Ron's line is through JOEL COOK. JOEL was born in Bertie County, North Carolina around 1759. This JOEL COOK was married in Bertie County on March 26, 1784 to BELLISON FLOYD. This couple had several children and apparently BELLSION died around 1797. JOel COOK was then married to PATIENCE BRASSELL on May 9, 1797 also in Bertie County. They migrated to Chatham County, North Carolina where JOEL COOK purchased 555 acres of land from JOHN PITTS JR. on September 17, 1798. He then moved to Davidson County, Tennessee around 1805. A JOEL COOK was named administrator of his brother JOHN COOK'S will in neighboring Sumner County, Tennessee in 1805. I assume this to be the same JOEL COOK. My JOEL COOK was in Davidson County until at least 1812. He was later in Sumner County appearing in the Census of 1820. JOEL COOK patented land in Gallatin County, Illinois in 1819 and was in Morgan County, Illinois by 1828. He died in Morgan County around March of 1830, his wife PATIENCE followed him in death prior to the Spring of 1832.
It is uncertain if or when JOEL and PATIENCE COOK actually lived in Gallatin County although circumstances indicate that they were there in the early 1820's. Two of JOEL'S children did reside in the Gallatin/Saline County area. TURNER COOK born March 28, 1796 in Bertie County, married ELIZABETH DURHAM on September 27, 1817 in Sumner County, Tennessee. They moved to Gallatin County by 1820 and spent the rest of their lives there. THOMAS COOK (my line) was born in either Bertie or Chatham County on August 26, 1798. He married MARY ANN "POLLY" HAMPTON on December 18, 1823 in Gallatin County. This couple spent the rest of their lives in Gallatin/Saline County. It is THOUGHT that JOEL COOK was the son of WILLIAM COOK who died in Bertie County, North Carolina in 1785. WILLIAM COOK'S estate was probated in the August Term 1785. Names was wife, MARY; sons, JOHN AND JOEL; daughter ELIZABETH MORRIS; sons, DEMSEY, REUBEN and WILLIAM. AGAIN, I STRESS THAT THIS LAST PART IS THEORY AT THIS POINT.
There were several additional COOK families in Gallatin County during the 1820's. I don't have a handle on them as of yet. Some were also from North Carolina.