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Thomas Cooke (1600 - 1677)

Thomas Cooke aka Cook
Born in Netherbury, Dorset, Englandmap
Brother of [half]
Husband of — married [date unknown] (to 6 Feb 1677) in Rhode Islandmap
Husband of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died at age 76 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Islandmap
Profile last modified | Created 19 Mar 2011
This page has been accessed 12,616 times.
The Puritan Great Migration.
Thomas Cooke migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 76)
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Contents

Biography

Thomas Cook was probably the child baptized 13 April 1600 in the parish church of St. Mary, Netherbury, Dorsetshire, England, as Thomas BOWCHER.

Father: Thomas Cooke b: 1570 in Netherbury, Dorset, England
Mother: Joanna De Netherbury b: abt 1570 in Netherbury, Dorset, England
Mother: Joannah [Unknown] b: Bef 1583

The Arms of this Cooke family were:- Head, argent, ducally gorged. Argent, a lion rampant, sable, over all a chevron, ermine. Crest:- A wolfs head, argent ducally gorged.

Thomas Cooke, along with his wife and three children, departed from Weymouth on 22 April 1637 on the Speedwell, bound for New England.[1]

He was known as Bowcher, Bocher, or Butcher, when he arrived near Boston in 1637. He was one of the 46 original settlers of Taunton in 1637 and in Portsmouth in 1643. His home lot on the east side of the island of Portsmouth 6 miles north of Newport. In 1876 the well and remains of the chimney and cellar were there and were a few yards from the wharf.

He was called Captain when he came to America and was probably in the English army. At Plymouth he was honored with a Commission to survey the west line of Rhode Island Colony. In 1637, he with 54 others purchased land known as Taunton from the Tetiquet Indians, situated on Taunton River, an Indian village.

He removed to Portsmouth, R.I., in 1643, than called Pocasset, and his first homestead was about six miles from Newport, R.I., opposite Fogland Point in Tiverton on 200 acres of superior farm land. The estate remained in the Cooke family until 1804, when it became the property of Samuel Clarke: it was known as the Glen Farm until 1886.

Thomas Cook became an inhabitant of Portsmouth, R. I., and "gave his engagement to the government and propounded for a lot" in 1643. He was made a freeman of Portsmouth in 1655, and was a deputy in 1664. From the frequency of his name in public records he must have been a man of considerable prominence. His wife's name was Mary, and he was the father of three sons: John, born in 1631, evidently a son by a former marriage, as in the settlement of his estate his widow is spoken of as "step-mother to John Cook"; Thomas, known as Capt. Thomas; and George. Thomas Cook, the father, died Feb. 6, 1674.

He died at Portsmouth, Rhode Island in the spring of 1677, probably just before 21 May, when his inventory was taken, as Thomas COOKE.[2]

