{"id":6071,"date":"2020-09-17T12:07:34","date_gmt":"2020-09-17T02:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.michelledennis.com.au\/?page_id=6071"},"modified":"2020-09-17T14:32:26","modified_gmt":"2020-09-17T04:32:26","slug":"simon-cooper-and-mary-brooks","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.michelledennis.com.au\/?page_id=6071","title":{"rendered":"Simon Cooper and Mary Brooks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Simon Cooper<\/strong> was born in 1679 in Watlington, Oxfordshire, England to parents Simon Cooper senior (1649-1714) and Margaret Heydon (1653-1695).<\/a><\/p>\n

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St Leonards Watlington<\/p><\/div>\n

Simon was baptised on 17 August 1679 at St Leonards parish church in Watlington.<\/p>\n

He was one of seven children born to the couple.<\/p>\n

Watlington\u00a0is a\u00a0market town\u00a0and\u00a0civil parish\u00a0about 7 miles (11\u00a0km) south of\u00a0Thame in Oxfordshire, near the county’s eastern edge and less than 2 miles (3 km) from its border with Buckinghamshire.<\/p>\n

It claims to be reputedly the smallest town in England. With its fine selection of small shops, the dominating 17th century town hall and many historic buildings dating back to that period.<\/p>\n

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St Mary the Virgin, Thame<\/p><\/div>\n

Simon moved to the larger town of Aston Rowant, probably to find work as a farm labourer and at the age of 26 married Mary Brooks<\/strong> on 18 November 1705 at Thame in Oxfordshire.<\/p>\n

He was described as Simon of Aston Rowant, and Mary was stated to be of Chalford.<\/p>\n

Mary was born in Thame in 1673 and was baptised there on 25 November 1683, with just her father’s name of John Brooks listed in the parish register.<\/p>\n

Simon and Mary had seven children –<\/p>\n

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  1. Mary b 1706 Aston Rowant d 1734 Chinnor, marr Simon Howlett. 4 children.<\/li>\n
  2. Aston b 1707 Aston Rowant<\/li>\n
  3. Margaret b 1709 Aston Rowant<\/li>\n
  4. Jane<\/strong> <\/a>b 1714 d 1807 d 1807 Sydenham, marr John Stephens & Charles White, 4 children with each husband.<\/li>\n
  5. Hannah b 1716 Aston Rowant<\/li>\n
  6. Elizabeth b 1718 Aston Rowant d 1781 Emmington, marr Richard Hal<\/li>\n
  7. Ann b 1721 & d 1721 Aston Rowant<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Simon and Mary later moved to Chalford, where Simon was a yeoman farmer and from the bequests in his will he owned property in Watlington too, probably from his father.<\/p>\n

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    Watlington<\/p><\/div>\n

    On 1 April 1751 Simon, sound in mind but weak of body, wrote his will naming his wife Mary as executor and the grandchildren of his daughter Jane as beneficiaries. None of his 7 children inherited.<\/p>\n

    The will was probated on 14 October 1751. He bequeathed –<\/p>\n