Cooper of Chadwick Close Farm, Halliwell

The purpose of this little piece of research was to try and find a family link between Ralph Tonge and Susannah (nee Cooper) who farmed at Chadwicks Close Farm, Halliwell, between 1861 and 1871, and the occupiers in 1841 and 1851; James & Nancy Cooper.

1841 Chadwicks Farm

James Cooper, 55, Farmer

Nancy Cooper, 42

James Cooper, 12

Nancy Cooper, 9

Jane Cooper, 7

Ellen Cooper, 6

David Cooper, 3

John Settle, 21

Mary Settle, 19

William Settle, 15

Ann Settle, 13

1851 Chadwick [Close?]

Nancy Cooper, head, widow, 55, Farmer of 13 acres, Heaton

James Cooper, son, u, 22, Farm labourer, Halliwell

Nancy Cooper, daur, u, 20, Dressmarker, Halliwell

Jane Cooper, daur, u, 18, Doubler at Cotton Mill, Halliwell

Ellen Cooper, daur, u, 16, House servant, Halliwell

David Cooper, son, s, 13, Goes to school, Halliwell

John Settle, son, u, 30, Farm labourer, Halliwell

Ann Settle, daur, u, 25, Doubler at Cotton Mill, Horwich

On the 1851 census, Susannah says she was born in Haslingden in 1811.  There is a baptism at St. James, Haslingden as follows:

Baptism: 5 Apr 1812 St James, Haslingden, Lancashire, England,
daughter of James & Jane Cooper of Highmoor

From the 1851 census entry it seems that Nancy had been married before - there are children with the surname Settle which she says are her sons and daughters.  We can find the marriage of James Cooper and Nancy Settle at Haslingden in 1828:

James Cooper and Nancy Settle - Marriage at Haslingden, 1828

Nancy Settle is said to be of "Boonkirk" - this is a farm north of Haslingden, the current day postcode is BB4 5TY.  James Cooper resides at Moorgate which is another farm just a few hundred meters south-west of Boonkirk.  Both farms can be seen on this 1849 OS map.

We can find baptisms for some of the Settle children at Bolton parish church - it looks like their father was called James:

• 12st May 1820 - John, son of James & Nancy Settle of Halliwell, Carter
• 3rd Feb 1822 - Mary, daur of James & Nancy Settle of Horwich, Labourer
• 19th Nov 1826 - Ann, daur of James & Nancy Settle of Horwich, Carter

I found their grave stone at Turton chapel:

In loving memory of JAMES SETTLE of Halliwell who departed this life June 24th 1827, aged 42 years Also NANCY his wife who departed this life May 20th 1852, aged 54 years Also NANCY their daughter who departed this life Novr. 13th 1855, aged 26 years Also in loving memory of REUBEN MORRIS of Heaton who departed this life Jany 23rd 1903 aged 76 years Also ANN the beloved wife of the late REUBEN MORRIS who departed this life Augt. 29th 1904, in her 78th year

Settle family gravestone at St Anne, Turton

It seems a bit strange that Nancy has been buried with her first husband, with no mention on the inscription of her second husband James Cooper - but it's definitely her because the burial register records her as Nancy Cooper of Smithills Deane, buried 25th May 1852, aged 56.  Reuben Morris was the husband of Ann Settle, James and Nancy's daughter.

The graveyard at Turton has at some point been partially cleared, but the monumental inscriptions were recorded and are available at Bolton Archives.  Next to the gravestone above was the grave of James' parents:

Here resteth the body of William son of William and Ann Settle of Halliwell who departed this life March 2nd 1818 in the 18th year of his age.  Also John their son who departed this life July 24th 1825 aged 22 years.  Also William Settle who departed this life January 29th 1836 aged 74 years.  Also Ann the wife of William Settle who departed this life October 10th 1846 aged 84 years.  Also the next breadth but one on the east side of this stone was interred the body of James Settle son of the above William and Ann Settle who departed this life June 24th 1827 aged 42 years.

So it looks like both James Cooper and Nancy had been married previously.  Susannah's 1812 baptism entry gives her mother as Jane, so we should be able to find a burial for Jane between then and her husband's remarriage in 1828.  Sure enough we find it at Bolton parish church, and James Cooper's burial in 1843.

• 19th June 1824 - burial of Jane wife of James Cooper of Halliwell, aged 39 years. 
• 19th Jan 1843- burial of James Cooper of Halliwell, aged 56 years

So it's not all quite proven yet, but this is the theory so far. 

There are quite a few children called James Cooper baptised around 1786 and none of them particularly stand out as the right one, so I start looking sideways...

There's another farm close by to Chadwicks, called Higher Tongs.  On the 1841 and the 1851 census David and Ruth Cooper are resident.  David Cooper was born in around 1797, and seems to have had connections with Haslingden as well when you look at the baptism records below.  I was speculating that David and James may be brothers, but I haven't found a baptism record for James to support this.

• Baptism: 29 Mar 1778 St James, Haslingden, Lancashire, England
• William Cooper - Son of Thomas Cooper & Susan, Abode: ___sworth
• Baptism: 4 Jun 1780 St Anne, Turton, Lancashire, England
• Thomas Cooper - Son of Thomas Cooper & Susan, Abode: Edgworth, Occupation: Weaver
• Baptism: 5 Jan 1783 St Anne, Turton, Lancashire, England
• Ann Cooper - Daughter of Thomas Cooper & Susan, Abode: Edgworth, Occupation: Weaver
• Baptism: 16 Feb 1788 Emmanuel, Holcombe, Lancashire, England
• Jno. Cooper - Son of Thomas Cooper & Susan, Born: 20 Jan 1788, Abode: Croichly
• Baptism: 10 Jul 1790 Emmanuel, Holcombe, Lancashire, England
• Peggey Cooper - Daughter of Thomas Cooper & Susan, Born: 21 May 1790, Abode: Croichlow
• Baptism: 3 Nov 1792 Emmanuel, Holcombe, Lancashire, England
• Joseph Cooper - Son of Thomas Cooper & Susan, Born: 7 Oct 1792, Abode: Croichlow
• Baptism: 18 Feb 1797 Emmanuel, Holcombe, Lancashire, England
• David Cooper - Son of Thomas Cooper & Susan, Born: 19 Jan 1797, Abode: Croichhey

Croichey and Croichlow can be found on this 1850 OS map.  Both places appear to be just off what is now the A676 through Hawkshaw.  Somewhere around current postcode BL8 4JF.

Looking at the land tax records for Halliwell we find Thomas Cooper appearing in 1802 at Cundliffes Farm, paying 3s 6d (proprietor Richard Ainsworth, Esq).  He may have been there before that, but I ran out of time to look through all the documents (closing time at LRO).  There is then a gap until 1812, when we find him paying 4s 4d.  The following year James Cooper takes over paying a rent of the same amount, and carries on paying this until the records finish in 1830.  Possibly this is Chadwick Close farm where he is resident in 1841.  We also find David Cooper paying a rent of 4s 4d from 1829, which may well have been for Higher Tongs where he was resident in 1841.

Halliwell Land Tax Record 1829/30

We find the probable burial of Thomas and Susan Cooper at Turton.  Unfortunately there is no monumental inscription recorded for them:

• 19 Jul 1812 St Anne, Turton - Thomas Cooper, Abode: Halliwell
• 30 Sep 1818 St Anne, Turton - Susannah Couper, Age: 70,    Abode: Horwich

There is a marriage entry for a Thomas Cooper and Susannah Entwisle in 1777 at Bolton, which could be the people above:

Thomas Cooper & Susannah Entwisle - Marriage at Bolton, 1777

So it's all looking quite promising, but it would be nice to get some more collaborative evidence.  A will might provide some useful information, but I could only find an admon for David Cooper which didn't give any additional information.  I could find nothing for James Cooper (died 1843) or Thomas Cooper (died 1812).  A few other wills that might be worth looking at for further research are:

• Cooper Joseph Quarlton, Bolton farmer. A Oct 1821 (2nd grant 1830 )
• Cowper Thomas of Old Accrington Admon. 1795
• Cowper William of Old Accrington, farmer 1747 (supra)
• Settle William Smethills Dean, Hallewell Lancs. farmer. May 1836 (Supra)

Note that Old Accrington is quite close to the two farms mentioned above (Boonkirk and Moorgate)

The thing that's not sitting comfortably with me on all this is the movement back and forth between Halliwell and Haslingden.  Okay - so they're only about 10 miles apart, and Thomas & Susannah seem to have lived at Croichey for a time which was midway between the two.  But James was paying land tax in Halliwell from 1813 to 1830, yet on the Haslingden marriage in 1828 was said to be "of Moorgate" in Haslingden.  It makes me question whether I've got the right people here.  Nancy also was born in Heaton according to the 1851 census, married to James Settle in 1819 in Deane, and her children were born in Halliwell or Horwich. So why in 1828 when she gets married is she from Boonkirk in Haslingden when she seems to have no other association with the place?

So could the Settle family also have had an association with Haslingden?  James Settle was born about 1785 according to the age recorded on his gravestone at his death.  There is a baptism in Haslingden on 5 Jul 1785 - "James son of William and Ann Settle of Edgworth".  Looking into the Settle family (quickly and not very thoroughly) they, like the Cooper family, also appear to have events in Haslingden, then Edgworth, then eventually Halliwell.

Work in progress...