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Cooper (Samuel) Papers
mssCO
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Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Samuel Cooper papers
Identifier/Call Number: mssCO
Physical Description:
5.2 Linear Feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1718-1798
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of
Massachusetts scholar and Congregational minister Samuel Cooper (1725-1783). Includes
sermons by Cooper and his father William Cooper (1694-1743), dating from 1718-1783
(strongest for the period 1740-1759) and correspondence, covering international politics in
relation to the American colonies (1769-1783), French officers in North America (1778-1783),
and the Cooper family affairs.
Language of Material: English and French.
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item]. Samuel Cooper papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Chiefly purchased from Marvin C. Taylor, 1926.
Diary and miscellaneous account (1775, Apr. 18 -- Sept 23 ) Purchased from Mary O'Neal,
Nov. 1, 2010.
Diary and miscellaneous account (1775, Apr. 18 -- Sept 23) was held on deposit at The
Massachusetts Historical Society until 1999.
Samuel Cooper (1724-1784), scholar and Congregational minister, was born in Boston,
Massachusetts. Following in the footsteps of his father, William Cooper, he was educated for
the ministry and was graduated from Harvard in 1743. In the same year, before his ordination
took place, he was called to be assistant pastor of the Brattle Street Church in Boston.
Four years later he became sole incumbent and remained in the same pastorate to the end of
his life.
For many years Dr. Cooper was a member of the Corporation of Harvard College. He was an
ardent patriot, and took an active part in the politics of his day. He numbered among his
most intimate friends many famous Americans, and all of the distinguished Frenchmen who
visited Boston during the course of the war.
This collection contains the letters, manuscripts (including sermons, 4 diaries, and 1
poem), and documents. Includes 195 sermons by William Cooper and Samuel Cooper, 1718-1783
(strongest for the period 1740-1759) and correspondence, covering international politics in
relation to the American colonies (1769-1783), French officers in North America (1778-1783),
and the Cooper family affairs (1759-1798). Some pieces are in French. Among the
correspondents are John Adams (3 pieces), Charles Hector d'Estaing (3 pieces), Benjamin
Franklin (5 pieces), Gideon Hawley (2 pieces), Anne César de la Luzerne (6 pieces), Charles
Gravier de Vergennes (2 pieces). There are two letters (1771, Feb. 25 and 1776, Jan. 8) from
Gideon Hawley describing his life among the Indians. There are 177 pieces of Samuel Cooper
and 43 pieces of William Cooper.
The John Adams items include two autograph letters signed to Charles Gravier, Comte de
Vergennes, 1779 February 16 and 27 (CO 7, CO 13) and one letterpress copy of a letter to
Benjamin Franklin, 1783 September 13 (CO 36), not in Adams' hand.
Some notable items include:
- Cooper, Samuel. Letter to the Corporation of Harvard, declining the presidency of the college. [February 10, 1774]
- Hawley, Gideon. Two letters to Dr. Cooper, describing his life among the Indians. February 25, 1771 and January 8, 1776
- Lee, Arthur. Letter to Dr. Cooper, regarding the mutiny of the Pennsylvania Line. Jan. 18, 1781
- Lovell, James. Letter discussing the neutrality of Russia and Denmark and the possible action of Holland; also, Virginia's relinquishment of [UNK]to western territory. February 1, 1781
The diaries cover the periods 1764 January 1 - 1765 February 2; 1769 October 22 - December
31; 1775 April 18 - September 23; and 1775 April 19 - May 17, 1776. The 1769 diary was
published in
New England Historical and Genealogical Register,
vol. 55 (1901), pp. 145-149, and the 1775-1776 diary was published in
The American Historical Review, vol. 6 (Jan. 1901), pp. 301-341.
This finding aid was updated in 2022 by Melissa Haley as part of the American Presidential
Papers Project with enhanced description of the presidential material present.
Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssCO 1-271.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Sermons, American -- Early works to 1800.
Congregationalism -- New England -- History -- 18th century --
Sources
Indians of North America -- Massachusetts -- Early works to
1800.
Missionaries -- Massachusetts -- Correspondence.
Boston (Mass.) -- History -- 18th century -- Sources
United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 --
Sources
United States -- History -- Sermons -- Early works to
1800.
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 --
Sources
United States -- Foreign relations -- France.
France -- Foreign relations -- United States.
Diaries -- United States -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Diaries -- United States -- Revolution, 1775-1783
Letters (correspondence) -- United States 18th century
Sermons -- United States -- 18th century
Personal papers -- United States -- 18th century
Family papers -- United States -- 18th century
Adams, John, 1735-1826
Cooper, Samuel, 1725-1783 -- Archives
Cooper, William, 1694-1743
Estaing, Charles Henri, comte d', 1729-1794
Estaing, Charles Henri, comte d', 1729-1794 --
Correspondence
Hawley, Gideon, 1727-1807
Hawley, Gideon, 1727-1807 -- Correspondence
La Luzerne, Anne-César, chevalier de, 1741-1791
La Luzerne, Anne-César, chevalier de, 1741-1791 --
Correspondence
Vergennes, Charles Gravier, comte de, 1719-1787
Vergennes, Charles Gravier, comte de, 1719-1787 --
Correspondence