PATRIOT William F. Cook^[1]

Abt 1814 - 1893  (~ 79 years)

• Name	William F. Cook
  Title	PATRIOT
  Born	Abt 1814	Prob. Pittsylvania County, Virginia
  Gender	Male
  Died	15 Apr 1893	Pittsylvania County, Virginia
  Person ID	I547450317	My Reynolds Line
  Last Modified	29 Sep 2023

  
  

  Family	Sarah Abbott,   b. Abt 1820, Prob. Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	Jan 1838	Prob. Pittsylvania Co., VA
  Children	+ 1. Cordelia "Delia" Cook,   b. 27 May 1844, Pittsylvania County, Virginia ,   d. 23 Mar 1921, Staunton River, Virginia  (Age 76 years)
  Last Modified	29 Sep 2023
  Family ID	F518495004	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  A William Cook is found as a Patriot and signed the Oath of Allegiance in 1777. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vapittsy/Oaths.html ******* http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/o/u/Judith-A-Douglas/GENE26-0004.html#CHILD11 Descendants of Harmon Cook of Pittsylvania County Virginia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania ********** Hermann Cook35, 36, 37, 38 was born January 20, 1729/30 in PA39, 40, and died May 10, 1810 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia40, 41. He married Mary Agness on Abt. 1755 in Pennsylvania42, 43. Notes for Hermann Cook: Harmon Cook's plantation house stands on high ground over looking the valleys of Tomahawk, Pye, and Crooked Creeks. On a clear day from a point near the mansion house one can see the Peaks of Otter [Mountain], Smith Mountain, Turkey Cock Mountain, and parts of Franklin, Henry and Bedford Counties. Cook chose one of Pittsylyania's most spectacular vistas as a home site, and well that he should, for it was he who led a band of German immigrants from Pennsylvania down the Valley of Virginia into Pittsylvania County in the late 1760's. Cook became one of the county's largest landholders and a man of enormous wealth. It is said in exaggeration, that he could ride to Callands, an early county seat, without leaving his land. On August 3, 1772, he purchased land that included George Jefferson's "Upper Mill" on Turkey Cock Creek. He kept it until 1777 when he sold it to Samuel Callands. Callands requested in his will that the mill be rented until a daughter came of age. As a result, the mill disappeared from county records before the War of 1812. Harmon Cook and his wife, Agnes Ann, had 3 sons and 3 daughters. His will was recorded May 21, 1810. He bequeathed his property to his three sons, John, Harmon, and Abraham, and to his three daughters, Catherine Wright, Mary Razor, and Nancy Rorer. He was active in county affairs and served in such capacities as estate administrator, juror, and officer in the militia. There is ample evidence that Cook was one of the most dynamic men of his time. To characterize him, one would have to call him a planter, merchant, innkeeper, developer, and miller. He had a store, along with his mill, and Court records show him receiving a retail license after the time of his mill construction. He was also granted a license to operate an ordinary and this is probably where he sold spirits. Cook's acreage was awesome. According to an old survey book, he had 3,519 acres on the above-mentioned home tract. Here was a man of vision and, presumably, it was on this home tract that he planned to build a city. He correctly saw that roads determined the location of towns. Roads were few in Pittsylvania County at the time but his holdings were at an intersection of two of them. The North-South road connected the Danville area with the Anthony's Ford crossing of the Staunton River at what is now Smith Mountain Lake; the East-West road connected the County seat with a crossing of Pigg River near Cook's home. A typed copy of Cook's will is in the Wiseheart/Case genealogy book in the possession of Bonnie Hill. [The] will is recorded in Pittsylvania County, VA, Deed and Will Book 11, Page 337. Bonnie Mae Weber Hill from Betty Moran, 9/19/2000: "I think Peter Sr was probably born closer to 1720 than 1725. In the Orphan's Court Records dated 1761, of Lancaster Co PA (formed from Bucks co), Peter Sr's oldest son, Jacob, was over 18, so born bef 1743. Anthony & Katherine were under 18 but over 14, (b:1744/1747) so allowed to choose their own guardians. And Conrad, Paul, Philip & Peter Jr were all under 14 and guardians were appointed for them. Were you aware that Margaret, widow of Peter Sr remarried? Her 2nd husband was Peter Geffin (or Giffen). In Feb 1756 when she was named as one of the Administrators of Peter's estate, her name was still Margaret Razor. In Sep 1759 she was shown in court records as "Margaret Razor now wife of Peter Giffen". Also Peter Razor Sr MAY have had brothers named Adam & Paul, as they were also named to be Administrators of Peter's estate, along with Margaret and a Michael Luber. Bondsman was Conrad Hess & Wm. Parsons. I have the four younger children of Peter & Margaret in the order in which they were named in the court records - Conrad, Paul, Philip & Peter Jr. We know Paul was born 1750 (from his Rev.War Pension Application), and he was named 2nd of the four younger ones, in the Orphans Court Records of 1761. So he would have been 11 yrs old in 1761. So since Anthony & Katherine were over 14, it's logical that there was a child younger than 14, but older than Paul's age of 11, and Conrad was named in the records before Paul, so I "guesstimated" Conrad's birthdate as 1748, Philips as 1752 & Peter Jr as 1754. Paul Razor's wife Mary Christina Cook, was born as Maria Christina KOCH (German for "Cook") on 13 Dec 1757, according to the First Lutheran Reformed Church records of Lancaster co PA. Her Parents were shown as Hermann KOCH and Mary Agness KOCH (no maiden name given). Hermann Koch (later records show him as Harmon Cook) led a large group of German families from Lancaster co PA, south to settle in Pittsylvania co VA. The first deed recorded in his name in Pittsylvania co VA was on Apr 4, 1769 and was just the first of many, many deeds in his name, buying & selling land, amounting to thousands of acres. In 1782 he purchased seven land patents for a total of 2,780 acres. His land was in the area of Turkey Cock Creek, Pigg River, Frying Pan Creek & Potter's Creek. During the Rev. War he provided equipment, supplies & sustenance for the American Forces. In 1785 he signed a petition "against the established Church, and for equality among all denominations". In 1785 he also signed another petition against the emancipation of slaves. In 1788 he petitioned the General Assembly of VA for a town to be established on his land, but apparently the petition was denied, as the town was never built. Harmon Cook's wife, Mary Agness Cook died sometime after Sep 1796, but before March 1805. In Sep 1796, Harmon Cook sold some land to his son-in-law Abraham Rohrer, with the stipulation that Rohrer could not sell the land until after Harmon's death, and his wife Mary Agness was mentioned in this deed, so she was still alive on this date. But she must have died before March 15, 1805, as Harmon Cook signed a "Pre-Marriage Agreement" on this date, with a widow named Catherine (Aaron) Whitsell. They were married in Sep. 1805. Harmon Cook Sr wrote his will on April 27, 1810, which named his children as Harmon Cook JR, John Cook, Catherine Wright, Mary Razor, Abraham Cook, and Nancy Rohrer. He died on May 10, 1810, and his will was recorded on May 21, 1810. At one time he ran an "ordinary" (or Inn), opened a store & trading post, and a Mill on Tomahawk Creek. (Sources: Court, Tax, Land, Marriage, Probate, Census and Church records) Harmon Cook's original cabin on Tomahawk Creek in Pittsylvania co VA, is still standing. His son Harmon Jr inherited it, and left it to his son Harmon III, then to his son Eusebius H. Cook, and to his son Henry Birch Cook. In 1955 Henry Birch Cook sold it to a nephew S.D. Reynolds, who later sold it to a Mr. & Mrs. Richard Stroud, who still owned it in 1999. Somewhere along the line someone had installed a white siding material on the outside of the cabin. But the Strouds have removed the siding, to expose the original logs. The inside still has the original pine floors and walls. To see the cabin, starting at Chatham, VA, go west on Rte. 57 for 5 miles to Rte 799. Turn right on Rte.799 for a distance of 3.5 miles to Rte. 649. Go left on Rte.649 for 4 miles to Rte.783 (Tomahawk Creek Rd). Turn right on Rte. 783, and go 1 mile. The Harmon Cook home will be on the right." http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/o/g/Richard-W-Boggs-jr/GENE1-0011.html Notes for Harmon Cook: Harmon Cook came from Pennsylvania to Virginia with a wife and children, some of whom were already married. His first wife was Mary Agness and they had 6 children. He married second Catherine Aaron in 1805. (No children). She was previously married to John Whitmel (surname also reported as Whitesell) on July 25, 1778 in Pittsylvania Co., Va. His first land purchase was in Pittsylvania Co., Va. on 4 April 1769. Land records circa 1810 indicate he had a total of 3519 acres on the home tract. Another report indicated an estate of 4897 acres including the home tract. The home plantation was Herman on Tomahawk Creek, near Museville in Pittsylvania Co., Va. not far from