Obadiah Cooper

Obadiah Cooper was born in October 1720. He was the son of Obadiah and Cornelia Gardinier Cooper. He grew up on Albany's Southside but lost his father in 1742. His mother died in 1748.

In March 1743, Obadiah "Jr." married young Maria Fonda at the Albany Dutch church. Two children were christened in the church before Maria died in April 1748. He then took his family to Fishkill where he married Esther Terbos in April 1749. By 1767, eight of their children had been christened in Fishkill. However, he seems to have retained his Albany connection as he was a pewholder and regular baptism sponsor in Albany into the 1750s..

In 1747, he was appointed fire marshall for the second ward. In 1756, the census of householders identified "Oldiah Cooper" as a tavernkeeper.

This Obadiah Cooper finally settled in Dutchess County and died in Fishkill on April 21,1776. He had lived almost fifty-five years.

Sources: The life of Obadiah Cooper is CAP biography number 455. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.