Marriage to Absolam Williams:
(4-34) HEISS INDIANA
QUAKER RECORDS: WEST
GROVE MONTHLY
MEETING MARY COOK
WILLIAMS:WIDOW
John Williams' father, William Williams was a minister of the FriendsChurch. The family is said to be from Wales about the time of theRevolution.
John Williams was killed in a barn raising about 1826.
--One Ladd's Family, Ruth Kline Ladd, 1974
Absalom Williams, born in North Carolina in 1775, after a residence ofseven years near Richmond,
entered in Clay township the land where his son Henry resides. He died in1868, at the age of 93.
--History of Wayne County, Indiana.
William Cook and Ruth Small lived in Wayne County, IN, until the Fall of1848 when they moved to Grant Co., IN.
In 1911 Nathan Cook, their youngest son, published privately a booklisting their decendants to approximately 1910.
Following is a copy of the marriage certificate, as quoted from Nathan W.Cook's family book:
"WHEREAS, William Cook, of the State of Indiana in the County of Wayne,son of Joseph Cook of the county and State aforesaid, and Lydia, hiswife, and Ruth Small, daughter of Gideon Small and Sarah, his wife;Having declared their intensions of marriage with each other before aMonthly Meeting of the religious Society of Friends, held at West Grove,and having consent of parents, their said proposals of marriage wereallowed by said meeting. These are to certify whom it may concern, thatfor the full accomplishment of their said intentions, this sixteenth dayof the eleventh month, in the year of our Lorder eighteen hundred andtwenty-six, they, the said William Cook and Ruth Small appeared in apublic meeting of the said people held at West Grove aforesaid, and thesaid William Cook taking the said Ruth Small by the hand, declared thathe took her the said Ruth Small, to be his wife, promising with Divineassistance to be unto her a loving and faithful husband until deathshould separate them. And moreover, they, the said William Cook and RuthSmall, (she according to the custome of marriage adopting the name of herhusband) did, as a further confirmation thereof, then and there to thesepresents, set their hands.
(Signed) William Cook Ruth Cook
"And we whose names are also hereunto subscribed, being present at thesolemnization of the said marriage, have as witnesses thereto, set ourhands the day and year above written."
(Then follow the signatures of twenty-five witnesses.)
William Cook was a shoemaker and farmer living west of Centerville, WayneCounty, Indiana, until on February 10, 1849 they moved from West GroveMonthly Meeting to Mississinewa Monthly Meeting and were received thereon April 18, 1849.The farm of 120 acres was located in Section 32 of Franklin Townshipwhere he and his family cleared the land and built a log house, in GrantCounty, Indiana. It was here that they brought a hollow beech stump witha swarm of bees, which increased to a large apiary, and they had morethan enough honey for over fifty years.
It was here too that on July 5, 1873, Ruth (Small) Cook was acidentlykilled after an attack by a sheep, striking her in the stomach.
There were a number of reunions to celebrate William Cook's birthday; thefirst about 1870. The last, on June 20, 1902, was held at the homeof hisgreat-grandson, Joshua A. Ladd, in celebration of his 99th birthday. Itwas from these gatherings that the Cook-Small-Marshall reunionsdeveloped, being held at different times and places during the years, butfor a long time being held on the third Sunday of the month of August, inMatter Park, Marion, Indiana. The last reunion was held on August 19,1973.
William Cook died December 31, 1902, aged 99 years, 6 months and 11days. He was buried in IOOF Cemetery, Marion, Grant Co., Indiana.
"...At the end of a calm winter day, under the canopy of a beautifulstar-lit twilight, and at the close of the last day of the year, ourbeloved friend and realtive, who was in the eve of a century of useful,exalted life, passed from this earth as peacefully as the leaves arewafted downward by the gentle breeze at the close of an Autumn day...."(Obituary)
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William was a shoemaker by trade. In 1848 he purchased 160 acres of landin section 32 of Franklin township in Grant county, IN. Here with thehelp of his boys they soon cleared a farm and built a log house where heand his family lived constantly for more than half a century.William cast his first ballor for president in 1829, voting for AndrewJackson, but since that time he regularly voted the Republican ticket.
In 1849 he went in company with Nathan Small, Gideon Small, JoshuaMarshall and Eli Hunt, to the first election held in the territoryincluding Sims and Franklin townships, about one mile northeast ofHerbst, IN. It being a rainy day, the ballotbox was placed in a hollowstump, there being about 20 voters present. In 1902 William was the onlyperson living who cast his ballot in the old hollow stump that day.