the Franklin Co. boundary line. As of June 30, 1999, it was still there in good condition on the outside but with windows boarded up and photographs were taken by his 5th Great-Grandson, Beverley Brooks Cavender. Page 7848 of Gertrude C. Mann genealogical collections (volumes found in Franklin County Public Library behind Courthouse in Rocky Mount, Va.) where it is stated: Harmon Cook b. circa 1730 was one of 9 children born to Thomas Cook and Pamelia Bolling. This writer has found no evidence of those parents as yet. Harmon Cook, Sr. is listed in "Heads of Families, Pittsylvania County, VA in 1782, page 41, as the head of a household with 7 white souls and 12 slaves; also in the First Census of the United States, Pittsylvania Co., VA 1790 with 6 white souls, 2 dwellings and 4 other buildings. He brought settlers from the State of Pennsylvania to Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He purchased large tracts of land on Tomahawk Creek and Pigg River and on October 28, 1778, he petitioned the Virginia General Assembly for a town to be established on his lands in Pittsylvania Co., Va. The town of Cooksburg never materialized, however, a Cooksburg Road is still in existence over 200 years later. Harmon Cook, Sr. was quite a colorful figure of his time, an industrious and economical German, who wore a high stovepipe hat on his rides around his part of the county. He could ride from his home place to Callands without leaving his own property. He was a tireless promoter in recruiting more settlers and made numerous trips back to Pennsylvania for that purpose. In addition, he operated an inn, opened a store and trading post, and built a mill on Tomahawk Creek. One of his recruits was Abram Rorer, a young Swiss who married Harmon's daughter, Nancy. This Abram Rorer became the progenitor of the Rorer family in the Pittsylvania Co., Va. area. Harmon, Sr. Anglicized his German surname Koch to Cook. He was quite active in real estate acquisitions in the 1780's with a page in an old survey book devoted to work done for Harmon Kook. (sic) Much has been written in books, stories and newspapers about Harmon Cook. The is a confusion in some of the accounts as there were five different Harmon Cooks, each in five successive generations. There is a tendency to combine generations, even among family descendants. One writer stated Harmon, Sr. built this home for his wife, Susannah Ramsey. It was Harmon, Jr. who married Susannah Ramsey and he and Susannah moved into the home after Harmon, Sr.'s second wife, Catherine Aaron (also known as Catherine Whitesell), died. Another writer states Harmon, Jr. willed the old home place to his son, Ucebrus Cook. However, Harmon, Jr. did not have a son by that name. Harmon Cook, III was next to occupy the home and he willed it to his son, Eusebius (as opposed to Ucebrus) H. Cook, who died and was buried behind the home in 1928. Therefore, this should preclude the combining of even another generation nearly lost. Harmon Cook, Sr. was a most dynamic individual and county leader. He was to serve as an officer in the Militia, a juror, an estate administrator, miller, merchant, innkeeper, planter and developer. The other Harmon Cooks did not leave such an illustrious trail other than being born, marrying and dying. Exhibit: Typewritten copy of Harmon Cook's will under Generation 1, Cook Exhibits Book Children of Harmon Cook and Mary Turk are: i. Mary Christina Cook535,536, born December 13, 1757 in Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania537,538; died Aft. 1840 in Shelby, County, Kentucky539,540; married Paul Razor September 12, 1777 in Pittsylvania, Virginia541,542; born Abt. 1750 in North Hampton, Pennsylvania543,544; died WFT Est. 1799-1842545,546. ii. Abraham Cook547,548, born Abt. 1760 in Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania549,550; died Aft. May 10, 1810551,552 iii. Captain John Cook553,554, born 1756 in Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania555,556; died Aft. 1787557,558; married Sally ?. Notes for Captain John Cook: John Cook was appointed captain of the militia during the years 1767 to 1770. (Source: Page 99, "The History of Pittsylvania Co., VA" by Maud Carter Clement, Baltimore, Regional Publishing Co., 1987)

  
  

• Sources

  [S46] Marriage Record/Certificate. Biography of Christine Reynolds Stone REYNOLDS, Bartlett, age 21, single, occupation Farmer, son of William and Elizabeth Reynolds to Cadelia M. Cook, age 19, single, daughter of W.F. Cook. 29 September 1863. Married by William J. Penick. http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/pittsylvania/vitals/marriages/60-69r.txt