Burial: 6 Feb 1677

Will

6 Feb 1673/74 Will written, proven June 20, 1677
Inventory of his estate 21 May 1677.
His will dated 1677 mentioned his wife, Mary. He is known as having two wives named Mary, but records and dates indicate all children were with his 1st wife, and that is second wife was much younger. Some genealogists believe his wife to be either Mary Slocum, sister of Giles Slocum. LDS records Rebecca Westcott based on vague wording in a early legal document. The 1st Mary made her mark in 1660 to a deed, but she had died by 1672/3 when the second Mary wrote a good signature on another deed The second Mary was much younger, and without issue. (Per Fiske) who later married Jermiah Brown. The actual name of this Thomas's wife may never be known.
According to Thomas's will, his son, also Thomas, is deceased (died 1670 - seven years earlier). The two daughters of Thomas, Phebe and Martha are mentioned. He leaves his house to John (his grandson), with designation to pay a portion to his brothers, George, Stephen, and Ebenezar. He also makes a statement "If my son, George, attempts to collect pay him...". He mentions Sarah Parker, wife of Peter Parker, and her three children Penelope, Peter, and Sarah.
His will made 6 Feb. 1674 and proved 20 June 1677: "Executrix wife Mary: To wife my mansion house and land belonging there for life and she to enjoy whole estate including movables for life; to son John a cow and to all his children 1 shilling each; to two daughter of deceased son Thomas, namely Phebe and Martha, at 18 or marriage 15 pounds each; to grandson John, son of Thomas, my house and land adjoining at death of my wife and bounded partly by my brother Giles Slocum, and said grandson when in possession of same to pay his brothers George, Stephen, and Ebenezer 40 shillings each at 21 years of age. If said John should die then to Ebenezer, then to George and if he dies then to Stephen the said real estate. To Sarah Parker, wife of Peter Parker, 5 shillings and to Sarah's three children Penelope, Peter and Sarah each five shillings at eighteen. If my son George come to demand it, he to have 5 shillings..."."
Thomas Cooke's will, dated May 2/1677, left his wife Mary, the mansion house and land belonging to it, she to enjoy the whole estate of moveables, cattle, &c, and household stuff. To son Jacob, a cow, and to all his other children, one shilling each. To deceased son Thomas' two youngest daughters, Phoebe and Martha, _15 a piece at 18 years of age or at marriage. To grandson John, son of Thomas deceased, my house, and land adjoining orchard at death of my wife, and that grandson, when we pass, is to pay his brothers George, Stephen and Ebenezer, forty shillings, and the youngest son of Thomas to have said estate, or if he die, then to George, and if he die, then to Stephen. To Sarah Parker, wife of Peter Parker, five shillings, and to Sarah's three children, Penelope, Peter and Sarah, five shillings each, at the age of 18. If son George comes for his legacy from his father's estate, five shillings. Thomas' widow in 1678 took receipt from John Cooke for his legacy from his father, he calling her mother in law, instead of step mother, as was customary in those days. Witnesses were his wife Mary, overseers were Obadiah Holmes and Joseph Tony.

Timeline

  • 1643 - He was received as an inhabitant, gave his engagement to government and propounded for a lot.
  • 1649, Oct 25 - He bought of William Brenton, a parcel of land where said Cook hath built his house.
  • 1655 - Admitted Freeman.
  • 1657, Feb 6 - He was granted 8 acres.
  • 1660, May 14 - He, called Thomas Cook, Sr., alias Butcher, 80 acres bounded partly by land of Captain Thomas Cook.
  • 1664 - Deputy

Marriage

He is known to have had two wives named Mary, but it is not known whether the first Mary was his first wife, married in England, and thus the mother of his first three children. She was his wife in May 1660, when she signed her mark to a deed, but she had died by March 1672/3, when the second Mary wrote a good signature on another deed. It is likely that the first Mary died about 1670, when several members of the family of Thomas[2] Cook died within a few months time.
Thomas Cooke married, 1st, in 1620, Mary --, born in England in 1605.
Married: Bef 1626 Alt. Marriage 1637 in England
The second Mary Cooke, who survived her husband, was much younger ---young enough to have been his granddaughter. She and Thomas had no surviving children, and her identity is not critical to Cooke descendants, but she married, second, in 1679, as his second wife, Jeremiah Brown of Newport, son of Chad and Elizabeth (Sharparowe) Brown, and bore him at least two children. Although proof is lacking, this compiler considers it a strong possibility that the second Mary was Mary Shearman, born May 1645, daughter of Philip and Sarah (Odding) Shearman of Portsmouth.[citation needed]
Marriage 2 Mary [Unknown] b: Bef 1654 Married: Abt 1673
He married, 2nd, Mary --, who survived him, and she married, 2nd, Jeremiah Browne. Thomas had no children by his second wife.

A previous version of this profile included without source additional wives who have been detached:

Research Notes

A two-volume biography is devoted to Thomas;[3] it has been cited by Anderson as an example of good genealogical research and presentation.[4]

An earlier version of this profile began with the following:

Thomas Cooke[5] was born at Earls Colne, England, in 1603, and died at Portsmouth, R.I., in 1677. His ancestor, from a pedigree in Miller's History of Dorchester, England, was Edward Cooke, born about 1450 who was Mayor of that place in 1509.

