FACTS, ASSUMPTIONS, THEORIES: What we DO and DON'T know about Abraham Cooke

 

Please refer also to Bob Baird's website, "Bob's Filing Cabinet II". Bob and I have corresponded quite a bit over Abraham and his family, and Bob has concisely posted his information on this site:

www.genfiles.com/cook-files/Abraham-Cook.pdf

 

ABRAHAM'S WIFE:

FACT: Abraham Cooke was married to a woman named "Martha".

ASSUMPTION, but circumstantially proved: 

We believe that she was Martha CLAYTON/CLEATON, daughter of William & Hannah Clayton of Old Rappahannock County (pres-day Richmond County), Va.

(See Below for Issue of this couple)

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ABRAHAM's DATE of BIRTH & DEATH (NOT PROVEN):

Abraham was probably born around 1660, and probably died around 1730: this is ASSUMED.

It should be noted that Robert Harris owned land adjoining Abraham Cooke at "Verdon". In 1728, a patent was granted to Thomas Stock/Stoke(s) which adjoined Abraham Cooke on the west. The Metes & Bounds clearly show "adjoining Cooke". In 1731, this same Cooke land was in possession of Robert Harris.

I personally believe that Abraham Cooke, Sr. died around 1730. PERHAPS Robert Harris was a son-in-law and inherited the western 1/2 of the southern-most Cooke patent? (Patented 1722 as 400 acres). The extant records for Hanover County, VA, or lack thereof, makes it impossible to know for sure.

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FACT: ABRAHAM'S SON, ABRAHAM COOKE, JR, DIED IN 1748.

He went to Lunenburg (present-day Mecklenburg), VA, where he was a JP. He died there in 1748.

He had a wife named Sarah (SURNAME UNKNOWN) and children James, Ben, Charles, Barbara, and Frances

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ABRAHAM'S LAND:

FACT:  Abraham Cooke's land was located on the west bank of the Pamunkey River in present-day Hanover County at "Verdon".

IT IS LOCATABLE,  via GoogleMaps, and is probably best known by it's current name: "North Anna Battlefield Park"

It was just to the east of the property known as "New Market Tract" (now the location of a Rock Quarry) in Hanover County, VA. It consisted of three grants of 900+ acres patented b/w 1718 and 1722.

NOTE: Abraham Cooke "Junior" also patented land in Hanover. In 1722, he patented 400 acres NORTHWEST of his father, about 5 miles away.

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PARENTAGE OF ABRAHAM:

FACT: there is no info as of  December, 2013  to indicate who Abraham Cooke's parents were.

Some have suggested:

William Cooke and Hannah (Blount);

John Cooke and Mary Borden;

Cooke and Miles, etc etc etc

IF William Cooke (who married Hannah Blount) was a Mayflower Cooke, then NOT Abe's father. DNA testing has proven that Abraham Cooke was NOT from the Mayflower Cookes! (See Cook DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA. Look for R1b Lineage 2 for the lineage of the "Abraham Cookes"). 

Ours were NOT related to the Mayflower OR Gloucester County, VA Cookes. 

 

WHAT ABOUT WILLIAM COOKE of VA ca. 1650? The following 2 entries are compelling, but at this time do NOT PROVE the relationship:

 

 "...William Clayton bought 100 acres of land from William Landman, located on the Westside of Totaskey....William Landman (above) was granted 200 acres, Northumberland County, southeast of Yeocomico River, adjoining "orphants of George (or John) Knott, deceased", and Anthony Lenton [Layton?] (C&P:501). William had inherited the land from his brother, John LANDMAN, and which had been bought by John from Hugh Lee.

NOTE: James Cloughton/Clayton owned land adjoining Hugh Lee, Northumberland, 1656. In 1650, John Landham [aka Landman], of Rappahannock County, was granted 600 acres in Breakneck Bay for transporting 13 persons [see just below]....."

"...Also in the same area was the following man: William Cooke [who] was transported by John Landman (see Clayton) 22 May 1650 who patented land on the southside of the Rappahannock River, Breakneck Bay; also transported were Alex HENDERSON, Dungue Kellister (McAllister?), Hugh Williams (Cavalier & Pioneers:197). This did not necessarily mean it was a person's first entry into the colonies. William Cooke was a surveyor in Northumberland County, VA in 1650; he surveyed land of John MOTTROM as William COCKE & under that spelling signed an Oath to the Commonwealth 30 April 1652....James Claughton/CLAYTON lived near Col. John Mottrom...." 

