Peter Cooke (abt. 1674 - 1713)

Born about 1674 in Tarvin, Cheshire, England

Husband of Elinor (Norman) Cook — married 7 Dec 1695 in Newton Friends Meeting House, Cheshire, England

Descendants

Died 1713 at about age 39 in At sea, sailing for America

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Note: this profile has suffered from random edits and additions which do not follow WikiTree guidelines. It has been adopted by a Quaker Project leader and has been revised. At this time please place any new information, questions or concerns in the Comments field below the profile. Thank you. T Stanton, Leader, Quakers Project (and 8th ggs of Peter Cooke)

Biography

Peter was a Friend (Quaker)

Peter Cook (seen Cooke in most English records) was born about 1674 and lived at Tarvin, Cheshire, England. His parents and specific point of origin are undocumented. One research paper^[1] states that he was a blacksmith citing Albert Myers in NEHGR, however, Myers does not give the occupation of Peter.^[2]

He married Elinor Norman of Kingsley, Cheshire in late 1695. The dating of the marriage contract is difficult to decipher but appears to be dated 7 Dec 1695 (10th mo called December)^[3] and is signed by 32 witnesses. Futhey & Cope give the same marriage information and offer confirmation of other details supported elsewhere by primary sources including that Peter died at sea during the voyage to the colony.^[4]

The family lived at Travin when first son John was born, possibly at Kingsley when Mary was born in 1698, and at Northwich from at least 1700 until sailing for the colonies. The locations are supported by the birth records in Quaker meeting minutes. The birth of Mary at Kingsley (Elinor's place of origin at marriage) is seen but so far without documentation. Albert Myers gives Mary's birth as in Tarvin^[2] but she does not seem to be in the meeting records of births.

Peter Cook applied for a certificate of removal for himself and his family at Frandley monthly meeting on 3 Mar 1713.^[2] Albert Myers states there is no further mention of the certificate in the Frandley minutes but it appears to have been issued since it was presented in the colony. After Peter's decease, the certificate was accepted from Elinor by Chester Monthly Meeting on 29 Mar 1714.^[5]

The burial records of Philadelphia monthly meeting contain an entry for May 25, 1713 for Samuel Cook, son of ______ Cook who died at sea, and Elinor his wife. Evidently Peter Cook died at sea and his infant son, Samuel, died soon after the family's arrival in Philadelphia. Since the date of the certificate of removal was 3 Jan 1713 and Samuel's burial record was dated 25 May 1713, Peter died somewhere between 3 Jan and 25 May 1713.

Children

• John - 1696 7 2, born at Tarvin^[6]
• Mary - 1698 9 12, born at Kingsley^{[citation needed]}, died 9 Jan 1701 at Northwich, buried on 14 Jan 1701^[7] (Note: Myers gives her place of birth as Tarvin)^[2]
• Peter - 1700 10 4, born at Northwich^[6]
• Isaac - 1702 10 18, born at Northwich^[6]
• Thomas (twin) - 1704 8 29, born at Northwich^[6]
• Abraham (twin) - 1704 8 29, born at Northwich^[6], d 14 Nov 1704 aged 17 days.^[7]
• Elinor - 1707 3 22, born at Northwich^[6]
• Mary - 1709 3 22, born at Northwich^[6]
• Samuel - 1712 2 23, born at Northwich^[6], buried 26 Jul 1712 at Philadelphia^[8]

Research Notes

Buried on 25 May 1713, at sea, Atlantic Ocean. Apparently died of smallpox on board ship en route to Pennyslvania.

Death at sea, in 1713 the standard operating procedure was to bring the body to port and report it. Peter was not brought to port and Elinor arrived in Philadelphia alone with seven children. It is possible Peter was sick and died aboard ship, but to still not bring the body in, smallpox immedeately comes to mind. --rlciii

Passenger-lists between Pennsylvania and England, between 1700 - 1750, including ship's logs, manifests and whatever other records kept at the time, probably including what happened to Peter. . . In 1814, all were lost when the British burned the Customs House and most of Washington DC at the end of the War of 1812. The records were originally housed in Philadelphia, but at the outset of the war, it was thought the records would be safer in D.C., so they moved them. --rlciii

Trying to imagine what it would be like to arrive in the new world, alone with seven children ages 15mos. to 17yrs. is a scary thought. However, I think Peter had a contact in the new world. I found a friend Joseph Helsby from Kingsley, where Elinor Norman was from. Joseph signed Peter's 1695 marriage certificate and he brought his wife to the new world (Philadelphia) two years earlier in 1711. --rlciii

March 3, 1713.........At Frodsham Parish, Peter declares his intention to emigrate to Pennsylvania.

