Benjamin3 Cooley

Notes:

(Research):Massachusetts Political Organization
Hampshire county was created from Non-County Area 1 (towns of Springfield, Northampton, Hadley, and all territory within 30 miles) on 7 May 1662. It effectively covered the entire western part of the province. Non-County Area 1 was eliminated (Mass. Recs., vol. 4, pt. 2:52)
Hampden county was was set off from the northern half of Hampshire Co 1 Aug 1812.

Benjamin3 married Margaret Bliss on 30 Jan 1700/01 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts. Margaret (daughter of Samuel Bliss and Sarah Stebbins) was born on 23 Nov 1683 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died est 1744 in Probably Brimfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Benjamin4 Cooley was born on 5 Nov 1701 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died on 1 Apr 1790 in Pittsford, Rutland Co, Republic of Vermont; was buried about Apr 1790 in Old Baptist Burying Ground, Pittsford, Rutland Co, Vermont.
2. Keziah Cooley was born on 29 Oct 1702 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died before 17 Sep 1745 in Brookfield, Worcester Co, Massachusetts.
3. Azariah Cooley was born on 21 Aug 1704 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died about 1734 in Brimfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts.
4. Nathaniel Cooley was born on 24 Jun 1706 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; and died.
5. Zeruiah Cooley was born on 29 Feb 1707/08 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; and died.
6. Margaret Cooley was born on 30 Jan 1709/10 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died on 7 Jul 1754 in Brimfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts.
7. Son Cooley was born on 19 Aug 1715 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died on 31 Aug 1715 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts.
8. Ebenezer Cooley was born on 5 Jul 1716 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died on 31 Oct 1753 in Brimfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts.

Notes:

Daniel is buried in the Springfield Cemetery in Springfield Massachusetts. The original burial grounds were at the river front behind the Old First Church. In 1849, to make way for the railroad, 2024 bodies were moved to the cemetery on the hill. They were placed in a mass grave. The main entrance to the cemtery is on Maple St but the graves are at the Pine Street entrance. Most of this information is found in the Cooley genealogy book by Mortimer E. Cooley published in 1941.

(Research):On 10 May 1643, Non-County Area 1 was formed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony comprising the unsettled, unorganized area which, at the time, extended from the Connecticut River basin an indefinite distance westward into the ill-defined "Western Country". Also on this date the four orginal counties were created
o Middlesex
o Essex
o Suffolk
o Norfolk (now a part of SW Maine)
(Mass. Recs., 2:38)
Springfield was founded (for non-religious reasons) in 1636 by William Pynchon thus it was simply in the Connecticut River basin until 1643 when it found itself in Non-County Area 1 (Winthrop expanding his power base).
Hampshire county was created from Non-County Area 1 (towns of Springfield, Northampton, Hadley, and all territory within 30 miles) on 7 May 1662. It effectively covered the entire western part of the province. Non-County Area 1 was eliminated (Mass. Recs., vol. 4, pt. 2:52)
Hampden county was was set off from the northern half of Hampshire Co 1 Aug 1812.

Daniel married Elizabeth Wolcott on 8 Dec 1680 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts. Elizabeth (daughter of Simon Wolcott and Martha Pitkin) was born on 19 Aug 1662 in Windsor, Connecticut Colony; died on 3 Jan 1706/07 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; was buried about 1707 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Cemetery: Re-interment

Notes:

Elizabeth is buried in the Springfield Cemetery in Springfield Massachusetts. The original burial grounds was at the riverfront behind the Old First Church. To make way for a railroad, 2024 bodies were moved to the cemetery on the hill in 1849 and placed in a mass grave. The main entrance to the cemtery is on Maple St but the graves are at the Pine Street entrance. Most of this information is found in the Cooley Genealogy by Mortimer E. Cooley published in 1941.

Cemetery:
Buried behind the Springfield church, the bodies were disinterred and moved to the Springfield Cemetery.

