The Widow Cooper: Henrietta (Cossins) Cooper of Annapolis Royal

    If you poke around in the Garrison Graveyard in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, you will see two recumbent stones (tablestones) surrounded by fencing near the front part of the graveyard. These stones mark the final resting spots of Henrietta Cooper, her mother Henrietta Cossins, and her two children, Joseph Cossins Cooper and Henrietta Frances Cooper. If you have taken a candle-light graveyard tour during the summer months, you will have heard the story of the wealthy Widow Cooper who was taken in by a smooth-talking but penniless young Captain from the garrison, and how he used her to get free passage back home to England. I have always been intrigued by her story and wanted to learn more about the Widow Cooper. 

Recumbent Stones of Henrietta Cossins (left) and Henrietta Cooper (right), Garrison Graveyard. 

    Henrietta Cossins was born about 1771, in Yorkshire, England, the daughter of Joseph Cossins and Henrietta Foljambe. She was baptised on 25 April 1771, in Hull, Yorkshire, England at Holy Trinity Church (now Hull Minster). It is said that the Cossins left England for the garrison town of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, in about 1773. Joseph Cossins became a successful merchant and leading citizen in the town. They lived on St. George Street in a large house (about where the old post office is) and Joseph owned a considerable amount of land in the area. With her father's success, Henrietta enjoyed a place in the high society of Annapolis Royal. 

    In 1791, the Rev. John Cooper arrived in Annapolis Royal. He was a Methodist missionary, one of the earliest to come to the area, and with six local men (David Seabury, Fredrick Davoue, Thomas Robblee, John Harris, Isaac Bonnett, and David Bonnett), he formed a Methodist congregation in the town. In August of that year, they purchased a lot of land on St. Anthony Street from Joseph Cossins, for £3. Henrietta witnessed the transaction and signed her name at the end of the deed "Henrietta Cossins Jun'r". Several years later in 1798, a meeting house for the Methodists was built on this land.

    A few months later on 31 October 1791, Henrietta was married to Rev. John Cooper, probably by the Rev. Jacob Bailey, the rector of Saint Luke's Anglican Church at the time. The Cossins family would come to regret this marriage, as their union was not a happy one. After their marriage, Rev. Cooper's true colours came out and he proved to be a very poor husband. This might not have happened right away, as they had two children together. Their first child was born in about 1793, a son, named Joseph Cossins Cooper, named for Henrietta's father. He was followed by Henrietta Frances Cooper, born about 1794, and baptised on 21 May 1794, at Saint Luke's. Despite the happy tidings of a birth and baptism, tragedy stuck the Cossins family about a month later. In late June/early July of 1794, Henrietta's father left Annapolis Royal for Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. As a merchant, a trip to the city was probably not out of the ordinary, nevertheless, it was still a long journey to make. On 2 July, Joseph was in or near Windsor, Hants County, when he tragically died at the age of 54 years. He was buried in the Old Parish Burying Ground in Windsor and Henrietta had a tombstone made for him. His epitaph reads, "Sacred to the Memory of Joseph Cossins Who Departed this life on his journey from Annapolis to Halifax July 2nd 1794 Aged 54 Years. This monument is Raised as a tribute of affection from his only Child." 

    Joseph Cossins died intestate, and his widow, Henrietta Cossins, along with Thomas Barcley and Robert Dickson, Esq., were made administrators of his estate on 18 July 1794. A lengthy inventory of his estate was made and dated 9 September 1794. It was divided into several sections with one being "Stock in Trade", which included varying amounts of cloth, thread, handkerchiefs, flannel, black velvet, silk waistcoat patterns, men's gloves, rugs, stays, breeches, hats, buttons, men's and women's shoes, buckles, knitting needles, earthenware, pots, tea kettles, locks, nails, knives, saws, hammers, bridles, and various other wares. There was also livestock and farming utensils on various farms, notes of hand and mortgages, and cash on hand. The furniture in the Cossins home was inventoried and the rooms mentioned were, the kitchen, back room, room next store, room over kitchen, right hand room below, backroom upstairs, room left hand parlour, and room right hand parlour. At the end of the inventory is written, "deduct one Horse charged under Letter E, Mr. Cooper 's claiming horse as his property." Also that £21 Rev. Cooper owed his father-in-law was to be added to the account. In the end, Joseph Cossins' estate was valued at £1,624.4.3¾. As she was his only child, Henrietta was his sole heir and received 2/3rds of the estate with her mother receiving a widow's dower. 

