The Cook Family of Eastham, Barnstable, MA, Plymouth, Plymouth, MA and Middle Haddam, Middlesex, CT

 

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JOSIAH (JOSIAS) COOK (abt 1610 - 1673) of Plymouth and Eastham m. Elizabeth Unknown
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BETHIAH COOK (b. c. 1640) m. Joseph Harding
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JOSIAH COOK (c. 1645 - d. 1732) of Easthamm. Deborah Hopkins
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JOSHUA COOK (1682 - 1737/46) of Eastham m. Patience Doane
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JOSIAH COOK ( 1707 - 1775)of Eastham and Middle Haddam
m. Hannah Sparrow
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ELIZABETH COOK (1734 - 1797) m. Ebenezer Sears


Generation 1

JOSIAH (JOSIAS) COOK (abt 1610 - 1673) of Plymouth and Eastham

Parents: Unknown. He was not a son of Francis Cook. [Ref]

Josiah Cook, Sr. died on 17 Oct 1673 in Eastham. [Ref][Ref][Ref, 6;203, gives only the year] He married the widow Elizabeth Deane on 16 Sep 1635 in Plymouth. [Ref] Elizabeth was the widow of Stephen Deane and the daughter of the widow Mary Ring. [Ref]

Josiah was made a freeman in Plymouth on 14 Jan 1636/7. [Ref] He is in the Plymouth sections of the 7 Mar 1636/7 and 1639 lists of freemen, but in the 1639 list his name is crossed out and then included in the Nauset (Eastham) section. He is in the Eastham sections of the 1658 and 29 May 1670 lists of freemen. [Ref] He is in the Plymouth section of the 1643 list of men able to bear arms. [Ref]

Josiah was a tavern keeper; he was licensed to sell wine at Nauset on 7 Jun 1648. [Ref] He was an inhabitant of Eastham on 22 May 1655. [Ref]

Josiah was active in public affairs. He was a frequent juryman, serving on the grand jury on 5 Jun 1638 and 3 Jun 1656, the coroner's jury on 5 Jun 1638 and the petit jury 14 times between 7 Mar 1636/7 and 25 Oct 1668. [Ref] He was a highway surveyer in Plymouth on 30 Mar 1639/40 and 2 Jun 1640 and in Easthan on 7 Jun 1648; he was on the committee to divide land at Green's Harbour on 1 Jun 1640; he was on the committee to purchase land from the Indians on 5 Jun 1651. [Ref] He was the Plymouth constable on 2 Mar 1640/1 and 3 May 1641. [Ref] He was deputy to the General Court from Eastham 14 times between 1 Jun 1647 and 5 Jun 1671. [Ref] He was auditor of the treasurer's accounts six times between 10 Jun 1658 and 9 Jun 1665. [Ref] He was selectman in Eastham on 5 Jun 1666 and town clerk there on 7 Jun 1648. [Ref] He was authorised to make contracts of marriage and administer oaths in Eastham on 8 Jun 1664. [Ref]

Josiah was granted six acres to go with a home lot on 7 Nov 1636 in Plymouth. [Ref] He was given mowing ground on 20 Mar 1636/7; he was given 40 acres on 5 Mar 1637/8; he was given 25 acres for Stephen Deane's children in consideration of a lot that they had on the Duxbury side on 3 Sep 1638; he was given a small amount of meadow on 4 Mar 1638/9; he was given ten acres in the South Meadows on 2 Nov 1640. [Ref] His further land dealings can be found in his entry in the Great Migration project. [Ref]

On 24 Mar 1633/4 Josiah was fined for a fight with Edward Doty in which Doty drew blood from Josiah. [Ref] On 4 Feb 1638/8 Josiah sued John Combes, gentleman, for debt. [Ref]

Josiah's will is dated 22 Sep 1673 and it was proved on 29 Oct 1673. [Ref] In it, Josiah says that he is about 63 years old. He left land and his house to his wife Elizabeth during her life and to his son Josiah after her decease. He also left bequests to his daughter Bethiah Harding and her children. He left special bequests to his grandchildren Joseph, Josiah and Amaziah Harding, Anna Snow, Josiah and Richard Cook, as well as two of his wife's grandchildren. [Ref] Inventory on his estate, excluding real estate, amounted to £104 17s. 4d. [Ref]

Children of Josiah Cook and Elizabeth Unknown:

  1. Anna Cook was born abut 1636 in Plymouth. [Ref][Ref] She died - probably in childbirth - on 25 Jul 1656 in Eastham. [Ref, 7;14][Ref says 24 Jul that she is the wife of Mark Snow and daughter of Josiah Cook.][Ref][Ref, p. 11, 17 days after giving birth] She married Mark Snow on 18 Jan 1654/5 [Ref][Ref][Ref, p. 11] in Eastham. [Ref, 5;23]
  2. Bethiah Cook was born about 1640 in Plymouth. She married Joseph Harding.
  3. Josiah Cook was born about 1645 at Eastham or Plymouth. He died on 31 Jan 1731/2 in Eastham. He married Deborah Hopkins.

Generation 2

 BETHIAH COOK (b. c. 1640)

Parents: Josiah Cook [Ref] and Elizabeth Unknown

Bethiah Cook was born about 1640 in Plymouth. [Ref] She married Joseph Harding on 4 Apr 1660 in Eastham. [Ref][Ref][Ref]

Bethiah, her brother Josiah and their half-sister Miriam Deane fought over the estate of Bethia's and Josiah's father Josiah Cook and his wife Elizabeth. The matter was sesttled by a prerogtive court at Barnstable on 31 May 1687. [Ref]

JOSIAH COOK (c. 1645 - 1732) of Eastham

Parents: Josiah Cook and Elizabeth Unknown

Josiah Cook was born about 1645 at Eastham or Plymouth. [Ref] He died on 31 Jan 1731/2 [Ref] in Eastham. [Ref] He married Deborah Hopkins on 27 Jul 1668 in Eastham. [Ref]

Josiah and his sisters Bethia Cook and Miriam Deane fought over the estate of Josiah's and Bethia's father Josiah Cook and his wife Elizabeth. The matter was sesttled by a prerogtive court at Barnstable on 31 May 1687. [Ref]

Josian signed his will on 7 Dec 1727; it was proved on 30 Aug 1732. [Ref]

Children of Josiah Cook and Deborah Hopkins. All births are in Eastham and are given in [Ref].

  1. Elizabeth Cook was born on 12 Oct 1669. She died on April 1670 in Eastham. [Ref]
  2. Josiah Cook was born on 12 Nov 1670. He married Mary Unknown. [Ref] His grandfather Josiah Cook 1 left him his rapier, belt and musket in his will dated 22 Sep 1673. [Ref] Josiah and Mary had four children. [Ref]
  3. Richard Cook was born on 1 Sep 1672. His grandfather Josiah Cook 1 left him a bequest, including his Great Bible, in his will dated 22 Sep 1673. [Ref]
  4. Elizabeth Cook was born in Jan 1674. Elizabeth, the daughter of Josiah, married Thomas Newcomb in Oct 1693. [Ref] Thomas, the son of Lieut. Andrew and Sarah Newcomb was born abut 1668 in Kittery. [Ref]
  5. Caleb Cook was born on 15 Nov 1676.
  6. Deborah Cook was born on 15 Feb 1678. She died on 23 Apr 1745 in Chatham. [Ref] She married Moses Godfrey, the son of George Godfrey. [Ref] Moses was born on 17 Jan 1667 in Eastham and died on 16 Apr 1743 in Chatham. [Ref] Moses and Deborah are buried together in Chatham. [Ref] They joined the church in Chatham when it was organised, in 1720. However, they disagreed with the minister and were excommunicated. They then joined the Pochet church, were they had previously been members. [Ref]
  7. Joshua Cook was born on 4 Feb 1682. He married Patience Doane.
  8. Benjamin Cook was born on 28 Feb 1686. He married Mercy Paine on 23 Nov 1710 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;14]

Generation 3

JOSHUA COOK (1682 - 1737/46) of Eastham

Parents: Josiah Cook and Deborah Hopkins

Joshua Cook was born on 4 Feb 1682 in Eastham. [Ref] He died between 31 Jul 1737 (when his son Joshua was refered to as "junior") and 28 Sep 1746 (when his wife was referred to as a widow. [Ref] He married Patience Doane on 7 Feb 1705/6 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref]

Children of Joshua Cook and Patience Doane:

  1. Martha Cook was born on 26 Apr 1706 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref]
  2. Josiah Cook was born on 30 Aug 1707 in Eastham. He died before Sep 1784. He married Hannah Sparrow on 11 Feb 1730 in Eastham.
  3. Joshua Cook was born on 23 Mar 1708/9 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref] He died on 13 Mar 1801 in Guilford, CT. [Ref] He married Zilpah Brown on 8 Oct 1730 in Eastham. [Ref] Zilpah, the daughter of James and Ruth (Snow) Brown, was born on 18 Oct 1708 in Eastham and died on 14 Apr 1783 in Guilford. [Ref] Joshua and Zilpah had five children. [Ref]
  4. Mercy (Marcy) Cook was born on 2 Sep 1710 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15, says 1712 [!]][Ref]
  5. Ebenezer Cook was born on 25 Nov 1711 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref] He died in 1793 in Connecticut. [Ref] He married Marcy Paine on 9 Oct 1735 in Eastham. [Ref] Marcy, the daughter of John and Bennet (Freeman) Paine was born on 3 Apr 1712 in Eastham and died in Jun 1744 in Connecticut. [Ref] Bennet was the daughter of Maj. John Freeman. Ebenezer and Marcy had six children. [Ref]
  6. Ephraim Cook was born on 16 Sep 1712 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref][It is possible but not likely that Ebenezer and Ephraim were born so closely together.] He died after Feb 1778, probably in Coventry, CT. [Ref] He married Mary Merrick on 12 Feb 1734/5 in Eastham. [Ref] Mary, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Twining) Merrick was born on 31 Jul 1717 in Eastham and died in Feb 1778 in Coventry. [Ref] Ephraim and Mary had ten children. [Ref]
  7. Ruhama Cook was born on 18 Feb 1713/4 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref]
  8. Simeon Cook was born on 24 Aug 1715 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref] He died between 7 Jul 1762 and 28 Apr 1767 in New Marlboro, MA. [Ref] He married Meletiah Robbins before 16 Nov 1738, when they declared their intention. [Ref] Meletiah married next Jonas Spalding, probably the son of Samuel and Mary (Butterfield) Spalding on 25 Feb 1768. [Ref] Simeon and Meletiah had nine children. [Ref]
  9. Moses Cook was born on 11 May 1717 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref]
  10. Zacheus Cook (probably) was born about 1719. [Ref] He died on 19 Apr 1812 in Chatham. [Ref] He married Mary Hubbard on 13 or 14 May 1749 in Middletown. [Ref] Mary, the daughter of George and Mary (Roberts) Hubbard, was born on 20 Mar 1728 in Middleboro. [Ref] Zacheus and Mary had eight children. [Ref]
  11. Ruhama Cook (probably) was probably born about 1721. [Ref] She did between 1766 and 1776 in Chatham. [Ref] She married Robert Shattuck on 9 Sep 1742 in Plymouth. [Ref] Robert, the son of Robert and Mary (Pratt) Shattuck of Plymouth was born on 3 Jun 1721 in Plymouth and died on 12 Feb 1802 in Middletown. [Ref] Ruhama and Robert had nine children. [Ref]
  12. Jonathan Cook (probably) died before 29 Oct 1804 in Haddam. [Ref] He married Deborah Roberds, the daughter of Nathaniel Roberds. [Ref] Jonathan and Deborah had nine children. [Ref]
  13. Mary Cook (probably) was probably born about 1725. [Ref] She perhaps died in Burlington Flats, Otsego co., NY. [Ref] She married Caleb Johnson on 19 Sep 1745 in the Haddam Neck Congregational Church. [Ref] Caleb was the son of James and Anne (Cook) Johnson of Middleton. [Ref] Caleb and Mary had nine children. [Ref]
  14. Hezekiah Cook (probably) was born about 1728. [Ref] He died on 23 Apr 1793 at age 64 in New Marlboro and is buried in the New Marlboro cemetary. [Ref] He married Lydia Unknown. [Ref] She died on 2 Jan 1821 at age 88. [Ref] Hezekiah and Lydia had nine children. [Ref]

