Frances (Cooke) Butler (1704 - 1773)

Frances Butler, nee Cooke?

I have been involved in this argument for many years, and have perpetuated much of this I fear.

I had a correspondent many years ago (40+) tell me that "she was a sister of William Cooke". If true, then she must be the sister of John Cooke (William's brother as is proved by Partridge Store Accounts and YDNA testing), and, then, the daughter of Abraham Cooke & Martha Cleaton/Clayton of Old Rappahannock/New Kent/Hanover Counties, VA.

Further, the naming of a great grandchild "Martha Claten Butler" seemed to solidify the claim.

HOWEVER...... As Bob Baird rightfully notes on his website, relatives were not supposed to be involved in the settlement of the estate of an individual. Indeed, "William Cooke" witnessed the will of Edmund Butler, and, John Cooke was involved in the appraisal of the same.

So who was she?

There really was a "Martha Claten Butler". She was a daughter of Edmund Butler II and Frances Garrett of Hancock GA. Edmund was a grandson of Edmund & Frances (Cooke?) Butler of Cumberland.

In a Butler transcript in my possession, created I believe by Pam Butler (?), the entry reads: "Martha Claten Butler born December 22, 1800, died December 17, 1802" Her sister, Susannah, was born Dec 14, 1802, died Dec 18, 1802. Likely the two died of some sort of epidemic, AND, likely this info came from a Bible. Other siblings have similar "exact, thorough" dates given in this transcript, which further supports that this was from a Butler Bible.

Again, "Martha Claten Butler": Was she named for a 2xgreat grandmother? Was she named for a neighbor? Perhaps that name is in the GARRETT family?

But, given the assumptions made in the past, you can see why, for years, it has been believed that Frances was a Cooke and was a daughter of Martha Cleaton/Claten/Clayton (and Abe Cooke).

NOTE: honestly, we have no PROOF that Martha was a Clayton. We have a grandson named "Claten Cooke" We have YDNA testing that ties John Cooke to William Cooke (Claten's father) to Abraham Cooke, Jr, all sons' of Abraham (& Martha). We have deeds showing "Abe & Martha Cooke" involved with the Clayton Estate. We have a 1701 (1704?) Power of Attorney showing Hannah Mackalester (widow of William, it is assumed) naming "Abraham Cook of New Kent" "my loving son in law" as her Attorney-in-Fact". [I know, Bob: "Son-in-law" may have meant something else back then..........] .....So, I expect that this too will be challenged at some point...........

We have yet to determine who Frances was: Perhaps Baird is correct, but maybe the clerks were lenient this time? Perhaps she WAS a Cooke, but not related? Perhaps she was a CLAYTON. a sister of Martha's?

Perhaps she was a COCKE. This family resided on a tract between Bad Luck Creek (Edmund Butler) and Green Creek (John Cooke) in Cumberland. Thomas Cocke owned a tract south of John Cooke. Indeed, their sons, Stephen Cooke and Anderson Cocke, ran a grist mill on 63 acres on Green Creek, later known as Simpson's Mill. Thomas was a son of Brazure Cocke; Thomas married Keziah, daughter of Charles Anderson & Elizabeth Chambers (more relations to my Cookes).

To make matters worse, Cocke is oft pronounced "Cook" in VA, and in England. I personally experienced this in Amelia County some years ago ("do you spell that Cooke or Cocke?"). In New Kent, the once "Cocke" family spells it "Cooke", the way it was pronounced.

I have no answer, and leave this to Butler researchers. I have noted in my research and my posted trees that Frances may NOT be a daughter of Abe & Martha after all, given all of the current research and info.

Thanks Bob!

Jim Cooke NOTE: James Powell Cocke's home, in the 1820 map of Amelia, is referred to as "J P Cook's".

Thank you.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/349782/disputed-cook-e-parentage-of-frances-butler