Notes:

According to research completed in 2000 by Eleanor L. Cooley Rue, circumstantial evidence links the Benjamin Cooley christened in Tring, Hertfordshire, England (chr 1615) to the Benjamin Cooley of Springfield through the posited marriage of Richard Sikes and Phebe Cooley (chr 1609), Benjamin's sister. The only evidence found by Cooley-Rue was in Benjamin Cooley's will which used the phrase "cousen Sikes". She concluded that "cousen" meant brother-in-law which it did not. Cousen was primarily used to refer to neices and nephews. A major problem with Cooley-Rue's logic is that Richard and Phebe Sikes's church activities, and his becoming a freeman are well documented* while there is no record of Benjamin and Sarah Cooley's church activities prior to 1643 (to become an accepted member of Massachusetts Bay Colony church membership was mandatory). Assuming unaccompanied women seldom made the voyage from England to New England and further assuming Phebe Cooley and Benjamin Cooley traveled together, it appears to me that information about Benjamin and Sarah must be uncovered before a link can be made between Phebe Sykes and Benjamin Cooley. *Richard Sykes joins Dorchester church 4 Nov 1639; he becomes a freeman 13 May 1640 in Cambridge; Richard marries Phebe Sykes 13 May 1640 also the date she joined the Dorchester church. Their first child Rebecca born 6 Dec 1640 in Roxbury (Pynchon's hometown).

(Research):Early Massachusetts Bay Colony political organization.

The four original counties all formed 10 May 1643 were:
o Middlesex
o Essex
o Suffolk
o Norfolk (now a part of SW Maine)
Formed in addition were
o Non-County Area 1
o Non County Area 2
Agawam Plantation (later Springfield) was founded in 1636 by William Pynchon. At that time it was simply a village in the Connecticut River basin under the jurisdiction of Connecticut Colony. Pynchon changed the name of the village to Springfield in 1641. On 10 May 1643, Non-County Area 1, was formed comprising the western portions of Massachusetts Bay Colony of which Springfield was a part (Winthrop expanding his power base). The area had no western boundary and extended an indefinite distance westward into the ill-defined "Western Country". On 7 May 1662 Hampshire County was formed (towns of Springfield, Northampton, Hadley, and all territory within 30 miles), effectively covering the entire western part of the province. (Mass. Recs., vol. 4, pt. 2:52) On 1 Aug 1812 Hampden County, containing Springfield, was created from Hampshire County (Mass. Acts 1812, ch. 137/p. 291). Springfield remains in Hampden County to this day.

Benjamin1 married Sarah (wife of Ensign Benjamin Cooley) [?] about 1642 in Probably in the New World. Sarah was born about 1621 in Probably England; died on 23 Aug 1684 in Springfield, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sarah's surname is unknown but that hasn't deterred many people from inserting a surname for her based on wild speculation or simply a mis-reading of the "Cooley Genealogy".

As to the latter, on page 41 the following is written:
"1. Benjamin (b. about 1617, in Springfield in 1642/3, with his wife Sarah (Savage)."
The "Savage" in parentheses after Sarah's name refers to author James Savage who wrote a comprehensive work called "Genealogical Dictionary of New England", 1862. Yet, hundreds of would-be "researchers" have casually looked at this entry in the Cooley Genealogy and assumed that Sarah's surname was "Savage" and have incorporated that name into their family databases. In 2006 I observed 222 databases in myfamily.com's recklessly ill-conceived One World Tree that had used the name Savage as Benjamin Cooley's wife's surname.
Other surnames for Sarah have been "Colton" (surname of Benjamin's business partner and lifelong friend and associate in Longmeadow, Quartermaster George Colton), "Collen" (a "Sarah Collen" joined the Dorchester church on 20 Nov 1640), and Tremaine (unknown origin but entertained then discarded by Mortimer Cooley in the Cooley Genealogy).

Notes:

From Society of Colonial Wars in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts page 395: Wolcott, Captain Simon (1625-1687, Simsbury, Conn. Captain of the Simsbury Train Band, 1673. Deputy to the General Assembly 1673. Trooper from Windsor under Major March, 1657.

