Mercator Cooper Home

Mercator Cooper was born in Southampton in 1803, and became an international maritime pioneer. Sailing out of nearby Sag Harbor, he captained voyages that would shape world history. In 1845, while commanding the ship Manhattan, Cooper became the first American to make a formal visit to Japan during its long period of isolation under the Tokugawa shogunate. Cooper rescued 22 shipwrecked Japanese sailors and made the bold decision to return them home—despite strict laws forbidding entry. His ship anchored near Edo (modern-day Tokyo), where hundreds of Japanese boats escorted the Manhattan into harbor. Their presence marked a significant moment of contact between Japan and the outside world after more than 200 years. Pyrrhus Concer, another Southampton native and member of Cooper’s crew, made a lasting impression on the Japanese. He is also credited with one of the earliest recorded American landings on mainland East Antarctica. In Southampton, Cooper lived with his wife Maria Green and their children in this house, which today is part of the Rogers Memorial Library.