Receipt acknowledging payment from the Estate of John Easson to the Estate of Joseph Cossins signed by Henrietta Cooper. Nova Scotia Archives.

    A few years after the death of her father, further death came to the Cossins and Cooper families. Henrietta's daughter, Henrietta Frances Cooper, died at the age of 3 years in about 1797. Her death was followed by that of her brother, Joseph Cossins Cooper at the age of 5 years in about 1798. As mentioned above, they were both buried in the Garrison Graveyard. Within a few years after the death of their children, the Cooper's marriage broke down. Calnek writes in his History of the County of Annapolis, that Rev. Cooper's career in Annapolis Royal was checquered and that he finally lost the confidence of his Methodist brethren. Accounts say that he behaved in a manner unbecoming of a Christian, perhaps this was in the treatment of Henrietta, which Calnek says was so bad, that she left him and went back to her old home, meaning she moved back into the Cossins House. 

    The Coopers had completely separated by 1806, and Rev. Cooper had moved to Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, where he was a "Minister of the Gospel". We know this because Henrietta's mother was busy safeguarding her daughter's inheritance in the summer of 1806. On 19 June, Henrietta Cossins made her Last Will and Testament. She appointed Pardon Sanders, Phineas Millidge, and Thomas Ritchie as her executors. She left all her real estate situate within the County of Annapolis to her executors, 

"for and during so long as my Daughter Henrietta Cooper shall continue united in marriage with her present husband John Cooper but on the annulling of the said marriage either by the decease of the said John Cooper, Henrietta Cooper or otherways, to be and remain to be and remain to my own right Heirs forever according to the legal mode of succession in Trust however to the said [executors] to lease the same and annually to pay the rents, issues, and profit thereof to my said daughter Henrietta Cooper, and for such uses and purposes as she the said Henrietta Cooper shall from time to time not withstanding her coverture, and so if she was unmarried and without the intervention or control of her said husband by any note or memorandum in writing under her hand. . ."

    It goes on with much repetition, but it is evident that Henrietta Cossins was keen to provide for her daughter in a way that circumvented her husband. Also in June, Rev. Cooper, from New Jersey, appointed Thomas Ritchie as his "True and Lawful Attorney" who was to ask, sue, demand, etc., on matters due him as himself, but also as, "the Baron or Husband of Henrietta Cooper, The Daughter and sole Heir of Joseph Cossins Late of Annapolis aforesaid Deceased." This is exactly the sort of thing Henrietta Cossins was afraid of. The next month, July 1806, saw Henrietta Cossins pay Rev. Cooper £550 so that he would release his claim on Joseph Cossins estate. It took almost nine pages to write out the descriptions of the lands included in Cossins' estate. 

Henrietta Cossins' signature from her will. 

    In about 1808, George Mordaunt Haliburton (the uncle of Thomas Chandler Haliburton), his wife Christine Maria Loup, and their two young daughters Georgianna and Maria Sanby Haliburton, moved to Annapolis Royal. It is likely that Henrietta befriended Christine Haliburton, who while living in town gave birth to a son, William Hersey Otis Haliburton. It seems that they did not reside in Annapolis Royal long, as Christine died in Halifax the next year. As will be seen later, Henrietta must have kept in contact with the Haliburtons after they left. 

