Joseph Cook (abt. 1792 - 1848)

Born about 1792 in York Factory, Manitoba

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Sinclair) Cook — married 27 Oct 1824 in St. John's Parish, Red River Settlement

Descendants

Died 24 Feb 1848 at about age 56 in St. John's Parish, Red River Settlement

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Biography

Joseph Cook was a Canadian First Peoples and member of the Metis Nation.

Joseph Cook, son of William Hemmings Cook, entered the service of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1803. According to his account in the Officers and servants Ledger (A.16/34) he came to England in the autumn of 1806, but returned to York Factory in 1808 and served the Company inland. He was later made an assistant trader. In the Lists of Servants in Hudson's Bay (A.30/11 and 14) he was recorded as being master at Cross Lake in 1810-11, in charge of an outpost in the Winnipeg River district in 1811-12, and at Cumberland House in 1814-15. He was credited with wages for serving in Athabasca in 1815-16, at Moose Lake in 1816-17, and in the Cumberland House district in 1817-18. He was in charge of an outpost in the Swan River district in October 1818, and he retired to Red River Settlement in June 1819. In 1820 he again entered the Company's service and was employed in the Island Lake district until he finally retired in 1824 to the Red River Settlement, where he was buried in the Indian Church on February 24, 1848. His age was recorded in the Register of Burials (E.4/2) as 60 years. On October 27, 1824, he married Catherine, a daughter of William Sinclair senior, and Nahoway (Margaret) a Cree Indian. The baptisms of nine sons and five daughters were recorded in the Red River Register (E.4/1).[Mytree.FTW]

Name: Joseph /Cook/^[1]

Residence

Place: Canada^[2]

Research Notes

• Mary Cocking or Mith-coo-coo man-E`Squew could not have been the mother of Joseph as she was not born until c.1782. The author of the above was probably unaware of W.H. Cook`s other wives. Joseph`s HBCA biography states that his mother was an unnamed Indian woman. Joseph`s sister Nancy ( born c. 1787, shortly after her fathers arrival in Ruperts Land) stated in her scrip application that her mothers name was Kahnapawanakan. Nancy`s baptismal record of 1821 states that her mother was a deceased Indian woman. As Nancy and Joseph were born within a year or two of each other it is likely that they had the same mother. (R.M.S.)

• From: The Prairie West to 1905, ed. Lewis G. Thomas, Toronto, Oxford University Press, 1975, pp.54-56

• Excerpt from a letter from Joseph Cook to the Lay Secretary, Church Missionary Society (Anglican), dated Red River Indian Settlement, 29 July 1846. Joseph Cook was a mixed-blood son of Chief Factor William Hemmings Cook. Joseph Cook was related to leading Country-born free traders; James Sinclair, brother-in-law, Peter Garrioch, nephew, and Henry Cook, son.

........Knowing well my deficiency to hold such office I could not make up my mind to remain as a School teacher, Clerk and interpreter but here I am, and have been this long 15 years holding these offices for F50 when my predecessors had F100 for holding two offices, namely, School teachers and Clerks. It is only since Mr. Smithurst (Rev. John Smithurst, Anglican Missionary) arrived at this Indian Settlement I got F10 for my interpreting, by asking for it, and during then the first 7 years when I held three distinct offices I had F50. Now my dear Sir, I ask you the question, what would the C.M.S. think of us if we had acted so to them to make such a distinction between them and to our Countrymen? I may safely say they would think we was too partial and did not show that kindness and brotherly love as the word of God required. About two or three years ago, the C.M.S. sent out a Catechist to Red River Settlement, of the name of J. Roberts, he lodged with Mr. Smithurst during the winter, eat (sic) and drank with Mr. Smithurst, and no doubt had his F100 a year, and was never once asked to assist me in the Sunday School during all the time he was here, when I had to attend the Sunday School by myself every other Sunday when Mr. Smithurst had to go preach at Mr. Cockran`s Church, and I had to attend upwards of 160 Scholars. Now my dear Sir, I ask the question again what right and reason has the C.M.S. to impose on me this part of duty to perform more than the European Catechists? I suppose they will say, because I am only half an Englishman, this is very true, but my good Sir, I can eat as good a plum pudding as any Englishman. I shall only mention once more the distinction which has been made, which is not altogether agreeable; when I was so pressed and finding my salary so inadequate to supply the wants of my family (you must here Sir, remember I have faithfully complied with the Word of God to replenish the earth, for I am a man of 14 children) I mentioned to Mr. Smithurst a year or two ago wishing to send to Europe for a little more goods than I required for my family and mentioned to him my reason, seeing I was failing very fast, and expecting to be obliged to leave my situation very soon I was desirous to prepare some kind of dwelling place for my large family---to buy wood etc. for this purpose with the little goods which I might be able to spare, to enable me to accomplish this desirous object, but to my great surprise Mr. Smithurst told me, that it was the rule of the C.M.S. never to allow any of their servants to trade and if I did persist in it I would have to be discharged. I ask then the question do you think that the goods which are sent to this place yearly, by the C.M.S., are all given away for nothing?......... ........We must here plainly say we cannot submit to such severity; it would be well if the C.M.S. would send out a written agreement in what terms they wish us to engage and if it agrees with our wish we can enter to their employ-----by this means it would avoid all ill feelings and disagreements, which will always take place between the Missionaries and Native Catechists if they are treated and looked upon no better than a common labourer........I can assure you Sir, we are rather getting to be disgusted with our situations and the treatment and the distinction which has been made between us and the European Catechists, and the too much Lordship being exercised over us. I have indorsed (sic) these letters to you which I wish you to look over, and trust will convince you of the neccesity of the C.M.S. coming to some understanding with the Native Catechists. You must Whoever (however?) do not think we wish to be kept as Lords and Govrs. by no means, we are willing to be as useful as possible but we do not like to be looked on and treated as labourers by your Missionaries........You will excuse me my dear Sir for my bad English you well no (sic) I am poor, a half Englishman. P.S. I have no doubt Mr. Cockran will be at London by the time you receive this note: you will please to ask him the truth of what I have said.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S2870172584 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=canadagenindex_ga&h=2017953&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Note: Data: Text: Residence date: Residence place: Canada
2. ↑ Source: #S2870172584 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=canadagenindex_ga&h=2017953&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Note: Data: Text: Residence date: Residence place: Canada

• Marriage: http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_h1344/747?r=1&s=1

• WikiTree profile Cook-2180 created through the import of The Sammons Family Tree.ged on Jun 9, 2011 by Steve Sammons. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Steve and others.

• Source: S2852711167 Repository: #R2852704208 Title: Public Member Trees Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006.Original data - Family trees submitted by Ancestry members.Original data: Family trees submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Page: Ancestry Family Trees Note: Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=5111977&pid=8117

• Repository: R2852704208 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com Note:

• Source: S2870172584 Repository: #R2852704208 Title: Canadian Genealogy Index, 1600s-1900s Author: Genealogical Research Library, Ontario, Canada Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.Original data - Compiled from various family history sources. See source information provided with each entry.Original data: Compiled from various family history sources. See source i Note:

• Biographical Sheet for Joseph Cook published by the Hudson Bay Company Archives.