Cook, Davis & Palmer Families TN, MS & AR
?In Yalobusha County (MS) History (1982), the Cook family history stories list John (21 Feb 1821-
7 Dec 1900) and Rufus F. Cook (20 Oct 1826-14 Apr 1896) coming to MS as single men, while
another brother, Allison, stopped at Memphis, TN (Shelby County).I believe that the other brother
is Austin M. Cook (c. 1828-aft 1870) in Shelby County, TN.
Rufus’ first marriage was to Elizabeth M. Davis (1832-1855) on 4 Dec 1849 in Marshall County, MS.
There were two children from this marriage: John Austin Cook (24 Oct 1850-24 Nov 1918), and
Francis M. Cook (13 Dec 1852-23 May 1928).Francis is listed (as Frances M., born 12 Dec 1852)
in the Yalobusha MS history, but he does not show on the 1860 census with Rufus, so I originally
assumed that he was deceased.However, he does show up in Rufus’ will as a surviving son.
Somewhere, I saw a story that granny Davis took Francis to live with her.The 1860 census for
Caroline Twp, Prairie (later Lonoke), AR shows an E. Davis (female), b. 1794 in SC, living with
Francis Cook, b. 1852 in MS; living next to them is Edmund M. Davis, apparently the brother of
Elizabeth M. Davis, since he was living with Rufus & Elizabeth on the 1850 census in Marshall
County, MS.Francis’ date of birth on his death certificate is one day different than the date shown
in the Yalobusha County history.So the story appears to be true.I assume that granny died after
1860 in Lonoke County, AR since Francis spent the rest of his life there.Does anyone have any
further info on granny E. Davis and her husband?
Rufus, second marriage was to Mary Jane Mabry on 17 Aug 1856 in Tallahatchie County, MS.
Austin M. Cook, listed in the first paragraph, married Mary M. Palmer (bc. 1832) on 2 Dec 1850 in
Shelby County, TN.
Edmund M. Davis (28 Jun 1833-13 Apr 1884)(someone had his middle name listed as “Mitchener”,
but I have no documentation of it), listed in the second paragraph, married Susan D. Palmer (25 Feb
1838-14 Oct 1918) on 8 Oct 1853 in Shelby County, TN.
The Palmer girls were both daughters of Amasa D. & Elizabeth Rooker Palmer, so believe that this
sufficiently ties together the Cook and Davis families.Does anyone have info going further back?