He never brought suit against any one and only once has he beendefendant, in which case the total costs were 10 cents. He never has beenjuror or a witness in court, having been summoned but once, and on thatoccasion his testimony was not called for.When about 25 years old he formed the tobacco habit which he continuedtill he was 72 years old. He then renounced the habit. He has always beena total abstainer from all kinds of alcoholic liquors.
Soon after moving to Grant county William and Ruth went hunting for bees.They found a swarm in a hollow beech stump. The stump was let down andsawed off on either side of the bees and taken home where it was set up.The bees increased and multiplied until they had a large Apiary, andplenty of honey and to spare. In 1902 there were yet two hives descendedfrom the old beech stump.
In 1883 William went by way of Chicago and Kansas City to Baxter Springs,Cherokee county, Kansas to visit his daughter, Charity who lived there atthat time. He remained with her from February till August of the sameyear. On his return home he stopped with his sister Rachel Jones, nearOskaloosa, Iowa and spent a week with her. This is the first time he hasbeen out of the state of Indiana since he came from North Carolina in hisearly boyhood days.
There have been a number of reunions to celebrate the birthday of WilliamCook. The first was about 1870. The next was on June 20, 1879, on whichoccasion John Allen, an able minister of the Friends, delivered anexcellent message to the company of more than 100 persons. June 20, 1893there was a reunion at the home of his daughter Charity Marshall. The 4threunion was held June 20, 1894. On this occasion more than 100 peopleassembled, most of them being relatives and descendants, including
those to the fifth generation. On the 20th of June 1895, the reunion wasat the home of Joseph Cook. There was a small reunion in 1896, theattendance being reduced on account of rainy weather. June 20th 1897, noless than 123 persons assembled, among whom were six children, fifteengrand children, thirty-one great grand children and two great great grandchildren, and one nephew, Calvin Bond of Carmel, IN. There were reunionsin 1898 and 1899, not so well attended on account of the busy
season and coming in the mid-week.The 20th of June 1900 made William Cook 97 year old. Six children, tengrand children and twenty great grand children, assembled at the home ofhis son N. W. Cook. on September 4, 1900. He was taken to G. W. Pontius,artist of Swayzee, IN, where with Jacob G. Cook, a son, Rachel D.Marshall, a grand daughter, Anna Estella Babb, a great grand daughter,and Dwight Babb, a great great grand son, all met at the studio andpictures were taken of the five generations. On November 6, 1900 he wastaken to the polls where he cast his vote for McKinley and Roosevelt inhis 98th year.
The annual birthday reunion of William Cook was held at the home of hisson, N.W. Cook, on Thursday, June 20, 1901, there being 88 personspresent. Of this number, ten were not related to him. At noon a finedinner was served. A bouquet of 98 varieties of flowers was placed on thetable. Several beautiful cakes were presented to the grand father withhis name and age on them. After dinner an able message was delivered byRev. Jeremiah Hubbard of Miami, Indian Territory; his text being Psalm133: 'Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethern to dwelltogether in unity.' He was followed by excellent
remarks by Clarkson Shawley of South Marion; then a short talk by CalvinBond of Carmel, IN, the young people singing songs between speeches.Brother Hubbard sang a song in the Indian tongue which was entertainingto us. At this reunion were present two sons, one daughter, threedaughters-in-law, two nephews and one niece, eleven grandchildren, thirtygreat grand children and two great great grand children. There were tenold people present whose birthdays occur as follows: William
Cook, June 20, 1803, Jehiel Williams, a nephew, Aroma, IN, October 5,1821, Sarah Williams, a niece, December 12, 1823, Asenath Nixon, Kokomo,IN, January 2, 1821, Sarah Ann Cook, daughter, August 23, 1827, JosephCook, son, November 25, 1830, Calvin Bond, nephew, Carmel, IN, April 23,1830, Mary Hodson, Fairmount, IN, June 20, 1830,, Anna Jane Cook, Kokomo,IN, daughter-in-law, May 8, 1833, Jeremiah Hubbard, April 7, 1837.On June 20, 1902, the relations and friends of William Cook gathered atthe home of his great-grandson, Joshua A. Ladd, to celebrate his 99thbirthday. There were present from Carmel, IN, Calvin Bond, a nephew, fromAroma, IN, Jehiel Williams and wife, nephew and niece, from Centerville,IN, Priscilla Harris, a niece, from White's Institute, Wabash County, IN,Wilson A. Harris and wife, two sons, one daughter, threedaughters-in-law, and several grand and great grand children with quite a
number not related. An excellent dinner was served and all enjoyed theday pleasantly.A Memorial of William Cook
by Nathan W. CookWe go back in memory
To the state of North Carolina,
The year of eighteen hundred and three,
Were William Cook began life so free.
