The Early Cook’s (for Lloyd)

Cook Stories 14

Because I want you (Lloyd) and all your family to have access to all the known facts regarding your Cook family, I propose to write them out, and then no matter how I feel about my voice on the tape recorder, I will put the written account on tape.

The earliest record we have in writings is of the birth of Ebenezer Cook (the first) born in 1722 and died in 1807 in New York. The first Benjamin Cook 1757-1817 was the first Ebenezer’s son. He married Ruth—(?). To the first Benjamin 1757-1817 and Ruth were born Stephen 1780-1851, Charlotte 1781-1872, Ebenezer (second) 1783-1873, Ny 1788-?, Theodorus 1794-and Hiram 1798-1859. Stephen (the oldest child) 1780-1851 married Mary—-1788-1846. Their son, the third Benjamin S, was born in 1800 and died in 1887 in Westfield, New York, and is buried there in the town cemetery. Stephen, the father 1780-1851, is buried in Clear Creek Cemetery in Chautauqua County, New York.

To return to Benjamin S 1800-1887, a native of Washington County, New York. On September 12, 1824, he married Susan Kenyon 1809-1876. To them was born several daughters, but only one son. The son was Emory Cook 1829-1919, born in Maysville, New York. Emory had a middle name but would never tell what it was.

Emory Cook 1829-1919 married Mary Jane Benson 1837-1901 in Parish, New York, April 4, 1853. Emory and Mary Jane came to Iowa in 1869 and are buried in the Baker Cemetery just east of the big brick house where you lived for so many years. The road past it comes out at the Masonville Grange Hall.

Emory and Mary Jane Benson Cook had five living children: Malcolm 1854-1924, Ranford 1856-1934, Edward William (your grandfather) 1858-1930, Helen Margaret 1864-1891, and Susan Eulillia 1871-. Only the last child, Susan, was born in Iowa.

Malcolm Cook married Margaret Maria Potter 1863-1941. Ranford married his second cousin Neva Coates 1872-1911. Edward William married Mary Josephine Ellis 1861-1947. Susan married Walter Hillier. Of course, your father Howard LeRoy Cook was Edward and Mary Josephine’s only son— I was the only daughter. Howard was born on October 21, 1895. I was born on February 16, 1893. Susan Cook Hillier named your father, Howard LeRoy. Ed and Mary wanted no Nick nicknames, so searched for a name not to be shortened. Aunt Sue Hillier came up with Howard and the name of the husband of one of Edward’s aunts. The man was Leroy Thompson, a hero of the Civil War. He married Emory’s favorite sister, Martha. They lived in New London, Ohio, and the GAR Post there was named the Leroy Thompson Post. We used to tease Howard with being named after post.

In a biography printed in a collective history of Buchanan and Delaware Counties in 1866, it states that the third Benjamin Cook’s wife, Susan Kenyon 1809-1876, was the daughter of William Kenyon and also was a native of Washington County New York. One of her brothers was Jason, who was very close to Edward Cook and his brothers. When Emory Cook came to Manchester, his biography says he lived 2 ½ miles east of Manchester for three years then moved on a place owned by Judge Bailey northwest of Manchester. He lived there for nine years and then bought 120 acres just east of the Brick School. That was called “the Cook place” for many years.

The Benson’s

The same biography says that Mary Jane Benson 1833 to 1901 was born in Parish, Oswego County, New York. Her father was William Collins Benson 1791-1858. Her mother was Susan Randall 1795-1864, who was born in Vermont. These facts were sent me by Isabel Bracy, a cousin of ours on the Benson side. One of our Benson ancestors fought in The Revolution—also a Perry one at sea. William Collins Benson 1791-1858 and Susan Randall Benson 1795-1864 had 16 children. Two died in infancy, so they adopted 2 to replace them.

I don’t know all their children’s names, but do know these: Susan Ann, who married Jason Coates and came to Iowa in 1853. Settled in Delaware, Iowa. They had a son Ezra Coates and a daughter Mary. Ezra was a cousin of the Emory Cook-Mary Jane Benson family, and one of his daughters Neva married Randford Cook. Another child was Mercy, whose first husband was a Mr. Dennison, who came to Iowa in the 1850s. When he died, she married a Mr. Richmond, and her daughter Susie married Kelly (a brother of Jim Satterlee’s grandmother). That’s how Joe Kelly is relative.

In addition to Mercy and Ann, there was Randall, John, Angeline, Mary Jane (wife of Emory Cook)., William C Junior, and others whose names I don’t know.

Isabel Bracy, our cousin who has done so much family research, writes, me that George Carpenter, a ship’s carpenter, worked to pay passage for himself and wife Lucretia. She died the first winter. Their son James Carr was the father of Hannah Carr, whose daughter Sarah Wilson married William Benson. Their son Rev. John Benson and wife Mercy Casey produced William Collins Benson 1791-1858.

From a book entitled The Benson Family published by the Library of Congress and owned by Larry Cook, we learned that his family branch is related to the Perrys, indirect descent…

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