researcher: Ron
Cook
Main Page / Rueben Cook / Joel
Cook / Cook Census Information
Information provided by Ron: Hopefully I can answer at least some of the questions regarding connections between the descendents of RUBIN COOK of Caldwell County, Kentucky and the Cook families of Gallatin/Saline County, Illinois. The families that I am familiar with are apparently children of JAMES COOK, son of RUBIN COOK. In Deed Book N for Gallatin County, Illinois (I forgot to copy the page number), dated October 25, 1847. DRURY COOK and ISABEL, his wife, heir of his sister, ELIZABETH IRVIN (deceased) formerly ELIZABETH BROWN, widow of THOMAS BROWN.....
According to information obtained from Deed Book A, page 443 for Saline County, Illinois dated April 4, 1850. CULLEN COOK, CORDA COOK and THOMAS PICKERING, all of Caldwell County, Kentucky, sell to Benjamin Walace their rights to the same property. (Note that Saline County was formed in 1847 from Gallatin County.)
DRURY and ISABEL COOK lived in Gallatin County for several years, owning property there and appearing in several Census. The first deed, mentioned above establishes that DRURY had a sister by the name of ELIZABETH COOK who was married to a THOMAS BROWN. Elizabeth and Thomas migrated to what is now Saline County and purchased property. Thomas Brown subsequently died and his widow, ELIZABETH COOK BROWN then marries a Mr. Irvin.
Sometime prior to October 25, 1847, Elizabeth dies, apparently without child heirs, thus leaving the Saline County property to her siblings, DRURY, CULLEN, CORDA and MINERVA, wife of THOMAS PICKERING. I am theroizing that the reason that there are two separate deeds covering this same property is because DRURY and ISABEL, his wife were residents of Gallatin County while the other siblings mentioned in the second deed were all residents of Caldwell County, Kentucky. This second deed was accompanied by a sworn affidavit from Caldwell County verifing the identity of the parties involved and their spouses. I would bet that upon further research of deed records that the remaining siblings of the deceased ELIZABETH could be found transfering their inherited rights to the property, as they possibly lived in various other locations.
This now brings us to the Gallatin County, Illinois, CULLEN COOK. This CULLEN COOK was born in North Carolina around 1813. He was married to Susan Ledford on March 13, 1840 in Gallatin County. He died in Saline County on October 12, 1860. (He didn't move, remember Saline County didn't exist before 1847.) The CULLEN COOK family was close neighbors of the PICKERING familes of Gallatin/Saline County. He left a will. An unknown source has penciled the following note in one of the Saline County reference books. "Have located Cullen Cook in a cemetery south of the strip mine called 'Blue Hole'. This cemetery is located on the Pickering farm about 5 miles south of the Pauper farm crossing in Independence Township, Saline County."
We do not know for certain who this CULLEN COOK'S father was however CULLEN was the administrator of the estate of ELISHA COOK who died in Gallatin County around 1846. There is only one document remaining, that I have been able to find, concerning the above Probate of ELISHA COOK'S estate. This document exists on microfilm at the IRAD office in Carbondale, Illinois. It lists no heirs of ELISHA COOK and does not give the relationship of CULLEN COOK to him. One would naturally assume that ELISHA was CULLEN'S father but you never know for certain. It is certain that this CULLEN COOK knew the Gallatin/Saline County PICKERINGS quite will although no blood relationship has been established. I also have not established a relationship, if any between THOMAS PICKERING, husband of MINERVA COOK of Caldwell County, Kentucky and the PICKERINGS of Gallatin/Saline County.
There are several other COOKS in the Gallatin/Saline area who appear to be siblings of CULLEN COOK, but NO PROOF at this time.
Visit Ron's ancestor Joel Cook.
Visitor: