Hi Chris, > The common story is that my great(5)-grandfather Daniel Cooper was born at > sea in 1695 while emigrating to the US from Holland, and that his father > died on the same voyage. > > However, my great-something-uncle Theodore Cooper did quite a bit of > genealogical research, and in 1903 he wrote that Daniel's grandson John > Cooper had said: > > "My great-grand-father [Daniel Cooper's father] was born in England, from > there went to Holland and married a Low-Dutch woman, by whom he had > one son > who also married in Holland and moved from there about 1700 to the city of > New York or near it on the North River and died there leaving a widow and > among other children my grand-father [Daniel Cooper]. The widow's > house was > burned and the family were left quite poor. Daniel learned the weavers > trade and for many years worked at the trade about New Brunswick [New > Jersey] and on the Raritan . he told me his brother Immanuel settled > in West > Jersey on the Delaware." > > There is plenty of documentation about Daniel's life from about 1726 > on, but > I have absolutely no solid proof of anything in Daniel's life from birth > until then. > > Does anyone have suggestions for places I could look to find some proof of > some of these statements? > > . If Daniel's father died in New York (or near it on the North > River) between (guessing) 1700 and 1720, would any records exist of his > death? > > . If Daniel was a weaver for many years in New Jersey and New York - > say between 1710 and 1720, would there be any record of that? > > . If someone named Immanuel Cooper existed in "West Jersey on the > Delaware", what records would still exist of him? That's a unique-enough > name that if I found someone by that name in the right time period I could > feel some confidence it's the right guy. > > . Does anyone know anything about records in Holland during the late > 1600's - anything over there I should try to find? > > . I assume that in 1690-1700, there wouldn't be any immigration > records available? > > . Ship records are scarce from that time period too I'm sorry to say that I do not have answers to your main questions, and I cannot speak for anything presented by Theodore or John, which conflicts with that given below. However, it appears that the source (which is itself unsourced) saying that Daniel Cooper was born at sea is the following publication: Family Records, Or, Genealogies of the First Settlers of Passaic Valley (and vicinity) above Chatham ... By John Littell; Feltville, N.J.: Stationers' Hall Press : (1851) Pages 90-92 DANIEL COOPER. The parents of Daniel Cooper emigrated from Holland to New York, in the year 1695. It is said that he was born at sea on their voyage, and that his father never arrived. He first lived in Piscataway, and then moved to Passaic Valley, Morris County, NJ He was born 1 May 1695; married Grace Runyon (b Jan 1706) on 17 April 1726; she died Nov 1755; he married 5 more times, his last wife being Hannah (the widow of Ephraim Martin) when he died 2 May 1795. The abstract will of Daniel Cooper follows: Volume XXXVII - Calendar of New Jersey Wills, VOL. VIII, 1791-1795 p 84 1791, Feb. 1. Cooper, Daniel, of Morris Twsp. and Co.; will of. Wife, Hannah, use of negro wench, Het, and interest from £100, while widow. Grandson, John Ludlow (son of daughter, Agness Ludlow), £50. Grandsons, Daniel Cooper and Solomon Cooper (sons of son John Cooper, dec'd), 28 acres lying in the great swamp whereon John Bruse now lives; also 6 acres northeast corner of land of Daniel Cooper, Jr., dec'd and the southwest corner of the land of James Van Derveer; also 23 acres in the long field running in straight course from said Daniel Cooper, Jrs corner to Peter Layton's line. Grandson, Joseph Gaston (son of Robert Gaston, Esq.), a negro boy. Granddaughter, Charity Cooper, (daughter of son John Cooper), a negro girl, 6 sheep and 2 cows. Residue of real and personal to be sold; children of son Daniel Daniel, dec'd (male and female), 1/8 part. Son, Benjamin Cooper, 1/8 part; he to discharge obligations in which I stand as his security, to wit: bond to Samuel Wells, bond to Elias Boudinott, Esq., £5 to Richard Stockton, Esq.; also for costs of suit brought by William Neilson. Granddaughter, Charity Cooper (daughter of son John, dec'd), 1/8 part. To the other children of son John, dec'd, 1/8 part. Grandson, John Ludlow, 1/8 part. Daughter, Rosanna Gaston (wife of Robert Gaston, Esq.), 1/8 part. Daughter, Providence Manning (wife of Joseph Manning), 1/8 part. To the children of daughter Anna (wife of Jonas Carle), 1/8 part. Executors -- Robert Gaston, Esq., of Somerset Co., Elias Coriell, of said Co. and James Linn and Colonel Ephraim Martin, of Somerset Co. Witnesses -- Moses Squier, Joseph Thompson and Peter Runyon. 1792, April 24. Codicil. The bequest of 1/8 part of residue left to children of son Daniel, dec'd, revoked. Granddaughter, Lydia (wife of Samuel Annin (?) and daughter of said son Daniel), 1/11 part of revoked legacy. Granddaughter, Mary Crane (daughter of son Daniel), 1/11 part. The remaining parts of revoked egacy to be equally divided between the children of son John, the children of son Benjamin, children of daughters, Rosanna, Providence and Anna, and grandson, John Ludlow (son of daughter Agness). Witnesses -- Robert Robertson, David Burnet and John Muckkel. Proved June 20, 1795. Lib. 36, p. 67; File 873N Best regards, Pam Sears