In the name of God amen: 1st of March 1809 I Willis Cooper of the County of Tyrell being very sick & weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried at a decent and Christian like burial at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general resurection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with I give dimise and dispose in the following manner & form.

First - I give and bequeath to my well beloved son Nichedemus Cooper the plantation and land whereon I now live and my cypress swamp joining the land whereon I now live and bequeath to my well beloved sons Joseph John & Nichedemus Cooper and the land whereon Jos. Cooper now lives to be equally divided between Josh. & John Cooper. I give and bequeath to my well beloved daughter Luraney Cooper one bed and furniture whereon I now lie one disk one chest six green edged plates and her mother clothes. I also give and bequeath to my well beloved son John Cooper one young horse named Prince I also further give unto Nichedemus Cooper one old horse by the name of Brit I also farther give to Joseph Cooper one work steer and my corn and pork for the use of my family and one cart for the use of the plantation I also farther give to John Cooper one rowing canoe. I give unto my well beloved daughter Zilpha Cooper one bed and furniture that she sleeps on I give and bequeath unto my daughter Nancy Bateman one cow by the name of Good Luck I give to Joseph Cooper one cow by the name of Fortune I give to Zilpha Cooper one cow & Yealing by the name of Fawney I give to John Cooper one cow by the name of Block and the calf that now sucks her. I give unto my well beloved daughter Betsey Cooper one heifer by the name of Cherry I also give to Luraney Cooper two heifer yearlings by the name of Penny & Damsel one lom one woolen wheel that was her mothers. Also I give to Zilpha Cooper one woolen wheel that was my own and linen do that she spins on also I give to Betsey Cooper one linen wheel that she spins on I give to Luraney Cooper one large pot, I also give to John Cooper one big pot I give to Nichedemus Cooper one four gallon pot I also give to Nancy Bateman one bed which I have lent her and one linen wheel I have lent her. I also give to John Cooper one stock of bees that sets on the west and of the bench & the one next to it Nichedemus Cooper and the other Betsey Cooper. I also give my farming tools for the use of the plantation I also further give to Joseph Cooper one small pot. I further give to Zilpha Cooper one cone and the mill I leave for the use of the plantation I also give to Betsey Cooper one bed and furntiure with one ewe and lamb I give to Zilpha Cooper one ram and give to Nichedemus Cooper one ewe and lamb I further give to John Cooper all the remainder of my sheep I also give Betsey Cooper one dutch oven.

I do hereby constitute and appoint my two sons Joseph Cooper and John Cooper my sole executors and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke & disanul all and every other person testaments wills legacies & bequeaths and executors by me in any wise before named willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written

Willis (his -x- mark) Cooper (Seal)

Signed Sealed Pulished and Pronounced
and Declared by me Willis Cooper as
his last will & testament inpresence of us

Rodger Snell
George Phelps
Hannah (her -x- mark) Phelps

State of North Carolina
Tyrell County
June Term 1809

This will was proved in open court by the oath of Rodger Snell and Hannah Phelps two subscribing witnesses in due form of law.

C. Spruill Clk

June Session 1809

The last will and testament of Willis Cooper deceased was proved in open court by the oath of Roger Snell a subscribing witness will filed.

Joseph Cooper came into open court and quallified executor of the last will & testament of Willis Cooper deceased.

Joseph Cooper returned in court on oath an inventory of the estate of Willis Cooper deceased file.

Ordered that Joseph Cooper have leave to sell the chattel property of Willis Cooper deceased & make due returns.

September Session 1809

Joseph Cooper returned in court on oath the account of sales of Willis Cooper deceased filed.

North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.15), Box 15
Cooper, Willis, 1809

Transcript dated 21 Oct 1814 of a suit tried in Tyrrell County wherein James Long is plaintiff and Willis Cooper defendant, to wit:

Bond dated 5 Jan 1807 securing the rental of the plantation, houses and land of James Long where Stephen Long formerly lived by Willis Cooper, guardian of James Long, orphan of Stephen Long deceased, to Thomas Williams for a period of five years and seven months, until the said James Long arrives at the age of twenty one, say to 13 Aug 1813. Rental fee is nine pounds and five shillings, to be aid at the end of each year. Peter Marriner Senr. is security for Thomas Williams and the bond was for 99 pounds.

