Lt. Thomas Cooper

Cooper was recruited by William Pynchon to move to Springfield, Mass. to be part of the settlement established there. Thomas was a trader in beaver pelts and was active in the Springfield militia, specializing in scouting and translation. Oral history has him trading with Indians and adopting their ways to a degree that caused some friction with townspeople. Ironically, after living to a great age, he perished in the burning of Springfield-- fighting with the settlers against marauding Indians.

The Burning of Springfield:

The burning of Springfield by the Indians October 5, 1675, nearly forty years after its settlement, was the most startling and important event in its early history. King Philip had begun open hostilities which had spread to the region of the Connecticut valley. Hadley, Deerfield, and Northfield had suffered. Captain Lothrop and his brave men had been slaughtered at Deerfield, and terror reigned in every town and hamlet. Major John Pynchon had gone to Hadley with a small force on the 4th of October, leaving Springfield unprotected.

On Long Hill in the south part of town, overlooking the valley, a fort had been constructed for the protection of the friendly Indians, who were dwelling in peace in the neighborhood. Into this a large number of hostile Indians, including some who had previously been on terms of intimate friendship with the whites, had secreted themselves. Toto, a friendly Indian, who was living with a white family in Windsor, revealed the plot, and that night a messenger rode swiftly to Springfield, who roused the inhabitants and warned them of the threatened danger. Every one was notified who had not gone to Hadley, with Major Pynchon, and immediately took refuge in the three fortified houses. Among the numbers were some of the older men of the community, including Deacon Samuel Chapin, Rev. Pelatiah Glvoer, Jonathan Burt, Lieut. Thomas Cooper, Thomas Miller, and others. Mr. Glover at once carried his library to Mr. Pynchon's house for safety. A messenger was dispatched to Hadley to notify Major Pynchon of the great danger that was impending, but the morning of the 5th opened without any indications of an attack upon the town, and Toto's statements began to be discredited. Rev. Mr. Glover, confident that there was no danger had carried his library back to his house, and Lieut. Cooper, long engaged in trade with the Indians, and who well knew every Indian in this region, set out on horseback for the fort. Thomas Miller accompanied him. They had approached Mill river, within less than a half a mile of the fort, when they were fired upon by the Indians. Miller was instantly killed and Cooper severely wounded. The latter's horse galloped back to town and stopped in front of Major Pynchon's house, when Lieut. Cooper fell dead to the ground. The Indians then followed up this attack, and soon the dwellings, which had been temporarily deserted by the occupants, for places of greater safety, were set on fire and destroyed. Pentecost Mathews, wife of John Mathews, was shot and killed in the south part of the town, and her house set on fire and consumed. The work of destruction, now fairly begun, the prominent actors in this most startling frontier drama, no longer continued their disguise. They proved to be some of the hitherto friendly Indians,--one of them an old sachem who had been on the most intimate terms of friendship, almost from the first settlement. The house of correction, some of Pynchon's mills, and many dwellings and barns, were burned to the ground. Various accounts differ as to the actual number. Major Pynchon, who hurried back from Hadley as soon as informed of the contemplated plot, but did not arrive until the town was in ashes, stated that about thirty houses were burned. Capt. Samuel Appleton, who was at Hadley, in a letter put the number at thirty-three house, and twenty-five barns, while Jonathan Burt set down the number at "twenty-nine houses and barns." He was chosen one of the Selectmen the next February and entered a brief account in the third volume of the town records, which now occupies a fly leaf of that book, and this is the only account that has been preserved in Springfield.

SOURCE: First Century of the History of Springfield, Vol. I, by Henry M. Burt, pub. 1898; pages 129-134

Two Thomas Coopers are found in records for 1583 in England. There is a Thomas "Cowper" but more interestingly, there is the Thomas Cooper/Arnolde born Feb. 19, 1583 at Salford, Bedford, England. Since the Arnold family were also Sabbatarians, this looks like a more likely candidate to be the immigrant Thomas Cooper. His father is listed as Robert Cooper or Arnolde:

Citing this Record "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J7MG-VQP : 6 December 2014), Thomas Arnolde Or Cooper, 19 Feb 1583; citing SALFORD,BEDFORD,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 845,460.

There is also a man who appears to be Robert's brother John Arnolle or Cooper, who has a son the same year, September 26, 1683 in nearby Toddington, Bedford, England, He names his son Thomas Cooper as well.

Citing this Record "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J7MG-7Y5 : 30 December 2014), Thomas Arnolle Or Cooper, 26 Sep 1583; citing TODDINGTON,BEDFORD,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 845,459.

Some additional information about Thomas Cooper is found in the Pynchon Court Records included in "Colonial justice in western Massachusetts, 1639-1702; the Pynchon court record, an original judges' diary of the administration of justice in the Springfield courts in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Edited with a legal and historical introd. by Joseph H. Smith".

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015000696081;view=1up;...

