Friday, April 2, 2010

Friend of Friends Friday -- Cook and Related Families, part 3

This is part 3 and the final installation of will abstracts taken from the book "Thomas Cooke of Rhode Island", by Jane Fletcher Fiske.

Elizabeth Graves Henry(1744-1825)pg. 130-131
The Will of John Cook, son of Silas (1741-1785), dated 23 March 1784 and proved September term 1785, left all his property to his Wife Elizabeth (Craven Co. Wills A:101). A letter from Silas Cooke Jr. to Henry Merchant dated 3 Feb. 1788 mentions the marriage of his deceased brother's widow to "Mr. Henry, a son of Gov. Henry of Virginia, August last"(Marchant Papers, RIHS).


The will of Elizabeth Henry, dated 26 Feb. 1819 with codicil added 19 Dec. 1822, proved Feb. term 1825.
..."Whereas I am permitted by order of Craven County Court granted on my petition to emancipate at my pleasure my Negroes, I give Chelsey and her children, Hanna, Rose, Abram, Robert, John, Moses Sarah, Terrah and Ben, and big Rose, their freedom, and I hereby direct and requite my executors to execute any other writing for the emancipating of said Negroes, which may be thought necessary; authorize and appoint John C. Stanley guardian of those Negroes as are under age, and request him to bind or apply ... the said young Negroes to suitable persons resident of Craven County until they attain the age of twenty one years. I give John C. Stanley two hundred dollars for his trouble he may have with my black people ... I desire my black women may have all the blankets and flannel and spun cotton or thread that is found in the house at my death, to be equally divided." In the codicil Elizabeth directed that her black woman Violet be maintained for life out of the estate.(Will of Elizabeth Henry, N.C. State Archives).


Josiah Briggs (1708-1759), pg. 155

The Pardon Gray Seabury Papers at New Bedford Public Library include several original documents relating to the Briggs family. Among the collection are wills, powers of attorney, and deeds. On 12 April 1729 Joseph Dyre of Northampton, Bucks County, Pa., husbandman, gave Josiah Briggs of Tiverton, cordwainer, power of attorney to sell, disopose of or keep [sic] an Indian woman called Mary hoopp.

Abial Cook (1719-1808) pg. 159

In a court case of May 1759 Abial Cook sued Job Almy for L5000 damages, claiming that on the above date he had set fire to a windmill in the occupation and improvement of said Abial Cook, and the said mill was entirely consumed and destroyed. At a court of general sessions in November 1758, a boy called Pardon, variously described as an Indian boy, a mustee, and a mulatto, of Little Compton, an apprentice to Job Almy of Little Compton, yeoman, had signed his mark to the following statement:


I did set fire to the mill ... I had been to drive the cows & when I came back I told my master I saw a fire by Mr. Cook's mill ... he told me to go back & I did & he followed me & told me to set fire to the mill, which I did on that side next our House & my Master stayed outside the wall, I went to him & he bid me go back & set fire to the other side which I did. --- I put the Fire between the step and the mill, the other side from ou House, & put some chips to kindle the Fire.


Pardon's mother, Sarah Ned, and Indian woman, testified that she had asked her son what made him do it and he told her his Master said if he did not do it he would beat his brains out.
... Job Almy was found guilty and ordered to pay damages to Cook and also L200 to the Colony. The Indian boy Pardon petitioned that he ought to be dismissed and discharged from any further service to Almy, and the court released him from his apprenticeship. (Newport County Court Files, Nov. 1758; May 1759, from Box 2716)
David Cook (1731-1816) pg. 181
David Cook was the son of Thomas Cook and his wife Philadelphia Cornell. He married first Lydia Rouse, second Alice Cook.


The family removed to New York State about 1785. The last child recorded in Little Compton was in August 1783, and on 5 July 1784 David Cook of Little Compton, gentleman, gave to his "Negro man Sippo his freedom, no more to be a servant to me, my heirs ... free and at his own disposal forever" (Tiverton Deeds 6:44).

George Cook (1748-1808) pg. 196
George Cook of Monmouth County in his will dated 17 April 1808 and proved 21 October 1808 bequeathed to his wife Parhenia his black woman Elizabeth and his clock,
... His black boy Timothy was to be sold, and black man Peter to be manumitted at age 38.

Andrew McCorrie (1771-1801) pg. 387
Andrew McCorrie, Sr., in his will dated 8 August 1801 and proved May 1805, named his daughter-in-las Phebe, leaving to her his Negro woman Joane.





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