Humility Cooper : Mayflower passenger |
"The names of those which came over first, in the year 1620, and were
by the blessing of God the first beginners and in a sort the foundation of all the
Plantations and Colonies in New England; and their families ...
"Edward Tilley and Ann his wife, and two children that were their cousins, Henry
Sampson and Humility Cooper."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1637, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 441-3. |
| Humility Cooper & the 1623 Division of Land |
The 1623 Division of Land marked the end of the Pilgrims' earliest system
of land held in common by all. Governor Bradford explains it in this way:
"And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of
their number, for that end, only for present use (but made no division for inheritance)
and ranged all boys and youth under some family. This had very good success, for it made
all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have
been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of
trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into the field, and
took their little ones with them to set corn; which before would allege weakness and
inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and
oppression."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1637, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 120.
Plymouth Colony Records, Deeds, &c, Vol. I 1627-1651 is the oldest record book of the
Plymouth settlement. It begins with the 1623 Division of Land, recorded in the handwriting
of Governor William Bradford. The lands of "Humillitie Cooper" were among those
designated as "their grounds which came first over in the May Floure, according as
thier lotes were cast" and described in this way "these lye one the north side
of the towne nexte adjoyning to their gardens which came in the Fortune." |
Humility Cooper & the 1627 Division of
Cattle |
Plymouth Colony Records Vol. I also tells of the 1627 Division of Cattle :
"At a publique court held the 22th of May it was concluded by the whole Companie,
that the cattell wch were the Companies, to wit, the Cowes & the Goates should be
equally devided to all the psonts of the same company ... & so the lotts fell as
followeth, thirteene psons being pportioned to one lot..."
"The fift lot fell to Mr Willm Brewster & his companie Joyned to him (2) Loue
Brewster (3) Wrestling Brewster (4) Richard More (5) Henri Samson (6) Johnathan Brewster
(7) Lucrecia Brewster (8) Willm Brewster (9) Mary Brewster (10) Thomas Prince (11)
Pacience Prince (13) Humillyty Cooper.
"To this lot ffell one of the fower Heyfers Came in the Jacob Caled the Blind Heyfer
& 2 shee goats." |
| Humility Cooper : her death |
"And seeing it hath pleased Him to give me [William Bradford] to see
thirty years completed since these beginnings, and that the great works of His providence
are to be observed, I have thought it not unworthy my pains to take a view of the
decreasings and increasings of these persons and such changes as hath passed over them and
theirs in this thirty years...
"Edward Tilley and his wife both died soon after their arrival, and the girl
Humility, their cousin, was sent for into England and died there."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1637, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 443-7.
Eugene Stratton cites evidence showing that Humility Cooper of the Mayflower may
have been the same as a Humility Cooper, daughter of Robert Cooper, who was baptized in
London in 1638-9 at age 19. This would mean that Humility Cooper was an infant at the time
of her arrival in Plymouth.
Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony : Its History &
People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City : Ancestry Publishing, 1986), p. 273. |
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