To Indiana's county of Wayne,
Over hills, rivers and valleys they came,
About eighteen hundred and ten,
With Wagons, teams and men.And when to manhood's estate he grew,
The shoemaker's trade he knew.
He also chooses the farmer's live
And takes unto himself a wife.
Ruth Small was her name,
From Grayson, Virginia she came
With Gideon and Sarah, her father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, we know of no other.
They were married in November,
In the Friends church each a member,
In the year eighteen hundred and twenty-six,
The place and date they had fixed.They settled on a farm three miles or so
From the county town. See the family grow.
The forty acre farm they plan to sell
To buy a larger place, they could hardly tell.
But from the county of Wayne
Pioneers to Grant they came
Began their new home in 1848,
Having moved their family in state.
They settled in Franklin, then new
Selecting a site in section thirty-two.With perseverance and hard labor,
And help from his boys and a neighbor,
A place is cleared in the wood,
And soon a house of logs there stood.
The place selected, a cosy nook,
For the home of William Cook.
Three daughters were there
And six sons to bear and share
The toil of clearing the forest away
For the fields of wheat, corn, and hay.In this home the parents began to plan.
Off the corner of the farm a school began.
The children must be educated, too;
So a house was built, of logs all new.
In this home, a place of worship began;
But soon another place outran.
To the school house every Sabbath they came
Until demands were made for another change.Then we see Maple Run rise in view;
An established church coming this way, too.
In the home of William Cook, this plan
Of church and school began.Time is swiftly fleeing by,
In memory we heave a sigh.
From the family tie a link is broken;
Jonathan, a soldier boy, is taken.Then in eighteen hundred and seventy-three
The mother met an accident, you see,
In a flock of sheep, one struck her down,
'Tis sad to relate. But she was ready for her crown.
He giveth, He taketh, He knoweth best;
The Lord, to whose home she has gone to rest.
God sendeth our troubles one at a time,
But our joys make haste in troops divine.And now to Kansas' hills and valleys to see,
In February eighteen hundred and eighty-three,
Father William goes on the cars that whistle through
To Baxter Springs and Cherokee county too.
A visit to his daughter, Charity,
He had long planned to go to see;
And other relatives and friends out there,
His visit with them to share.For seven months he took a rest
In those Kansas home out west,
And then to Iowa, on his return
To see his sister Rachel, was his concern.
A week with his sister was their delight,
To talk of past and present both day and night.
But time sped along and he must come away,
Although short had been the stay.
Then parting words were said;
Over hills, rivers and valleys he sped
To his home in Grant county. The trip ended.
The western visit in memory extended.The twentieth of the beautiful month of June
When so many flowers are in bloom,
Was William Cook's birthday so fine;
The writer of this the youngest of nine.Each year we celebrate his birthday
With a fine dinner, and all so gay,
They enjoy themselves for his sake;
Neighbors, friends, relatives from other States.
They came by dozens, till the number grew
To a hundred or so. You hardley knew
How many came, unless you counted the same.
Then the count was hardly correct without the name.It was June twentheth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four,
At the home of grandfather Cook, an open door
For all relatives and neighbors to dine,
In the shade upon the lawn so fine.
A company of a hundred or more,
Bringing baskets filled with food in store;
In generations, they are five.
A picture is made, while all survive.
That picture did not represent
The parties by birth, to any extent.
So another was planned,
Made all together, while they stand.It was nineteen hundred, the fourth of September;
The date and time I so well remember.
This time at Swayzee we all meet,
And the picture of five generations was complete.June twentieth, nineteen hundred and one,
A preacher sang a song in the Indian tongue.
From Miami Indian nation he came;
Jeremiah Hubbard was his name.
He preached from Psalm 133, a sermon on unity,
The address being excellent for the community.
Then the Rev. Clarkson Shawley did respnd,
Followed by good remarks by Calvin Bond.
The young people singing songs between,
Now, this is true and just as it was seen.
The number of persons eighty-eight, as stated,
And only ten of the company not related.Upon the table ninety-eight varieties of flowers in bloom,
For this is grandfather's birthday, in June.
And cakes with his name and age were there;
His age so great, it was very rare.
