Col. George Cooke

George Cooke

• Born about 1610 in Earl's Colne, Essex
• Died before 20 Apr 1652 before about age 42 in Wexford, Ireland
• Son of Thomas Cooke II Esq and Grace Upcher
• Husband of Anne (Unknown) Cooke — married about 1640

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Not the son of Johannis Cooke. Brother of Joseph Cooke, Thomas & Grace.

"Through their aunt, Elizabeth Cooke, who married Edmund Reade, Joseph and George Cooke were related to several other New England immigrants, including John Winthrop Jr., Thomas Reade, Margaret (Reade) Lake, Martha (Reade) (Epes) Symonds and Rev. Hugh Peter."[3]

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Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cooke-2881

Puritan Great Migration

George Cooke immigrated to New England between 1621 and 1640 and later departed for England

George Cooke[1] was born in Earl's Colne, Essex, England.

He migrated on the Defence in 1635 with his brother Joseph. He settled in Cambridge, but returned to England permanently ten years later in 1645.

During his ten years in New England, he served in many high offices, including deputy to General Court and first alternate Commissioner to the United Colonies.

His return to England may have been related to being chosen on 7 Oct 1645 by the General Court to "be joined with Mr. Pococke & other our commissioners in England, in negotiating for us before the right honorable the Earl of Warwick... or before the high Court of Parliament, if occasion require, concerning the 1 late grants or charters for government or jurisdiction in the lands adjoining to Narragansett Bay."[2]

In late 1646, he went to Ireland for the Parliament, where he remained active for Parliament for two years, until his death in early 1652.

Anderson indicates he died before 20 Apr 1652 when mentioned as recently deceased in a letter from Roger Williams to John Winthrop Jr. A letter 1 May 1652 from Edward Hopkins to Winthrop provided the cause of death. Cooke "was shot by some of the Tories as he was travelling from Wexford to Dublin."[3]

Estate

His inventory was taken 4 Oct 1652, including property in New England, and came to over 211 pounds, most of which was real estate. Administration of his estate in Massachusetts was graanted to Henry Dunster and Joseph Cooke; mentioned was a daughter of Col. George Cooke, Mary, implying she was a minor.

"The two surviving daughters of George Cooke resided in England, and from there fought for their rights in their father's New England lands. The records of this battle last until the end of the seventeenth century, in the course of which the two daughters married London ministers."[4] Family

He married by 1640 Anne ____ who is identified by first name in petitions she made to the court following the decease of her husband. Anderson makes the case that she was his only wife and mother of all his children.

Children:

1. Elizabeth, b Cambr., MA 27 Mar 1640; died there the following August
2. Thomas, b Cambr., MA 19 Jun 1652; d. there the following August
3. Elizabeth, b Cambr. 21 Aug 1644; m by 1690 Rev. John Quick of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London
4. Mary, b Cambr. 15 Aug 1646; m. (license) 5 Jan 1680/1 Samuel Anesley of St. Martins, Middlesex.

Research Notes

Susan Hardman Moore in "Abandoning America..." identifies George Cooke as "the nephew of Thomas Cooke of Great Yeldham, Essex and cousin of Joseph Cooke and the grandson of Thomas Cooke of Pebmarsh, Essex."[5]

Notes

Examining the records and authorities at Cambridge, Mass., one is struck immediately with the very probable relationship of SUSANNAH COOK to Col. George Cook(e), gent., Cambridge, freeman, March 3, 1635-6. He was the Cromwellian soldier, (vide, BLOOMFIELD, ante, p. 499,). And, probably from his actual service, and as a colonel, in Oliver Cromwell's army, gave the tradition to Thomas Bloomfield, through the daughter Mary, who became the wife of JONATHAN DUNHAM, alias SINGLETARY, son of RICHARD SINGLETARY, His older brother, at Cambridge, was JOSEPH COOK(E), who came to America with him. In close association and contiguity, there was Philip Cook(e), which almost conclusively, with other indicia, holds these two brothers, Col. George Cook and Joseph Cook, as his brothers, in turn; hence, making the logical deduction, all three of these Cook brothers were such to their sister SUSANNAH SINGLETARY, whose maiden name was SUSANNAH COOK(E).

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Thomas Cooke and Grace Upcher, his wife, of Pebmarsh, Essex, had 4 known children, named: Thomas (III), Joseph, Grace and George. No others of their children reached adulthood.

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cooke-2881