    On 10 April 1810, Henrietta's mother died in Annapolis Royal, at about the age of 67 years. She was buried in the Garrison Graveyard and her tombstone includes the names and ages of her grandchildren. Calnek writes that after the death of her mother, Henrietta left Annapolis Royal for England. While away, she left her estate in the capable hands of Pardon Sanders. This is where her story takes a turn into, perhaps, the realm of fantasy and good storytelling. I will here quote a part of what local author, Charlotte Isabella Perkins, wrote in her book, Romance of Old Annapolis Royal:  

"Where the post office now is, was a large square white house, the home of Widow Cooper, then prominent in the social life of the town. Captain Gee, an officer in one of the regiments stationed here, had run through all his pay and was anxious to get back to England, but this he could not accomplish for lack of means. Now Mrs. Cooper was a charming widow and rich. She could easily supply any travelling expenses, so he persuaded her to elope with him. After travelling in Scotland and England, she paying the bills, he deserted her. In a beautifully written letter dated 1812 in stilted fashion, Mrs. Cooper, who was then in Hull, England, wrote home to Mr. Bailey of the wonderful vista the lights of that city made and how hard it would be to go to the dark streets of Annapolis and that she would as soon think of going to John O'Groat's home as returning there."

    Perkins was born twenty-four years after the death of Henrietta, so she was relying on stories passed on to her and may have embellished a little, hence word "Romance" in the title of her book. While it is true that Henrietta went to England, it seems doubtful that she would have eloped with this Captain Gee, as her husband was still alive and had only left Annapolis Royal a few years back. Residents of the town would have known that she was committing bigamy. There are a few things we know about her time in England. She seems to have spent her time in North Yorkshire, the area of her birth. In Whitby, she met Henry Belcher, Esq., a lawyer who she left a legacy in her will as, "a small token of gratitude for his liberal confidence in a stranger." From this sentence we gather that he helped Henrietta with something, perhaps this does point to some validity in the Captain Gee story. She was also in Leeds, where she had "a dear friend", Mary Ann (Houseman) Crosland, who lived with her husband John and their children on Trafalgar Street, Leeds. 

    Henrietta was back in Annapolis Royal by 1827, as she was listed in the census that year with her one female servant. The next time we see her in the records is in May and June 1833, when land in Wilmot and Granville Townships was conveyed to her by the surviving executors of her mother's estate. The deeds say that now that Henrietta's husband John Cooper was dead, she was entitled to the real and personal estate that her mother had put in trust for her. So, according to these deeds, Rev. Cooper had died before May 1833, and Henrietta was now the Widow Cooper. Now, was this true? Very possibly, but there is also a listing in the Fair View Cemetery, in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, for a John Cooper that died on 8 January 1858. This was the area that Rev. Cooper moved to in about 1806. 

    Henrietta, now the Widow Cooper, lived the rest of her life in Annapolis Royal. With her inheritance, she was a wealthy woman and now had some freedom as a widow. She did not have to worry about her husband trying to have influence over her affairs. I had mentioned already that Henrietta lived on St. George Street, her family home being in the area where the Old Post Office (ARCH&PO) is today. Perkins says she owned all the property from Mr. Harris' shop to Mrs. Halliburton's, "extending from lane to lane". Altogether this tract of land was 22 acres and Perkins says she rented for a pound a year or it was given over to the poor of the town to plant, presumably crops or vegetables. This might be the field farther up on St. George street that she had rented to George Robinson, Esq., and later left to him in her will. In the 1838 census, she was "Widow Cooper" and had one female living with her, probably a servant. 

This is the area of Annapolis Royal where Henrietta Cooper lived.