This reference and information is considered unreliable in comparison to the extensive research and referencing provided by Fiske.[3]



Research-Notes: From: John Fiske [---] Date: 10/12/01 19:17:31 To: lapurple [---] Subject: Thomas Cooke
Dear Leslie Ann,
This is the same Thomas Cook, but as I show in the book he was bapt. 1600, and did not marry Rebecca Westcott. Also, he never lived in Boston, but went to Taunton and then to Portsmouth, RI. Phebe who m. Oliver Arnold as one of her 3 husbands was a granddaughter, not a daughter. John whose wife was probably Mary Havens is my ancestor, too -- he was a grandson of the first Thomas, not a son. There's a lot of erroneous material in print, but I think my book settled all that.
Note: "Historical Miscellany, John E. Stillwell, M.D. . .States he 'came to Boston in 1635. Moved to Taunton, Mass of which he was one of the original proprietors in 1637. Later settled in Portsmouth, RI in 1643. On October 5th of that year he was voted as a citizen." (Families of Burlington Co., NJ, Bill Abrams, RootsWeb World Connect Project database) Occupation: ButcherInventory of estate: 21 May 1677
Note: Austin and others have erred by calling Sarah Cook, who married Peter Parker, a daughter of this Thomas Cook. She was actually his granddaughter. Sarah as granddaughter is proved by her mention in his will, along with her three children: Penelope, Peter, and Sarah.[6]
This Thomas Cooke was not married to Rebecca Westcott He was only married twice. First to a Mary, and second wife was also named Mary, possibly Mary Sherman.

Sources

  1. Peter Wilson Coldham, The Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660, (1987, reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2008), 185; citing Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London WC2A, 1LR, England; EL90/876/11. https://books.google.ca/books?redir_esc=y&id=vWDV4Fk7TmAC&q=cooke#v=snippet&q=cooke&f=false
  2. Source: #S21 Text: Ancestry.com. One World Tree (sm) [database online]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Fiske, Jane Fletcher. Thomas Cooke of Rhode Island. Boxford, MA: private publication, 1987. Archive.org link (free registration is required on Archive.org to borrow and browse this book)
  4. Great Migration Newsletter, v 11 p 31. AmericanAncestors link (subscription)
  5. "Ten Generations of the Briggs Family" by Pearl Leona Heck, 1932. HathiTrust link
  6. Fiske, Jane Fletcher, "The Abigail Connection: Peter Parker of Jamestown, RI & Shrewsbury, NJ and his Two Remington Daughters." The American Genealogist. (Vol 57, Page 15) New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database accessed 11 January 2016. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .)

See also:

  • "Little Compton Families" Wilbour, Benjamin Franklin, 1887-1964 Publication: Little Compton Historical Society, 1967 College Hill Press Providence, RI FHL Film 844901
  • "Thomas Cooke of Rhode Island" Author: Jane Fletcher Fiske, Boxford, MA, 1987 A genealogy of Thomas Cooke alias Butcher of Netherbury, Dosetshire, England who came to Tauton MA in 1637 and settled Portsmouth, RI in 1643, Vol. I and Vol. II Page: 13-24
  • "Ten Generations of the Briggs Family" by Pearl Leona Heck, 1932.
  • Document, "Cook-Tallman Connections" by Cynthia C. Cook, dated January 5, 2004
  • Ancestry.com; Repository: R1 Name: www.ancestry.com; Title: OneWorldTree Repository:
  • Gerstenberg & Butts Author: John T. Gerstenberg [---] Media: Electronic




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Comments: 17

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"The Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660" compiled by Peter Coldham, published 1987 page 185 shows a Thomas Cooke along with his wife and three children embarking from Weymouth on the Speedwell April 1637. Original source given as Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London.
posted by James Bogart
Thank you, I have added that citation to the profile.
posted by Scott McClain
"His ancestor, from a pedigree in Miller's History of Dorchester, England, was Edward Cooke, born about 1450 who was Mayor of that place in 1509."

This is incorrect. The correct town for the Edward Cooke mentioned would be Doncaster, up in Yorkshire. The names look alike, easy mistake to make. But somebody should correct it. Helen's comment about Dorchester mayors is correct, kudos for her for sniffing this out early.

posted by Geoff Grant
This appears to be a good catch. Do you have a source for the Doncaster connection? The only ref in the 1st paragraph of the bio is to a book that I could not find online; do you have a copy or alternate source? Thanks for clarifying the correction. Also, you can make corrections with documentation.
posted by Raymond Watts PhD
The same publication is available from a reliable free source here: https://archive.org/details/genealogyoffamil00cook/page/4/mode/1up

However, it makes no further connection between the Edward Cooke of Doncaster and Thomas Cooke of Netherbury. Rather, the paragraph mentioning Edward Cooke of Doncaster is a listing of many prominent Cook/Cookes in England in pre-Colonial times, including the famous Capt. James Cook, without claiming any lineage from them to Thomas the immigrant.

