William Ramsey (Cook) Cooke (1852 - 1938)

Born 22 Dec 1852 in Cook Farm, nr. Dillsburg, Carroll twp., York Co., Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Vernon Heikes — married 22 Dec 1871 in Warrington twp., York Co., Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 8 Feb 1938 at age 85 in Warrington twp., York Co., Pennsylvania

Biography

The "e" at the end of my name was added In late March 1879. -- rlciii

On Dr. William H. Cook's (1829-1879) deathbed, his young son, Morris Llewellyn Cook (1872-1960) age 7 and my gr. grandfather, William Ramsey Cook (1852-1938) changed the spelling of their surname from Cook to Cooke. The three discovered that the early Quaker minutes (records) in England dealing with Peter Cooke (c.1674-1713) and his family, including his 1695 marriage certificate, all spell his surname "Cooke." The three believed they were reverting back to the original spelling of our name, before coming to America in 1713. In 1879 all one had to do was begin signing documents differently, there was no formal name change process. -- rlciii

Back in the day, many of the people who knew how to write spelled phonetically, so dropping the "e" by the Quaker scribs is not unusual. In Hinshaw's abstracts of Pennsylvania MM's I found a few examples of the "Cooke" spelling regarding the first generation (Peter's children). After this time all Quaker records in America use the Cook spelling. -- rlciii

"William R. Cook [6] (John[5], Hannah[4], Abel[3], Isaac[2], Lewis[1]), born 12th mo. 22d, 1852, married, 12th mo. 22d, 1871, Mary Heikes. They reside at Dillsburg, Penna. I am indebted to him for valuable assistance in collecting material for this work. He is descended from Lewis Walker through both his father and mother, and is, as he says, very partial to the name." --P W Street

William R. Cook, son of John and Lydia Marsh (Walker) Cook, mar. Mary V. Heikes. Their children:

Cleason J. Cook, b. May 5, 1872; mar. Annie Shambaugh

Morris G. Cook, b. July 14, 1874; d. March 14, 1899

Carrie Cook, b. July 18, 1875; mar. Herman Zeigler

Frances W. Cook, b. Nov. 23, 1877; mar. Lewis Kates

Abbie Cook, b. June 2, 1879; mar. Clarence Howell

Thomas Cook, b. Aug. 11, 1880; mar. Edna Coates

Celia Cook, b. Dec. 29, 1881; mar. Chas. Smedley

Ruth E. Cook, b. Apr. 2, 1883

Robert Cook, b. Nov. 7, 1885

Sources

Lewis Walker of Chester Valley page 315 - 316 Priscilla Walker Streets 1896

A Genealogy of the Vale and Garretson Descendants page 39-40 Lydia Ann Vale Leffler 1913