Merlyn Joseph Cook is among the elite of Cook Researchers. Merlyn was born in German Township, Smith Co., Kansas, October 9, 1914 and died in December 1995 at Sun City West, Arizona; the youngest child of eight children born to Jeptha Dudley and Elma Jane Menagh Cook. His father was a native of Indiana, born Nov. 20, 1864, and died August 24, 1951. His mother was a native of Illinois, born May 24, 1872, and died June 08, 1920.

On Jan. 18, 1941, Merlyn J. Cook married Jeanette M. Williamson, a school teacher. They had one daughter Merla Jean Cook who married and had two children. His occupation was teaching school at Weeping Water and Bridgeport, Nebraska. After serving in World War II, Merlyn lived in Fairfax Co., Virginia and worked for the Veterans Administration in the District of Columbia until retirement in 1979. Upon retirement he became interested in genealogy.

Merlyn J. Cook was member #429 of the VA-NC Piedmont Genealogical Society of Danville, VA. He submitted an article on the COOK Family that was in the Bulletin Of The VA-NC Piedmont Genealogical Society, Volume IV, August 1982, Number Three, page 110, 111. (Copy of letter of submission and copy of article from VA-NC Piedmont Genealogical Society).

"As a new member, the following information is submitted to show my genealogical interests in the area and the specific surnames and locations being researched. In the PIEDMONT area my surname interest is chiefly in my own surname, "COOK." My gr gr gr grandfather, William Cook II (ca 1725-1785) and his wife Margaret, started their married life ca 1750, in what is now Franklin Co., VA., living first on Fox Run on the Blackwater River. In about 1767, they moved a few miles south of where Hatchet Creek enters the north side of Pigg River, a few miles west of Rocky Mount. In 1784 they moved on west to Franklin Co., KY, near Frankfort, where some of the older children had already migrated. But for approximately 34 years they lived in what is now Franklin Co., VA, although they left just before Franklin Co. was organized.

"As a young married man living on the Blackwater River, William had served as an Anglican Lay Reader (because of the shortage of clergymen). The meetings were held in the houses Joseph RENTFROE and Mark COLE, and William was paid a small stipend in tobacco. Later he served as a J.P., in early Henry Co. History.

"Their home was apparently quite close to the old Bedford Co., line before Franklin Co., was formed. Before the COOK family left for Ky., a letter was prepared by their neighbors and friends, some of whom lived in Bedford Co. The letter which is still preserved, reads as follows: Sept. 26, 1783 "HENRY CO., VA: This is to certify that William COOK has been a resident in this place for near thirty years; and has always behaved unblameable; and demeaned himself as a good citizen, Patriot, and friend, to his country and has faithfully Acted in the Civel department--and now being disposed to move to the Western Waters, we recommend him to the Inhabitants of that Country hoping he will meet with as warm a reception as the Merits of his Caracter Intitles him to. Test

Joseph Anthony Jno. Rentfro, J.P. Swinfield Hill, J.P.

A. Hughes, J.P. Robt. Jones, Sen'r James Calloway, Cty. Lt.

Peter Saunders, Col. Robt. Jones, Jun'r Campbell Co.

John Dillard, J. P. Thos. Jones, Jun'r Thos. Hale, Capt'n

Sam'l Hairston Henry Jones Acquilla Greer

Moses Greer, J. P. Jesse Heard, J. P. Jesse Rentfro

Thos Cooper John Hall Abraham Penn, Col."

William Hall

"My chart shows Wm. COOK II's wife was Margaret JONES, and that his father, Wm. COOK I emigrated from England and married Ann GRIFFIN. This information is taken from a family Bible, in the possession of a cousin. Although the Bible appears to be authentic, it is hard to tell whether the information was written there as current information or some time later, thus becoming a recording of oral tradition. We have been unable to verify the information from other sources. This is one if my primary objectives.

"The older children of Wm. COOK II and Margaret married into other families in the area, most of which were probably close neighbors. These include:

1. Rachel COOK, b 17 May 1753; d 3 Feb. 1832; md 8 Feb 1774 to John MURPHY. He was b 12 June 1752, son of Rev. William And Martha (HODGE) MURPHY:

2. Bathsheba COOK, b ca 1755, md William DUNN ca 1779

3. Helen COOK, b ca 1756, d 28 June 1837; md 7 Jan 1774 John BOHANNON.

4. Rhoda COOK, b ca 1760, m 1) Joshua BOHANNON, brother of John. Joshua d. ca 1779; m 2) John JAMISON, 16, Oct. 1781.

"The younger 7 COOK children, Jesse, Margaret, Hosea, William III, Seth, Abraham and Eunice were still single when they went to Ky. The family inadvertently got themselves into most of the histories written about early day Kentucky by being in the middle of the last great Indian Massacre on the Kentucky frontier in April 1792. Of the family of Wm. COOK II and Margaret, they lost their 2 oldest sons, Jesse and Hosea, son-in-law Lewis MASTEN, husband of Margaret, and two grandsons, children of Wm. DUNN and Bathsheba."

There was extensive research by Merlyn J. Cook of his surname line. His manuscript titled "Our Ancestors" was analytical and fruit bearing. Recently, a rough draft of "Historical Beginnings Of The Cook Family in Virginia, Kentucky, & Indiana With an Account of William Cook II, Virginia Frontiersman" has been found. Chapter I is "William Cook II, Frontiersman Of Southwest Virginia." We do not know if this is the only chapter that he wrote or if this was a "work in progress" at the time of his death in 1995, but we can only speculate on his intentions. The in-depth researching and literary skills of Merlyn J. Cook will be missed by fellow researchers.

Submitted by Carla Dixon-Wolcoff and Chas. L. Cook

Other related pages: Descendants of William Cook - Seth Cook - Rev. Joshua Flood Cook - Morgan's Raider's - William Miles Cook - Captain Smith Cook - Shelby Co, KY - Abraham C. Cook - Rev. Abraham Cook - William Cook I - Issac Marion Cook - The Indian Massacre of Hosea and Jesse Cook, April 28, 1792, KY - Will of William Cook - Will of Margaret Cook - Will of Seth Cook  - William Cook Pilgrimage - Battle Hymn of the Cook's - Cook Main Page - Census Page