That Absalom Cooper late of Bluff Head aforesaid Planter, deceased died there on or about the 13th day of January A.D. 1901 intestate leaving him surviving as next of kin his Widow Anne Cooper and the following children viz: Deborah Leat of Lance Cove, Trinity Bay, Married Woman; Charity Bugden of same place Married Woman; Jane Leat of same place Married Woman; Maggie Stone of Rocky Brook, Trinity Bay, Married Woman; Annie Framptom of Gin Cove Trinity Bay Married Woman; Lizzie Cooper of Bluff Head Cove, Trinity Bay Spinster; William Cooper, Charles Cooper, Albert Cooper, Absalom Cooper and your Petitioner.

That Said deceased was at the time of his death possessed of property within the jurisdiction of your Honorable Court of the probable value of $749.00

That no probate of any Will nor Administration to the Estate of said deceased has been granted to any person.

That annexed hereto marked “A” is a just and true Inventory and valuation of the property of said deceased at the time of his death to the best of Petitioner’s knowledge information and belief and as far as he can at present ascertain.

That annexed hereto marked “B” is a memorandum of consent of the abovenamed children of deceased to the grant to Petitioner of Letters of Administration to the Estate of said deceased.

Petitioner therefore prays that Letters of Administration to the Estate of said deceased may be granted to him.

And as in duty bound her will ever pray etc.

Dated the 12th day of May A.D. 1902

Daniel S. Cooper.

I, Daniel Cooper of Bluff Head, Trinity Bay, Fisherman make oath and say:

That I am the Petitioner named in the foregoing Petition.

That the several matters and things therein set forth and contained are correct and true.

Sworn at Brittania Cove aforesaid this 12th day of May A.D. 1902

D. Currie
Daniel S. Cooper
Commissioner, Supreme Court

I Anne Cooper of Bluff Head Cove, Trinity Bay, Widow of Absalom Cooper late of Bluff Head Cove aforesaid Planter deceased hereby consent to the grant to Daniel Cooper of Bluff Head Trinity Bay Fisherman of Letters of Administration to the Estate of said deceased.

Dated the 12th day of May A.D. 1902 her mark Anne X Cooper

Witness : First read & explained
D. Currie

I certify that on the 12th day of May A.D. 1902 appeared before me at Brittanica Cove, Trinity Bay Anne Cooper of Bluff Head Cove, Trinity Bay Widow of Absalom Cooper late of same place, Planter deceased and did sign the consent hereto annexed marked “C” and that the same was first read open and explained that she perfectly understood the same.

Dated the 12th day of May A.D. 1902

D. Currie
Commissioner Supreme Court

It appears that Absalom & Mary Cooper originally settled at Bluff Head Cove in the 1870’s having originated in Grates Cove. However, a search of the available records did not produce a birth for Absalom or a marriage to Mary.

From the book Random Island Pioneers by Wilfred B. W. Martin the following information was gathered.

Records suggest that Absalom’s wife’s name was Mary & that she was born in 1831.

They apparently had 6 sons as follows:

Absalom (Junior) born in Bluff Head Cove in 1873. He married Mary Ida Reed of Foster’s Point in 1899.

Albert Cooper of Bluff Head Cove married Lucy Smith of Aspey Brook in 1897.

Charles Cooper of Bluff Head Cove married Elizabeth Reid of Foster’s Point in 1897. They had a child born in Bluff Head Cove in 1901.

Daniel S. Cooper was born in Bluff Head Cove in 1878. He married Rachel (maiden name unknown).

Thomas Cooper married Mathilda (maiden name unknown). They had a child born in Bluff Head Cove in 1898.

William George Cooper married Sarah Jane (maiden name unknown). They had several children born in Bluff Head Cove between 1888 and 1900.

From the same book, it appears that one of the daughters of Absalom & Mary, Deborah Cooper married Uriah Laite who was born in 1854. Deborah apparently was born in Grates Cove. It also appears that another daughter of Absalom & Mary, Charity Cooper who was born in Grates Cove in 1858 married Jesse Bugden of Lance Cove. A third daughter, Emily Jane Cooper seems to have married Reuben Laite of Upper Lance Cove.

From the Oath of Administrator taken out by Daniel Cooper on January 30, 1902 it seems that Absalom Cooper died on January 13, 1901. From that document it suggests that Absalom’s wife’s name is Anne, not Mary. This may indicate that Absalom married twice or that the information contained in the above mentioned book is incorrect.

The petition states that Absalom’s property was worth approximately in the value of $749.00.

The petition lists Absalom’s next of kin as Follows :

His Widow Anne Cooper and the following children: Deborah Leat (Laite) of Lance Cove Trinity Bay, Married Woman; Charity Budgen of same place, Married Woman; Jane Leat of same place, Married Woman; Maggie Stone of Rocky Brook, Trinity Bay, Married Woman; Annie Frampton of Gin Cove, Trinity Bay, Married Woman; Lizzie Cooper of Bluff Head Cove, Trinity Bay, Spinster; William Cooper, Charles Cooper, Albert Cooper, Absalom Cooper & Daniel Cooper.

From the list of sons above it seems like Thomas Cooper may not have been alive when his father died in 1901 as he is not mentioned in this Petition.