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BIOGRAPHY OF
THE COOPER FAMILY.
THE COOPER FAMILY is still one of the more numerous families
throughout Northern New Jersey, and particularly in Bergen County.
Claes Jansen Van Permerend emigrated to America in 1647, from
Permerend, a town near the Zuyder Zee, between Amsterdam and
Hoorn, Holland. His first stopping place was Brooklyn, where
he married Pietartie Brackhoengie, of Gowannus. She died soon
after and he removed to Bergen, N. J., where he married (2),
November 11, 1656, Ann, a sister of Ide Van Vorst. On January
1, 1662, he obtained a patent for a tract of land near Harsimus,
on which he located and remained until his death, which occurred
November 20, 1688. His widow survived him until January 12,
1726. Two weather-beaten headstones mark their last resting
places in the cemetery of the old Bergen Dutch Church. Claes
was an active, energetic man, and attained prominence in town
affairs. He was sometimes known as "John Pottagie,"
and in later days as "Kuyper." It is said, because
he was a cooper by trade. His descendants have ever since retained
the name Kuyper, anglicized to Cooper. On April 10, 1671, he
bought from Governor Carteret 240 acres on the Hudson River,
including in it the present Village of Nyack, N. Y. The same
year he bought 400 acres adjoining his first purchase on the
north, and in 1678 he bought several tracts of meadow adjoining
him-in all about 468 acres of meadow. Some of these lands he
owned in partnership with the Tallmans. All of them eventually
passed to his sons. His issue were Cornelius, John, Claes, Dirk,
Henry, Vroutie, Tryntie, Divertie, Pietartie, Janette, Grietie,
Maritie, Hellegond, Judith, and Cornelia-in all fifteen. One
or two of these joined in the purchase of the Tappan patent.
Cornelius went from Bergen to Tappan in 1689, but soon sold
to Tallman. He then removed to Schraalenburgh, where he bought
of John Demarest 256 acres on the Hackensack River, near Old
Hook, where he resided. He and his wife, Aeltie Bogert, of Tappan,
reared a large family of children, from whom mainly are descended
the Bergen County Coopers.
Source: Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties,
New Jersey, Editor, Cornelius Burnham Harvey, The New Jersey
Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900, page 160-161.
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