March 31, 1713.......Frandley MM, Frodsham, Cheshire, England, Peter is given the money collected for their voyage and the Cook's depart from (Liverpool) England for America.

Abt April 1713......From unknown causes Peter dies aboard ship, weeks from Philadelphia.

Abt May 1713.........Elinor Cook and children arrive in Philadelphia.

July 26, 1713.........Samuel Cook, age 15 months, dies within weeks/months of their arrival and was buried on this date at Philadelphia MM. Records from the Philadelphia MM, under "burials", state: "Samuel Cook son of _____ Cook who dyed at sea and Elinor his wife."

James Logan, secretary and representative of William Penn. In a memorandum, written by James Logan, for the Commissioners of Property of Philadelphia in August 1713 states: "Granted to Elinor Cook a poor widow lately arrived from England 100 acres of land in Chester County." (Uwchlan Twp.)

March 29, 1714...Elinor presents a certificate of removal from Frandley MM, Frodsham, Cheshire, England to Chester MM, held at Providence, Chester Co., Pennsylvania [1mo 29, 1714]

September 1714....Elinor (nee' Norman) Cook and John Fincher are married.

1715 - 1716............Elinor's land in Uwchlan Twp., Chester county is abandon. The Cook's moved to John Fincher's home in Goshen Twp. and later moved to Londongrove Twp., where Elinor cared for thirteen children, yet was still very active in meeting matters.

Aft 1726-Bef 1728...Elinor fades from all records and assumed died.

COOK, Peter, of Tarvin, Cheshire, England, married, 10, 7, 1695, Elinor Norman, of Kingsley, at Newton, in Cheshire, and had the following children, of whom the first was born at Tarvin, the second at Kingsley, and the rest at Norwich, in Cheshire: John, b. 7, 2, 1696; Mary, b. 9, 12, 1698; Peter, b. 10, 4, 1700; Isaac, b. 10, 18, 1702; Thomas and Abraham, b. 8, 29, 1704; Elinor, b. 3, 22, 1707; Mary, b. 3, 22, 1709; Samuel, b. 2, 23, 1712. The name in England appears to have been written Cooke. This family embarked for America soon after the birth of the youngest child, but the father died on the voyage or shortly after their arrival. The widow produced a certificate to Chester Monthly Meeting, 1, 29, 1714, and in that year was married to John Fincher, with whom she removed with her children to Londongrove.^[4]

Elinor (Norman) Cook Fincher is believed to be buried in an unmarked grave at London Grove Friends Meeting in London Grove twp., Chester Co., Pennsylvania --rlciii

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestors & Family of J. Alvin Hardin by Massey & Hardin, typescript, p 138
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} NEHGR, 52:478 $ubscription image
3. ↑ Description: Piece 1256: Quarterly Meeting of Cheshire and Staffordshire: Cheshire (1667-1721). Partial transcription: "Whereas Petr Cooke of Tarvin in ye County of Chesr. Blacksmith and Elinor Norman of Kingsley in ye sd County Spinster Having declared their intentions of marriage before severall publick meetings of the People of God called Quakers in ye aforesd County according to the good order used amongst them whose proceedings therein after a deliberate consideration thereof were approved of by the sd meetings They appearing clear of all others having consent of Parties and Relations concerned…" were married 10mo. 7 (called December) 1695 in their Publick Meeting Place at Newton in the aforesd County of Chesr." Peter Cooke Elinor Cooke (her mark)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Futhey & Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Everts, Philadelphia, 1881, p 500-01
5. ↑ Certificates Rec'd At Chester MM 1681-1750, The Literary Era, V:377, 1898
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7} The National Archives; Kew, England; General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials; Class: RG 6; Quarterly Meeting of Cheshire and Staffordshire: Cheshire (1631-1799) Piece: 1035, pages are by year of birth
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} The National Archives; Kew, England; General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials; Class: RG 6; Piece: 1037
8. ↑ Philadelphia Monthly Meeting Births and Burials, 1686-1807. Swarthmore, Quaker Meeting Records. Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

• Albert Cook Myers Collection - Chester County Historical Society (Elinor (Norman) Cook Fincher is believed to be buried in an unmarked grave at London Grove Friends Meeting in London Grove twp., Chester Co., Pennsylvania)