on the jury. [Wrong?: this is another Benjamin Cooper?]. The place he was born is a little guess work, he may have
been born in the British Isles. Interesting to observe that some say this
Benjamin was born about 1701 in Philadelphia, but again the facts tell us this
was (yet another) Benjamin.

Jo White Linn, Certified Genealogist, hired by Howard L Bowers of Provo, Ut, in
1991 summarizes her work as follows: "Benjamin Cooper appears in North Carolina
records in the writing of his will in 1759 when he died testate in Granville
County leaving his wife a life estate in the homeplace which is then to revert
to his son Kennon Coopr. The first tax list in which we find acreage listed is
that on 1788 when Cannon Cooper is charged with 147 1/2 acres. When he wrote
his will in 1792 he had 7 children to whom he bequeathed one shilling each and
six who were to share in the widow's life estate. It is entirely possible that
he had 7 older children by one wife and the younger six by a second wife. (or
perhaps 6 by the first wife and one by the second wife, which we believe is
possible, and probably true) There is no way, from the figures we presently
have, to determine why he didn't have more acreage, because we don't find his
selling it. (So White Linn had no idea of the wives of son Benjamin or son
Kannon, but we now know the the wive of son Benjamin was Ann Sterling and the
wife of son Kannon was Sara but we have no idea as to her maiden name). While
we feel fairly certain that Benjamin Cooper's wife was a Cannon/Kennon (or
scared by one), we have found no record to this point that would make a case
for it."Probably different from the Benjamin Cooper who received grants on the Cape Fear River in 1753 and left a will in Bladen Co., N.C. in 1784. Benjamin was probably James Cooper's brother and married his widow in fulfillment of Levirate law. Probably the Benjamin Cooper who served as a juror in Surry Co., Va., 1712. An orphans court in 1693 ordered a Joseph Cooper to produce a Benjamin Cooper. This was only two years after the death of Robert Cooper, London merchant. Benjamin named his only known son Joseph.

Granville, North Carolina
Unrecorded Wills 1749-1771
Roll# C.044.80001 North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, N.C. page 18: Benjamin Cooper.
May be the same, and father James=Reuben/Robert/James Robert.

So this Benjamin turns up first in Isle of Wight County in Virginia where he was granted lands. Not many years later we find him in Loudon County, Virginia. He later moved to North Carolina where he died apparently around 1761. Could have gone with Green and his 100 men to North Carolina in 1750 when the first permanent settlement of English and American people was made [on the Piedmont].

These Coopers lived on Fishing Creek in N. C. around 1750 in what became Bute Co., along the Trading Path from the James River settlements in Virginia to the Blue Ridge area of Western Carolina and Tennessee-Kentucky. Bute County was formed in 1764 from Granville County and abolished in 1779 when Franklin and Warren Counties were formed from the area.

More About BENJAMIN "O" COOPER:
Fact: Abt. 1725, Went to Culpepper Co., Va. (?)
Land: March 24, 1724/25, Patented 100 acres on south side of Nottaway River and south side of Raccoon Swamp, described "of Isle of Wight Co., " could have been 1726
Migration: 1755, Moved to Fishing Creek and Buffalo Creek in N.C.
Note: Unproved son of Robert (Reuben) Cooper, London merchant, d. 1691
Residence: Bet. 1725 - 1757, Surry Co., Va.
Will: April 09, 1759, Made will, probated in Aug. 11, 1761

Notes for ELIZABETH CANNON:
Elizabeth was executrix of her husband James Cooper's estate in Surry County, Virginia, 1734-38. She sold land to Thomas Allstin, paid his creditors and liquidated his estate with a positive balance of 54 lbs. 10 shillings 11 1/2 pence. She made her mark as I.E., not as a cross, suggesting she might not have been Christian but Jewish. Some researchers say she was Elizabeth Kelley, also given as the wife of Benjamin Cooper of Philadelphia, but this is evidently mistaken. She may have married James Massingale after her husband's death. She may only have been the mother of Thomas Cooper, the others (John, Francis, William and ) being James's children by an older wife.

More About ELIZABETH CANNON:
Ethnicity: Probably Indian or part Indian, perhaps Nansemond or Occaneechi
Fact: Often confused with Elizabeth Kelley of Philadelphia

More About BENJAMIN COOPER and ELIZABETH CANNON:
Marriage: Abt. 1735, Virginia

Children of BENJAMIN COOPER and ELIZABETH CANNON are:

10.	i.	CANNON⁴ COOPER, b. 1737; d. 1794, Franklin Co., N.C..
11.	ii.	BENJAMIN COOPER, b. 1738, Surry Co./Isle of Wight, Va.; d. February 12, 1777, Bute Co., North Carolina.
12.	iii.	WILLIAM COOPER, b. 1741, Virginia; d. Abt. March 1808, Franklin, N.C..
	iv.	JOSEPH COOPER, b. Abt. 1742.

Notes for JOSEPH COOPER:
In Henry Co. with grandsons of James and Elizabeth Cooper of Surry Co., Va.

More About JOSEPH COOPER:
Fact: 1790, Henry Co., Va.

JAMES COOPER, b. 1742; m. MARTHA HARRISON, January 19, 1780, Granville Co., N.C..

Notes for JAMES COOPER:
Granville Marrriages 1753-1868, page 70. Cooper, James and
Martha Harrisson, 19 JAN 1780; Cannon Cooper, bm; Asa Searcy, wit.

More About JAMES COOPER and MARTHA HARRISON:
Marriage: January 19, 1780, Granville Co., N.C.

vi.

GEORGE COOPER, b. 1745; d. 1806, Warren Co., Ga..

More About GEORGE COOPER:
Fact: Went to Cumberland Co., N.C., then Jefferson Co., Ga.

	vii.	SARAH COOPER, b. Abt. 1748.
	viii.	GRACE COOPER, b. 1752; m. ---- HOLMES.
	ix.	MARY COOPER, b. 1754; m. ----- JELKS.
13.	x.	JOHN COOPER, b. Abt. 1756, Va.; d. January 18, 1785, Nash Co., N.C..

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