John "Butcher" COOKE

Notes:

"John Cooke alias Butcher" was made a freeman of Portsmouth, RI, on 10 July 1648 at the age of 18. In March 1656/57 he signed as one of the purchasers of Conanicut Island (Jamestown). On 14 May 1660 his parents deeded to him 60 acres of land in Portsmouth. He was a grand juryman at the Court of Trials in 1667, 1669, and 1673. His name appears in many official records of the time period.

See his will dated at Portsmouth on 15 May 1691, proved 25 May 1691. The will describes John as aged. He names four sons and seven daughters, plus one granddaughter: John, Joseph, Thomas (probably the one who married Mary Cory, b. 1669), Samuel, Mary (Mrs. William Manchester; these are our ancesters), Elizabeth (Mrs. William Briggs), Sarah (Mrs. Thomas Wait), Hannah (Mrs. Daniel Wilcox), Martha (Mrs. William Cory), Deborah (Mrs. William Almy), Amy (Mrs. David Clayton), and granddaughter Sarah Manchester, plus six other unnamed daughters (or granddaughters, or daughters-in-law).

According to the book "Thomas Cooke of Rhode Island," he died of smallpox.

John married Mary BORDEN Abt 1652. Mary (daughter of Richard BORDEN and Joan FOWLE) was born Abt Jan 1632/33, Cranbrook, Kent, England; was christened 13 Jan 1632/33, Cranbrook, Kent, England; died 23 Dec 1690, Portsmouth, RI. [Group Sheet]

1. Elizabeth COOK was born Abt 1653.
2. Mary COOK was born Abt 1654, Portsmouth, RI; died Aft Jul 1725, Portsmouth, RI.
3. John Cook was born Abt 1657.
4. Sarah Cook was born Abt 1659.
5. Hannah COOK was born Abt 1661.
6. Joseph Cook was born Abt 1663.
7. Thomas Cook was born Abt 1665.
8. Deborah COOK was born Abt 1667.
9. Martha Cook was born Abt 1669.
10. Amy Cook was born Abt 1671.
11. Samuel Cook was born Abt 1674.

Notes:

Thomas Cooke, his wife, and 3 children came to America in 1637, sailing from Weymouth, Dorset, England on the ship Speedwell. They first settled in Taunton, MA (at least by 1639), where in 1643 Thomas took the freeman's oath of fidelity.

Records seem to indicate that Thomas had two wives, both named Mary. The first Mary was the mother of his children, and signed deeds with a mark, not a signature. By contrast, the second Mary signed deeds with a neat signature, so was likely more educated. It is quite possible that she was Mary Shearman, daughter of Secretary of the Colony of Rhode Island, Philip Shearman (our ancestor). Also, the second Mary was probably much younger than Thomas, since she outlived him and remarried, having many more years in that marriage.

I have gone along with this assumption and entered her name as Mary Shearman (see "Thomas Cooke of RI" Vol. I, p. 13, by Jane Fletcher Fiske).

Another source says Thomas was born in 1603 at Karl's Colne, County of Essex, England, and that he came to America in 1635. This other source says his son George was b.1633, and that Thomas also had a daughter Sarah b. 1632.

Thomas married Mary Unknown Abt 1625, England. Mary was born Abt 1605; died Abt 1670. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Jeremiah had two wives, both named Mary. It is believed that his first wife was the mother of his children.

Notes:

Thomas is referred to as both Butcher and Cooke. He most likely married first, to a wife whose name is now unknown; a Mrs. Thomas Cooke died 8 Jan 1598.

Thomas married Joanna Unknown 1599, England. [Group Sheet]