 

ANOTHER POSSIBILITY: JOHN COOKE & MARY HILL of St Michaels, BARBADOS............

I found a John Cooke and Mary Hill in Barbados who had a son "Abraham" born to them in 1661. 

This couple was married in Barbados, St Michael's Parish, on March 10, 1654. 

On May 28, 1656, a daughter, Margery, was baptized.

In December, 1661, a son, Abraham, was baptized.

 

The problem with the Barbados theory has always been the apprenticeship record of "Simon Smelt", 1679.

 

SIMON SMELT:

The source "The Complete Book of Emigrants, 1607-1776" suggests that Abraham Cooke of VA was a master and had an apprentice sent to him in VA in 1679:

" 27 October 1679. The following apprenticed in Bristol: Simon Smelt to Abraham Cook, 6 years Virginia by Unicorn, Mr. Thomas Cooper; Evan Thomas to Thomas Greene, 4 years Maryland by Planter, Mr. Matthew Nicholas; Francis Warren to same, 5 years Maryland by Planter; Peter Morgan to same, 6 years Maryland by Planter; Mary Lilly to same, 4 years Maryland by Planter; Margaret Cole, 4 years Maryland by Planter; William Smith to same, 5 years Maryland by Planter; James Lilly, 6 years Maryland by Planter; William Bradley to same, 4 years Maryland by Planter."

 

This bothered me, primarily because it seemed to negate the possibility of OUR Abraham being a son of John Cooke and Mary Hill, born in 1661. 

After all, what is the likelihood of a 16-17 year old being the Master in an apprenticeship arrangement?

 

Another source, "The Bristol Register: Indentured Servants" (below), does NOT mention apprenticeship; rather, it mentions an indenture: 

Scenario: "Abraham Cook, agent [in Bristol, England?], sent Simon Smelt aboard the Unicorn, captained by Thomas Cooper, to Virginia to be an indentured servant."

 

"The Bristol Register: Indentured Servants"

Servant Information                                                                                                

Name:                         Simon Smelt                                                                                         

Gender:                      male                                                                                    

Indenture Information                                                                                          

Date of Indenture:      October 27 1679                                                      

Indenture Length:       6 years                                                                              

Destination:               Virginia                             

Ship:                           Unicorn                            

Notes: 6 yrs Virginia by Unicorn, Mr. Thomas Cooper

Agent Information                       

Name:                         Abraham Cook                       

Gender:                      male

 

Perhaps this is am erroneous interpretation of the Record, or, perhaps a lack of understanding on my part of the procedures. Still, It leaves the possibility open that John Cooke and Mary Hill of Barbados were the parents of Margery Cooke and Abraham Cooke.

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CHILDREN, Proved and Assumed (Note: DNA testing has linked descendants of A, D & E; See DNA tab)

A.  Abraham Cooke, Jr. (d1748) (believed to be listed as "Cox" in the Vestry Book of St Peter's Parish)

B.  Matthew Cooke (proved by St Peter's Parish Vestry Book)

C.  Hannah (ditto)

D.  William Cooke (d ca1752, Hanover), father of Clayton Cooke

E.  John Cooke (ca. 1700-1775, Cumberland, VA)

F> Benjamin? (died 1759, Hanover; had sons William & Ben jr, and perhaps others)

G> Robert? nothing more is known. Was in vicinity of Abraham in New Kent on Road Orders for St Peters

H> FRANCES (COOKE?): She married Edmund Butler around 1725 and resided on Bad Luck Creek in Cumberland County, VA, minutes south of John Cooke Sr.'s land on Green Creek

>Some claim to have seen her listed as "sister" of William Cooke. (This would imply William, father of Clayton, who lived north of John Cooke #E).

>Others point to the name of a granddaughter: "Martha Claten Butler" as proof of her relationship.

>It is  also possible that Frances was a sister of Martha Clayton, wife of Abraham Cooke. 

 

See Bob Baird's website for more info on the relationship between Frances Butler and the Cookes. See also the Estate Settlement of Edmund Butler in Goochland (preset-day Cumberland), VA, 1747. I currently list her as a COOKE, a daughter of Abe & Martha. But she could have been a CLAYTON. We simply do not know. 

 

MORE TO COME...............