We see him lean upon his cane;
With tottering steps he walks the same,
Upon the lawn, on bright days so fine,
Hale and hearty, but past his time.June twentieth, nineteen hundred and two
Makes grandfather ninety-nine. 'Tis so few
By nature, who live so long as he,
'Tis a lesson in his quiet life we see.
At the home of his great grandson, Joshua A. Ladd,
We gather on his last birthday; all seem glad
To meet, once more to remember his age.
You will see the date written on this page.The day is enjoyed and well spent.
At noon they came with one consent,
To the table where dinner is spread.
By Rev. Clarkson Shawley, Grace is said.With failing health and fast decline,
Grandfather, as we see him from time to time;
His feeble and tottering steps tell of a day,
That time, with him, will not longer delay.
It has been said, "Once a man and twice a child."
His life with us has been long and mild.
With relations, neighbors and friends surrounded,
He almost a century has rounded.It is sad to record and tell of the date;
But his long life and history we relate.
It was December thirty-one, nineteen hundred and two,
That he passed from this old world to the new.
He died in the evening, with a star-lit sky,
With his children and grandchildren sitting by.
It was the end of the day, month and year.
When the call was made, he had no fear.In the golden promises of God, his trust was true.
His Christian faith had carried him through,
To the celestial city in Heaven on high.
In this world we say good-bye.Obituary of William Cook
Whereas it has pleased our Heavenly Father to remove from our homeour beloved father, William Cook, be it resolved, that in the hour of ourbereavement, when we still listen for his feeble footsteps, as we rest bythe fireside where his chair is now vacant, we have the assurance that hedied in the full acceptance of God and a complete victory over death. Howfirm a foundation! Children and grand children had gathered at the oldhomestead to witness the last moments, and when the last breath was gone,his oldest grand daughter lifted up praises to the Father. Now the vigilis over, his days ended. He has passed away in his old age, and left onlythe incense of his memory for us to cherish.
William Cook, oldest son of Joseph and Lydia Cook, was born June20, 1803. Died December 31, 1902, aged 99 years, 6 months and 11 days.His birthplace was Guilford county, North Carolina, from which place hemoved when quite young, being about ten years old, to Wayne county,Indiana, where he grew to manhood.
In 1826 he married Ruth Small, a native of Virginia. She was bornin 1804. They lived in Wayne county until 1848, when they moved theirfamily to Grant county. This union was blessed with 9 children, 3 girlsand 6 boys. The mother and 5 of the children have gone to their reward.Charity, Joseph, Thomas and Nathan W. still survive. At the end of a calmwinter day, under the canopy of a beautiful star-lit twilight, and at theclose of the last day of the year, our beloved friend and relative, whowas in the eve of a century of useful, exalted life, passed from thisearth as peacefully as the leaves are wafted downward by the gentlebreeze at the close of an Autumn day. May the example of his life be tous a model by which we may walk the path of life; so when we are calledto join that innumerable caravan that moves to that mysterious realm, maywe hear the words, "Well done; enter into the joys of thy Lord." He solived on earth, that an enemy was unknown to him, and a falsehood was thesting of an adder. He had the patience and fortitude which could be borneonly by a true disciple of Christ. His faith in God was
demonstrated in his every day walks of life. In his younger days he was afaithful student of the Bible, being a staunch member of the Friendschurch, which he attended twice a week until feeble health prevented.Peace be the memory of our aged one. Calm be his resting place. Sacred bethe trusts which he has committed to our care, and may we so live thatwhen we depart this life we may not hear the words, "Depart, I know yenot."
More About William Cook:
County: 1848, 160 acres, section 32 Franklin township
Lived: 1812, Moved to Wayne Co, IN
Lived: 1848, Moved to Grant Co, IN
Occupation: Shoemaker, farmer
Personality/Intrst: Republican
Residence: Wayne Co, IN, Grant Co, IN
Ethnicity/Relig.: Friends Church
SSN/Sndex: Family Group #26
Sarah Ann Cook was unmarried and lived with her brother, Joseph, untilher death.
Jehu and Mary Pike Cook lived on a farm two miles west of Centerville,Indiana, and were members of Friends Church, West Grove Monthly Meeting.-- One Ladd's Family, Ruth Kline Ladd, 1974.
Jehu and Mary Pike Cook lived on a farm two miles west of Centerville,Indiana, and were members of Friends Church, West Grove Monthly Meeting.-- One Ladd's Family, Ruth Kline Ladd, 1974.
Jesse Bond is said to have built the first house used as a place ofbusiness in Richmond, Indiana. -- One Ladd's Family, Ruth Kline Ladd,1974.