I also note the weakness of the first reference, to a typewritten manuscript here: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433085475188&view=1up&seq=99 that is the only evidence presented, and having no original sources, asserting that Thomas was born at Earles Coln in 1603, which is after the date of his (uncertain) baptism record in 1600.

An exhaustive treatment is provided in a book devoted entirely to Thomas, available here https://archive.org/details/thomascookeofrho01fisk/page/n21/mode/1up (registration on Archive.org required to borrow and browse this book). An interesting note is that this book received high praise from Anderson in the Great Migration Newsletter, v 11 p 31, for its thorough research and inclusion of original source images. The author goes to great pains evaluating evidence of the 1600 baptism and the ambiguities of earlier ancestry.

I will add a link to the online book just mentioned, as it should stand as the definitive source for Thomas. I believe that the first paragraph in the profile is unsubstantiated and should be removed.

posted by Raymond Watts PhD
The descendants of Giles Slocum and Thomas Cooke have 126 autosomal matches not including descendants of both men. Joan Slocum and Thomas Cooke were relatives, probably siblings. The descendants of Giles and Thomas have 44 matches to Lord Edward Coke suggesting Joan and Thomas were his grandchildren (their name was not Bowcher). See "The Badger's Wife" at Thomas Cooke and Joan Slocum in the Ramsey/Webster tree at Ancestry.com for the GED#'s and also at the media sections for these people at Geni.com.
posted by Ramsey Corbett
I believe Sarah Cooke Parker needs to be moved from this Thomas and placed as child of his son Thomas. As stated in this profile, "Note: Austin and others have erred by calling Sarah Cook, who married Peter Parker, a daughter of this Thomas Cook. She was actually his granddaughter. Sarah as granddaughter is proved by her mention in his will, along with her three children: Penelope, Peter, and Sarah.[3]"
posted by Stu Wilson
You are absolutely correct. I have changed her.
posted by Anne B
Lacking any objections since June, I am detaching the unsourced spouses Rebecca Westcott and Joan Bailey.
posted by Jillaine Smith
According to bio, he was married twice-- both to women named Mary. I see no evidence for wives Rebecca Westcott and Joan Bailey. Any objections to detaching them?
posted by Jillaine Smith
Re Dorset England.

I'm not familiar with a History of Dorchester by Miller..and not in local hist centre catalogue Edward Cooke Mayor,1509 ? The charter granting the right to elect a Mayor was in 1629 https://archive.org/details/cu31924028114357/page/n131 Previous documents and charters just mention Bailiffs elected from the Burgesses. Hutchin's Hist and Antiquities of Dorset Vol, 2 p 351 lists them back to 1395. There are a few gaps but no Cooke. Hutchins has only a few isolated mentions of Cookes and no pedigree. Netherbury register is on Ancestry, needs checking page by page. It does have a baptism of Thomas Boucher or Butcher on 13 April 1600 no alias mentioned. However there is an Ambrose Butcher alias Cooke bur in 1615 . Thomas Butcher m Alicia Hallett 1603. A burial of Thom.Butcher, 1614

posted by Helen (Coleman) Ford
This Thomas "Butcher" Cook is in my personal tree (11GGF), and I'd like to update my tree to match better sourced information (which I am hoping to find here). In my tree, I show this Thomas married to Mary Havens, but there's no date in the source, so I'm guessing that Mary Havens is, perhaps, married to Thomas IV, the son of this Thomas. Is there any source listed here that supports that? (besides the email post from John Fiske)
posted by Bill Catambay
Thomas Cooke III is my 11x great grandfather
Cooke-720 and Cook-634 appear to represent the same person because: Hello! I believe these two profiles are for the same person. Please merge.
Cook-6020 and Cook-634 appear to represent the same person because: Hello! Could it be possible that these two profiles are for the same person? If you think they are, please merge. Thanks!
Cook-6020 and Cook-7427 appear to represent the same person because: Hello! I believe these two profiles aremfor the same person. Can you take a look, and if you agree, complete the merge?

Thank you, Lynden Raber Rodriguez