Simon married Martha Pitkin on 17 Oct 1661 in Windsor, Connecticut Colony. Martha (daughter of William Pitkin and Elizabeth [wife of William Pitkin Jr]) was born about 1638 in Berkhampsted, Hertfordshire, England; was christened on 12 Dec 1642 in Berkhampsted, Hertfordshire, England; died on 13 Oct 1719 in Windsor, Hartford Co, Connecticut Colony. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):Berkhamsted is a historic market town close to the western boundary of Hertfordshire, England. People have been living in the Berkhamsted area for over 5,000 years. There is evidence of flint working in the Neolithic period and metal working in the late Iron Age and Roman periods. The high street is on a pre-Roman route known by its Saxon name Akeman Street. The earliest written reference to Berkhamsted is in 970 AD. Berkhamsted was recorded as a "burbium" (an ancient borough) in the Domesday Book in 1086. The oldest known extant jettied timber-framed building in Great Britain, built 1277-1297, survives as a shop on the town's high street.

Notes:

CooleyThis surname was variously spelt Cooley, Coley, Colley, Coalye, and Coolye.
William's probable birth year range was 1578-1586 as estimated by Debrett Ancestry Research. Unfortunately, records from that period are missing.
William was described as a glover* by occupation when his youngest son Joseph was baptised in 1618.
*Glover - a person who makes or sells gloves. Origin: 1350-1400; Middle English, gl

William married Joan Arnott on 25 Feb 1607/08 in Tring Parish, Hertfordshire, England. Joan was buried on 9 Aug 1630 in Tring Parish, Hertfordshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

ArnottVariations of this name in 16th century England included: Arnyatt or Arnyott, Arniott, and Arnett - Debrett Ancestry Research, 2009

Notes:

Henry Wolcott, an English gentleman from the Parish of Lyiard, St. Lawrence, and his wife Elizabeth Saunders, with their sons Henry, Christopher and George, emigrated to New England on the ship Mary and John. The ship left Plymouth England and arrived in Massachusetts on May 31, 1630. Henry was described as "a resolute Puritan, a stout-hearted and God-fearing man". He may have been influenced by Simon Venn of Lydiard St. Lawrence, who Henry later appointed as overseer of his property he inheirited at Tolland. Simon was a brother of John Venn of London, one of the partners in the Massachusets Bay Company in 1628 and 1629.
Mr. Wolcott's residence in Windsor was toward the southern end of the town, south of the Farmington River, on a tract of high land which has always borne the name of "The Island" along which the road passes southward, and then through the meadow\emdash being the first, or meadow, road to Hartford. The lot of his eldest son, Henry, Jr., adjoined his own on the south, both fronting the west. He continued an honored resident of Windsor until his death, which occurred May 30, 1655.
Henry Wolcott Sr's Last Will (from the Wolcott Genealogy) The thirtieth of May (1655), I, HENRY WOLCOTT, sick of body, but of perfect memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, in manner and form following. First. I commend my soul to God my maker, hoping assuredly through the only merit of Jesus Christ my Saviour, to be a partaker of life everlasting; and I commend my body to the earth, whereof it was made. I will that my wife shall have all my house lot, orchard, garden, hop yard, and my lot in Plymouth meadow, during the term of her natural life. Also, I give unto my wife two of my cows, and half the household goods in my dwelling house. Also, I leave my land in England to Henry my eldest son, without encumbrances. Also, I give unto him my two books of martyrs. [Note: Records show that John Wolcott b. abt 1607 was Henry's eldest son] Also, I give to Christopher my second son, my lot in the Great meadow and also, my house lot and houseing upon it, after the death of my wife, he paying out of it thirty pounds, after my wife's decease, as I shall hereafter appoint. Also, I give to George my third son, the five pounds he owes me, and five pounds more. Also, I give to Simon, my youngest son, all my land on the easterly side of the Great River and also my lot at Arramonets. Also, to the children of Henry, my eldest son, five pounds to Henry the eldest of them, and to the rest of them forty shillings apiece. I give all the rest of my goods to be equally divided amongst all my children. Also, I appoint Henry Wolcott, my son, to be overseer of this my will and testament. Also, my will is, that Christopher, my son, shall have my lot in Plymouth meadow, after the decease of my wife.
My will is that my debts shall be first paid. October 4, 1655. The above written being testified to the Court by Mr. Henry Wolcott, upon oath, and by Mr, Wichfield to be the last will and testament of Mr. Henry Wolcott, senior, deceased, the Court approbated of the same, and ordered it to be recorded.
John Cullick, Secretary.

