A Cook Untangling…..

For the past 3 months, I have been untangling all the Cook families in Laurens, South Carolina. I made private Ancestry trees for them so I can the right people in the right family.

The Cook families are as follows (by head person):

James Cook (1750?- 1816) married Ursula Mitchell. Ursula was the daughter of Isaac Mitchell and Mary Williams and granddaughter of Daniel Williams and Ursula Henderson Williams.  I believe James Cook was son of Clayton Cook and Henrietta Henderson. James Cook lived near the North Creek on the Little River in 1786.

John Cook (brother of James above 1756 to 1781)- He was killed, along with several other men at he massacre at Hayes Station by William Cunningham. I think he may be my direct ancestor but I am not sure. He may have married a Randolph because there is a lease and release from a James Randolph and wife to a John Cook between the years of 1770-1777.

Randolph Cook (1760’s -1840) married a daughter of Thomas Henderson and Francis Henderson first ( he is listed as a Legatee on Frances Henderson’s will in 1813 in Laurens County, SC. His second wife was Mary Potter. He died in Illinois. I believe Randolph may be a son to John Cook above.

Cornelius Cook ( 1770-1838) married Nancy Kinman. I think Cornelius had a sister named Mary Cook ( 1775-1813) who married Thomas Donaldson. Cornelius Cook may be a nephew to James Cook and son of John Cook. He was living near a son of James Cook in 1820. Cornelius Cook lived on the Saluda near the Greenville County on the Laurens Co side and sister Mary Cook lived across the Saluda on the Abbeville County  side.

John Cook ( 1765- 1835)- son of a Anne Jane Cook and stepson to John O’Neil.  He is executor on Anne O’Neil’s estate record in Laurens. He was married to Catherine Griffin. John Cook lived in the area of Mudlick Creek ( near the Little River).

Abraham Cook- (1790- 1843) was married to Henrietta Irby. Henrietta Irby was the daughter of William Irby and Henrietta Henderson. He lived on the Little River area of Laurens.

George Washington Cook (1792- 1845) was married to Mary Polly Garrett. She was the daughter of Jesse Garrett and Elizabeth Henderson. Elizabeth Henderson was the sister to Randolph Cook first wife and daughter to Thomas and Frances. Jesse Garrett is executor on Frances Henderson’ s will in 1813 in Laurens.

Mary Cook Mitchell Putman (1771- 1847) may be the mother of the above George W. Cook) from a first marriage. Mary Putman and George W. Cook are both married in Warrior Creek Cemetery in Laurens.

I have discovered a pattern of Cooks marrying into Henderson families or grandchildren of Henderson families. Most of the wives are descended from men who were killed or wounded at the Massacre of Hayes Station.

My research on the Cook families isn’t over. I am missing a generation of Cooks between 1760-1790, namely the parents of these men. I am in need of estate records for Clayton Cook and Henrietta Henderson Cook who died somewhere between Cumberland County, Virginia and Granville County, North Carolina. I also need to find more information on the Randolph family.

Author: samanthanifong

I have been a avid history buff since age 10. I graduated from the College of Charleston with a B.A. in US History. I have been researching my family for 12 years. I specialize in South Carolina history and research. I do freelance genealogy work centered around South Carolina between 1750- 1880. If you have ancestors in South Carolina between 1750-1880 that you would like me to locate, please contact me. Disclaimer.....My research is based on actual evidence which I may or may not post. Any photographs or documentation that I use is my intellectual property unless otherwise noted and may not be used or borrowed without my expressed written consent. View all posts by samanthanifong