Page 223: Thomas, acting as town juror, advises that defendant Thomas Miller receive 15 lashes for hitting Nippinnsuite? Jones with the butt of his gun; Nippinnsuite is indicated as native American;

Page 230: Acting as Juror finds for widow Margaret Bliss;

Page 125: Elected selectman Sept. 26, 1644;

Page 214: Juror 1644;

Page 215: Sworn Freeman 1649;

Page 243: Juror in action against John Bliss by Samuel Allin for alienating the affections of Samuel's wife, Hannah Woodford;

Page 244: Juror 1660

Pages 245-246: Inquest Juror in the case of child Ebenezer Herman, drowned April 7, 1660.

Page 216: Juror in case of child abuse of Samuel Edwards against Thomas Mericke (Merrick) brought by Alexander Edwards; child is 5

Page 217: Took the oath of fidelity Feb. 6, 1648(1649);

Page 240: Appointed juror 1658

Page 236: Complaint against John Bliss 1655

Page 380: Military rank confirmed and appointed Deputy of the General Court at Springfield, March 11, 1667/1668

The following information was compiled from: http://www.tributaries.info/p2981.htm

1.) Elected 1662 "Their being presented into this Corte by Ensigne Cooper the Names of Severall persons who were by the trayned band of Springfeild chosen to severall places and Offices in the said Company, together with the desire of the said Company that this Corte would confirme the said persons in such Places and offices to which they were chosen: The Corte taking into consideration the desires of the Trayned Band of Springfeild thought fitt to confirm and ratify the choyce of the Souldery There: And therefore Doe accordingly declare That Samuell Marshfeild is and shalbe the Clark of the Trayned Band at Springfeild: And that Thomas Stebbins is and shalbe their Eldest Serjeant: And Miles Morgan their Second Serjeant: And that Jonathan Burt is and shalbe their first Corporall: Benjamin Parsons the Second Corporall: Rice Bedortha the third Corporall: and John Dumbleton the fourth Corporall: '(fr. The Pynchon Court Record, page 266)

Lt. Thomas Cooper was one of six men appointed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay, 12 Oct 1670, a committee to order the settlement of the newly granted plantation of Stony River (now Suffield, Connecticut). The northern boundary of the township adjoined Springfield on the west side of the Connecticut River "at a little gutter about halfe a mile below the Brooke commonly called the three mile brooke below Lieut. Cooper's house."'''''(Sheldon, Hist. Suffield, 49.)'''''''''''

Thomas Cooper was killed by Indians 5 Oct 1675 [6 Oct, Pynchon], moments before the assault on Springfield began during Philip's War. "When all remained quiet on the morning of October 5, Lieutenant Cooper and Thomas Miller, the town's constable, decided to ride to Fort Hill and investigate. Cooper in particular was convinced that the Agawam would remain loyal to the English despite hostilities throughout the valley. He was wrong; only a short distance from the garrisons the two were ambushed. Miller died instantly but Cooper kept his mount long enough to warn the nearest garrison, at which point he also died. A marker on present-day Mill Street designates the spot of the ambush." ( Pynchon BMD Record Index, 47, Lieut. Thomas Cooper d.: 6 Oct.) (Eric B. Schultz and Michael J. Tougias, King Philip's War, 178-179).

His widow married (2) Lt. William Clark of Northampton, and died in 1688. (Pynchon BMD Record Index, 47, wid. Sarah Cooper/Lieut. William Clarke m.) ''''''(Pynchon Manuscript Records, 2, Leiut. Wm. Clarke/wid. Sarah Cooper m.)'' (Martin E. Hollick, New Englanders in the 1600s, 58.)

 See The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-35, 2:205-12''

2.) Elected Mar. 31, 1663, Northampton, Mass. "...… being succeeded in it by Ensign Thomas Cooper, who was confirmed by the County Court at Northampton on March 31, 1663. (Burt, Life & Times of Henry Burt, 85.)
Lt. Thomas/1 Cooper, one of the first settlers of Springfield, Massachusetts, married Sarah/1 Slye, daughter of George/a Slye, with whom he had 9 children.1 Admitted freeman of Springfield, 5 Apr 1649.2 Testified, with Dea. Jonathan/2 Burt, 29 Sep 1662, regarding the intentions of Henry/1 Burt, who died intestate 29 Sep 1662. ( Pynchon Court Records, 266).

Manner of death: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ma/county/hampden/hist/indianwar.html

Data from The Cooper Family in America (http://www.hinesite.accessgenealogy.com/cooper.htm) website link not working.

From FAG site:

Thomas was a trader in beaver pelts and was active in the Springfield militia, specializing in scouting and translation. Oral history has him trading with Indians and adopting their ways to a degree that caused some friction with townspeople. Ironically, after living to a great age, he perished in the burning of Springfield-- fighting with the settlers against marauding Indians.

#79615 Our Royal, Titled, Noble and Commoner Ancestors

Lt. Thomas Cooper was killed when Indians burned down the town. Lt. Thomas Cooper was on the first Springfield Board of Selectmen in 1644 and he was the Springfield Representative to the Massachusetts General Court in 1668.

• Lieut Thomas Cooper Find A Grave Memorial# 71445957

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GEDCOM Note

Thomas was a trader in beaver pelts and was active in the Springfield militia, specializing in scouting and translation. Oral history has him trading with Indians and adopting their ways to a degree that caused some friction with townspeople. Ironically, after living to a great age, he perished in the burning of Springfield-- fighting with the settlers against marauding Indians.

FAG