    On 26 February 1849, Henrietta made her Last Will and Testament. As she was the last surviving member of her family, she left money, property, and possessions to her friends. The first person she mentions is Henry Belcher, Esq., whom we mentioned already. He was entrusted with £600 sterling money of Great Britain, £300 of which was for himself as, already mentioned, "a small token of gratitude for his liberal confidence in a stranger." The other £300 was to go to Henry Houseman Corsland, of Leeds, England, and it was to be equally divided between himself and his siblings, who were the children of "my dear friend" the late Mary Ann Crosland, wife of John Crosland of Trafalgar Street, Leeds, England. Unfortunately, there was a blip in her plans, as Henry Belcher died the month before she did on 15 February 1854, in the 69th year of his age. Next in her will, is Henrietta Alexis (Williams) Whitney, of Saint John, New Brunswick. She was born in Annapolis Royal, and was the sister of Sir William Fenwick Williams. She was also the goddaughter of Henrietta's mother. She was left, "the sum of £50 Halifax currency to be laid out by her in Plate or otherwise as a memorial of her godmother, the late Mrs. Henrietta Cossins." Henrietta also left her husband, James Whitney, Esq., £50, "as a mark of esteem and respect." Matilda Wylie was left £20, "provided she is a widow at my decease." Matilda Ramson (Bogart) Wylie, had been widowed in 1834, when her husband, Capt. Robert Wylie, died in Liverpool, England. She never remarried, so she would have received her legacy from Henrietta. Janet Cross was left £20. The next person mentioned was her servant, Mary Spakeman, who was left £20 and, "...if she is with me at the time demise, the bed and bedding she has occupied whilst in my service and also that respectable mourning be provided for her." There is no way of knowing for certain, but perhaps Mary Spakeman was the servant mentioned in the past censuses. Henrietta also left £20 to the Church Deanery Society of Nova Scotia. 

    That is the last of the smaller bequests, and now we get into her large ones. Remember the Haliburton family mentioned earlier, well they must have remained very close friends of Henrietta as she left the younger daughter, Maria, now married and the wife of Dr. Samuel Bayard of Saint John, New Brunswick, "all my furniture, Beds, Bedding, Linen, Cloaths, plate and Books with the exception of such articles as may be specified in this my Last Testament or any memorandum attached thereto and which I have confidence she will respect and act accordingly with this proviso and positive injunction that nothing, not one article be put up to public sale or Auction. I direct that all my drawers, and trunks remain unmolested, and locked - the Executors present to keep charge of the keys until the arrival of the said Maria Bayard should she not be present at the time of my death." This part is interesting as it gives a bit of insight into Henrietta. She seems to have been a person that valued her privacy and perhaps was a little untrusting of those who were not within her inner circle of friends. This more than likely was caused by her husbands ill-treatment of her and the power he had held over her through the law of coverture. The will continues on with Henrietta also leaving Maria, "The House situate in the Town of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, in which I now reside — with the outhouses, garden and land, thereunto pertaining — that is to say for her own sole use and benefit during her natural life — with this reserve — that if at any time Georgianna Haliburton, at present of Boston, Massachusetts, United States should at any time find it convenient to reside in Annapolis Royal she shall be entitled to choice of two rooms for her own special use and residence — not to appropriate them to an other purpose than her own personal residence whilst she remains unmarried. Henrietta then goes on to say that after the death of Maria Bayard, the house, outhouses, garden and land are to pass to her daughter, Henrietta Cooper Bayard, but if she should predecease her mother, then it is to remain with Maria Bayard and her heirs and assigns forever. The last two bequests were to her executors "inconsideration of [their] acting as one of my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament." To James Grey, Merchant of Annapolis Royal, she left, "the field situate in Annapolis Royal adjoining the Government garden and warehouse building so called." and to George Robinson Esq., "the field situate in Annapolis Royal now rented by him from me boarded by land belonging to Thomas Ritchie and George Grassie Esq." Now Robinson's bequest came with a condition, "...upon consideration of his paying annually and seeing it to be paid the sum of Ten Dollars on the returning eleventh day of March to Georgianna Haliburton. . . to be applied by her to the purchase of some triflery memento of the return of that day." What the 11th of March meant to Henrietta and Georgianna we probably will never know, however, I wonder if it was Henrietta's birthday, since she was baptised in April. Besides, Grey and Robinson, Henrietta also appointed Maria Bayard as an executor. 