Petition July term 1813 by James Long stating that his father Stephen Long made a will that devised his manor plantation to your petitioner, his heirs and assigns, forever and that Willis Cooper was appointed as guardian to your petitioner, entered into possession of said manor plantation and rented it out and has never accounted to your petitioner for the same. He also charges that the said plantation should have been rented out for at least 100 dollars a year had it been legally and fairly rented out. Petitioner further states that Willis Cooper died about March 1809 leaving a will in which John Cooper & Joseph Cooper were named executors and that Joseph Cooper qualifed as executor and took on the burden of administration thereof. Petitioner asks that a copy of this petition be provided to Joseph Cooper and a subpoena issue for him to appear at the next court term to answer these charges and account for the rents of said plantation.

Summons dated 13 Jul 1813 and issued 20 Sep 1813 for Joseph Cooper executor of Willis Cooper deceased to appear at the next Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions on the second Monday of October next to answer the charges in the petition of James Long.

Cause entered on the appearance docket at October term 1813.

At January term 1814 cause continued for answer to be filed.

Answer of Joseph Cooper executor of Willis Cooper to the petition of Jas. Long at January term 1814. Joseph Cooper agrees that Willis Cooper was guardian of Jas. Long and leased out the land of the said Jas. Long to Thos., William & Peter Marriner for 9 pounds, 5 shillings per year. Joseph Cooper has held this rental obligation since the death of Willis Cooper in 1809. Peter Marriner was solvent before the death of Willis Cooper and for some time after and owned title to a tract of land he sold about three years ago to Jas. Hoskins for about $830. After the death of Willis Cooper he made known the situation of Jas. Long to the court and Thos. Williams was appointed guardian but gave no security. He has always been ready & willing to surrender the note for rent of his land to Jas. Long since he has come of age. Jas. Long is also justly indebted to the estate of Willis Cooper for board, clothing, etc. furnished him by Joseph Cooper.

Continued for answer at April term 1814.

Continued at July term 1814 without remark.

Cause argued before the court at October term 1814 and ordered that the bond tendered be received as a discharge for its amount and the conditions therein, from which decision the defendant prayed an appeal to the Superior Court and gave bond for prosecuting his appeal with Leonard Martin as security.

Bill of cost for suit amounting to 6 pounds, 7 shillings & 6 pence. {End of suit transcript}

Execution on the sixth Monday after the fourth Monday in September and issued 27 Nov 1815 against James Long for 10 pounds, 9 shillings, which the executor of Willis Cooper recovered against him for costs & charges in a suit recently decided in the Superior Court of Tyrrell County.

Execution on the sixth Monday after the fourth Monday in March and issued 26 May 1816 against James Long for 10 pounds, 15 shillings & 9 pence, which the executor of Willis Cooper recovered against him for costs & charges in a suit recently decided in the Superior Court of Tyrrell County.

Transcriber's Notes:
Tyrrell County marriage bonds show the marriage of Stephen Long Sr. to Joanna Phelps on 10 Feb 1789, William Long security. Joanna Long subsequently married John Dreser Davis on 5 Feb 1797, Benjamin Phelps security. Joanna Davis then married Willis Cooper on 19 May 1800, Abraham Jennett security. Willis Cooper had previously been married to Elizabeth Alexander in 1781, John Hoskins security.
Tyrrell County marriage bonds show the marriage of Nicodemus Cooper to Nancy Dillin on 10 Feb 1821, Jesse Merritt security; also the marriage of Joseph Cooper to Priscillar Roads on 31 May 1808, Willis Cooper security; also the marriage of Zilpha Cooper to John Weatherly on 20 Mar 1811; also the marriage of Nancy Cooper to Jos. Bateman on an unknown date.

Return to Tyrrell Co Wills Introduction & Table of Contents

Updated May 6, 2020
Gordon L. Basnight