Sir John Cooper, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Cooper
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Church of St John the Baptist, Pawlett, where Sir John was baptised
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| Member of Parliament for Poole |
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| In office 1625–1628 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 October 1597 Pawlett, Somerset |
| Died | 23 March 1631 (aged 33) Cassiobury House, Hertfordshire |
| Cause of death | Tuberculosis |
| Resting place | Wimborne St Giles |
| Spouses | (1) Anne Ashley (1617–1628) (2) Mary Hicks (1629–his death) |
| Children | (1) Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury (1621–1683); Philippa (1623–1701); George (born 1625) |
Sir John Cooper, 1st Baronet (born October 24, 1597, died March 23, 1631) was an important person in England. He was part of the landed gentry, which means his family owned a lot of land. He also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the town of Poole from 1625 to 1629.
Sir John Cooper died from a lung disease called tuberculosis. He is mostly remembered today because he was the father of Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury. His son became a very famous politician later on.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Sir John Cooper was born in 1597. His father was also named Sir John Cooper (1552–1610). His mother was Margaret Skutt from Stanton Drew in Somerset.
Sir John's grandfather was a paymaster for King Henry VIII of England. Around 1530, his grandfather bought a large estate called Pawlett manor. The Cooper family became very successful and wealthy.
Family Wealth and Inheritance
Sir John's father was a soldier. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Whitchurch in Hampshire. When his father died in 1610, he owned nearly 7,000 acres of land. This included the Rockbourne estate.
Sir John was still a child when his father died. An uncle took care of him and his inheritance. This was arranged with a payment to Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, who was a powerful government official.
Political Career
Sir John Cooper became connected to Dorset county when he married Anne Ashley. She was the only child of Sir Anthony Ashley. At first, Sir John did not get involved much in local politics.
Becoming a Baronet and MP
On July 4, 1622, Sir John Cooper was given the title of Baronet. This was a special honor from the King. He was known as Sir John Cooper of Rockbourne in Hampshire.
In 1628, Sir John was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Poole. He served in Parliament until it was closed down on March 10, 1629.
Marriages and Children
Sir John Cooper was married twice. Both of his marriages were to wealthy women.
First Marriage
His first wife was Anne Ashley. She was the daughter and only heir of Sir Anthony Ashley. They lived in Wimborne St Giles in Dorset.
Anne died on July 20, 1628, not long after her father. They had three children together:
- Philippa (born 1623, died 1701), who later married Sir Adam Brown.
- Anthony-Ashley (born 1621), who became a very important politician.
- George (born 1625).
Second Marriage
Sir John married his second wife, Mary, Lady Morrison. She was the widow of Sir Charles Morrison, 1st Baronet. Mary was also the daughter of Baptist Hicks, 1st Viscount Campden. They did not have any children together.
Life and Legacy
Sir John Cooper was known for being friendly and easygoing. He enjoyed entertaining guests. Family stories say he kept three houses fully furnished and staffed. He was very generous with his hospitality.
Sir John died from tuberculosis in 1631. He passed away at Cassiobury, which was his second wife's estate. He was buried at Wimborne St. Giles.
After his death, his widow Mary married again. Sir John's son, Anthony Ashley Cooper, was looked after by Sir Daniel Norton. Anthony grew up to be the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury. He became one of the most important politicians during the time of the Restoration in England.