Generation 4

JOSIAH COOK (1707-1775) of Eastham and Middle Haddam

Parents: Joshua Cook and Patience Doane [Ref, 6;15]

Josiah Cook was born on 30 Aug 1707 in Eastham. [Ref, 6;15][Ref] He died in 1775 in Chatham. [Ref] He married Hannah Sparrow on 11 Feb 1730 in Eastham. [Ref][Ref]

Josian and Hannah joined the church at Middle Haddam on 4 Oct 1741. [Ref]

Children of Josiah Cook and Hannah Sparrow. Clarenbach and Ford [Ref] provide the births and the baptisms, all at the Haddam Neck Church. Cooke [Ref] lists the same children.

  1. Elijah was born on 26 Jan 1731/2 in Eastham.
  2. Elizabeth Cook was born on 24 Feb 1733/4. She was baptised on 4 Oct 1741. She died on 4 Jul 1797 in Chatham. She married Ebenezer Sears 2.
  3. Josiah Cook was born on 3 Dec 1735. He was baptised on 4 Oct 1741. He died in 1813 in Chatham. [Ref] He married Mary Ryder/Ridder on 3 Mar 1768. [Ref] Josiah and Mary had three children. [Ref]
  4. Elijah Cook was born on 8 Dec 1735. He was baptised on 4 Oct 1741. He died perhaps in Canajoharie, Montgomery, NY. [Ref] He married Hannah Hale on 27 Feb 1760 in Middletown. [Ref] Hannah was the daughter of John Hale. [Ref]
  5. Joshua Cook was born on 12 Apr 1740. He was baptised on 4 Oct 1741.
  6. Moses Cook was born on 23 Oct 1742.
  7. Mercy Cook was born on 15 Feb 1745. She was baptised on 24 Mar 1745. She married Titus Carrier on 19 Dec 1765. [Ref] Tituts, the son of John and Mary (Brown) Carrier, was born on 23 Aug 1733 and died on 26 Jul 1796. [Ref] Titus and Mercy had five children. [Ref]
  8. Hannah Cook was baptised on 22 Mar 1748. She married Isaac Kneeland on 23 May 1764. [Ref]
  9. Rhoda Cook was baptised on 15 Apr 1750. She married Simeon Wright on 22 Nov 1769. [Ref]
  10. Richard Cook was born on 17 Mar 1753. [Ref]

Generation 5

ELIZABETH COOK (1734 - 1797)

Parents: Josiah Cook and Hannah Sparrow

Elizabeth Cooke [Ref] was born on 24 Feb 1733/4. [Ref] She died on 4 Jul 1797 in Middletown (Chatham). [Ref][Ref] She married Ebenezer Sears on 25 Jan 1753. [Ref]

References

Adams, Arthur, "William Wood Newcomb," Memoirs Section, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 113, 1959, p. 153.

Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. Vol. 1-3. Boston, MA, USA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995, entries for Josiah Cooke and Martha Harding.

Anonymous, "The Deane Family," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 3, 1849, p. 378

Clarenbach, Laura McGaffey and Ford, Loretta Broadwell (1972), "Joshua3 Cook (Josiah2, Josiah1) of Eastham, Mass." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 126, 81.

Cooke, F. J., "Cook," Notes and Queries Section, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 60, 1906, p. 96.

Coddington, John Insley, "The Widow Mary Ring of Plymouth, Mass., and her Children," The American Genealogist 42, 1966, 193-205.

Hamlin, David, "First Settlers of Eastham, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 6, 1852, p. 41- 46, p. 167-170, p. 234-

Hayward, Elijah, "Plymouth Colony Records," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 9, 1855, 313-318.

Plymouth Colony Archive Project, http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz, Court Records Laws and 17th Century Texts.

Smith, Leonard H. and Norma H. Smith, Vital Records of the Towns of Eastham and Orleans, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1993.

White, Elizabeth Pearson, "The Godfreys of Chatham, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 126, 1972, 235-6.