Henrietta's signature from her will.

    Henrietta died five years after she wrote her will on 24 March 1854, at the age of 83 years. A very short notice of her death was published in the Halifax Morning Journal, 17 April 1854, "Died at Annapolis Royal, Mrs Henrietta Cooper, 83, widow." She was buried in the Garrison Graveyard beside her mother and children. Her epitaph reads, "SACARED / to the memory of / MRS. HENRIETTA COOPER / who departed this life / March 24, 1854, / aged 83 years. / Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." 

Henrietta's tombstone in the Garrison Cemetery.

    The process of settling of Henrietta's estate began soon after she died. An inventory of her estate was made by Alfred Whitman and Edward C. Cowling and dated 8 April 1854. I will included the full inventory of her furniture in the rooms they were found in her home:

Front Parlour: a sofa, six hair bottomed chairs, six rush bottomed chairs, a mahogany dining table, a mahogany --- table, a small mahogany table, a round mahogany table, a mahogany side board, a looking glass, three curtains & blinds, a carpet, a watercolour painting, a fender & fire irons, a work box [probably sewing], a Note Folio, a small waiter, snuffers & tray, side board ornaments, a pair of candlesticks, a gilt thermometer, a pair of bellows, and 12 flowerpots & flowers. North Front Parlour: 12 bird eye maple chairs, a carpet, a pine table & cover, a bed & bedding, and two curtains & blinds. Back Room: a dish table, 12 windsor chairs, a clock, a flower stand, six tea trays, a carpet, a steel fender, and shovel & tongs. Closet: six silver tumblers, six silver table spoons, five silver tea spoons, a pair of sugar tongs, a German silver teapot & coffee pot, a flow cream jug, lot of glass & earthenware, an India tea caddie, and an oil cover. Kitchen: three tables, four chairs, lot of earthenware, lot of tinware, lot of ironware, a warming pan, two pairs of brass candlesticks, a tea tray, a copper tea kettle, and two bell water kettles. Back Room Upstairs: six rush bottom chairs, a wash stand & furniture, a mahogany bedstead, bed & curtains, lot of crocks & baskets, and one trunk. South Back Room Upstairs: a chest of drawers, a washstand & furniture, a clothes horse, two trunks, three curtains & blinds, a chest, lot of baskets, a bed, bedstead, bedding & curtains, and a small looking glass. North Front Bed Room: a chest of drawers, washstand & chamber, two window curtains & blinds, a small looking glass, a bed, bedstead, bedding & curtains, lot of baskets, and a carpet. South Rooms Upstairs: two mahogany chest of drawers, two birch tables, a book case, a clothes horse, a dressing glass, two dozen baskets, three trunks, two fire screens, a small watch clock, and a thermometer. Books: two volumes of Irving's Columbus [A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus by Washington Irving, 1828], six volumes of Elizabeth's Extracts(?), six volumes of Clarke's Commentaries [Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, 1831], and 500 miscellaneous books. 

    

    Henrietta's Real Estate included  "House, Garden and Field adjoining the house", "Field known as the Red House field", "Field known as the Cooper field", and "Water Lot between Davis' Shop & property of Judge Ritchie's Estate", altogether valued at £660. The final value of her estate (which included furniture, bonds, mortgages & notes of hand, cash, and real estate) was £2,045.1.5½. 

    We know that Maria Bayard took possession of Henrietta's house as Calnek wrote that an old deed from the 1700s that pertained to the property was in her possession. Sadly, the Cossins-Cooper house burned in 1869, and even the old deed was lost in the Great Fire of Saint John in 1877. Today, all that is left in Annapolis Royal to show that Henrietta Cooper nee Cossins was here is her tombstone, but even then, her name is fading from its surface more and more with time.