(Research):Henry Wolcott was born in 1578 at Tolland, Somerset and died in 1655 at Windsor CT. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Saunders of Lydeard St. Lawrence, Somerset, in 1606. Henry, Elizabeth, and three of their sons sailed from Plymouth on the Mary and John . They arrived in Dorchester MA 31 May 1630. Their two daughters and youngest son arrived a few years later. Henry settled at Windsor CT in 1636. He was a member of the CT House of Delegates from1637 to 1643, and was a member of the House of Magistrates from 1643 until his death in 1655. Henry and Elizabeth Wolcott, both died in 1655, and are buried in the churchyard of the First Congregational Church at Windsor CT - http://www.wolcottfamily.com/somerset.html

Lydeard St Lawrence The Lydeard part of the name is believed to be a corruption of Lidegaard from the Celtic garth meaning ridge and Old English led meaning grey. The second part of the village name is taken from the dedication of the church. From Saxon times the manor was owned by the Bishop of Winchester as part of their Taunton Deane estate. After the Norman Conquest it was granted to Wilward by William the Conqueror and known as Pylegh. The parish of Lydeard St Lawrence was part of the Taunton Deane Hundred. In the 18th century the manor was acquired by the Hancock family.

Henry married Elizabeth Saunders about Jan 1605/06 in Lydeard St Lawrence, Somersetshire, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Living and Living) was christened on 20 Dec 1584 in Lydeard St Lawrence, Somersetshire, England; died on 7 Jul 1655 in Windsor, Connecticut Colony. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Henry's] widow survived him about five weeks; she died July 7 [1655], and her will, dated July 5, is attested by her mark. The explanation of this, which we find in one of our old manuscripts, is unquestionably authentic: "Their wills were made just before their deaths, and Mrs. Wolcott, not being well enough to write her name, only made her mark."
- Wolcott Genealogy

Notes:

Married:
Henry Woolcott and his wife, Elizabeth, were presented at the Diocesan Court in July 1609 for the offence of incontinence. "They weare marryed two yeeres agon and shee was delivered of childe within thirtye weekes after." They were admonished, and the case was dismissed. Note: Incontinence in this case meant immoderate, intemperate, not holding back (from Old French).
Be it noted that in Henry Sr's wlll, John is not mentioned and therein Henry Jr is the eldest son, Chrostopher, second, and George, third.

Notes:

William Pitkin Jr was educated at Berkhamsted School and Pembroke College Oxford. Received MA from Oxford 17 Oct 1631. Sixth Headmaster of Berkhamsted Grammar School for Boys (est 1541) on 8 Aug 1636, a position which he held for seven years. William and his brother George went to Mr. Sturmey's house in Chancery Lane in London in the summer of 1643 where they became ill possibly with the plague. They died there (six months before their father) George two months after William. Both were buried from Mr. Sturmy's in Chancery Lane.
William's burial record describes him as a minister. All his children were born in the headmaster's house and christened at St. Peters Church next door. - Early Colonial Pitkin Family

(Research):In the wikitree site St Dunstan-in-the-West is listed as death place.
The Guild Church of St Dunstan-in-the-West is in Fleet Street in the City of London. It is dedicated to a former Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury. The church is of medieval origin, although the present building, with an octagonal nave, was constructed in the 1830s to the designs of John Shaw.

William married Elizabeth [wife of William Pitkin Jr] on 10 May 1637 in Thaxted, Essex, England. Elizabeth was born about 1612 in Berkhampsted, Hertfordshire, England; died on 28 Dec 1641 in Berkhampsted, Hertfordshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Thaxted is a town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of northwestern Essex, England. Thaxted appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Tachesteda", Old English for "place where thatch was got". Once a centre of cutlery manufacture, Thaxted went into decline with the rise of Sheffield as a major industrial centre.