There is a Serious Error in Robert Witt’s Book
... concerning the alleged parents of Robert and Reubin Cook / Cooke.
Maybe not an “error” so much as a conclusion made from misleading and insufficient evidence.
There is a book titled, I am told, "The Isle of Wight Cooks: Some Descendants of Richard Cook ca 1557-1598, Bristol, England” by Robert W. Witt, a frequent and helpful contributor to this forum.
I admitedly have not read the book, but the author himself has sent me one small passage from the book that I must strongly object to its correctness.
At some point in the book, sorry I can’t pinpoint the page, Mr. Witt discusses Robert Cook who died in 1748 in Brunswick Co VA as follows, per the quote he sent to me:
“Here is what I have in the book:
‘A Robert Cook is associated with John, Jr., in several transactions in Brunswick County, and I have confirmed that he is not of the line of Abraham Cook, the other Cook line in Brunswick at that time.Robert mentions his brother Reubin in his will; I have thus included both as sons of
John.’ “
The “John”that Mr Witt refers to at the end of that paragraph is the John Cooke / Cook Sr who married Hannah (Jones), and who made his will in, I believe, about 1711.
John Sr did NOT mention either Robert or Reubin in that will,although he did mention other sons.
So it is that I protest that “several”---I counted only one---transactions in Brunswick Co VA between “a” John Cook, who incidently was NOT styled as Jr in the transaction,and “a” Robert Cook do not constitute sufficient evidence to declare that Robert and Reubin were sons of John and Hannah (Jones).
It may be a different John than John and Hannah’s son John in that transaction, and the Robert in that single transaction in early 1739 may not be the same one who died in that county in 1748.
I cannot comment on the rest of Mr Witt’s book, not having read it,but I caution interested readers that there seems to be ABSOLUTELY NO PROOF that Robert and his brother Reubin were sons of John and Hannah, and very good reason to think that they were not sons of that couple .... though I admittedly do not know who the parents of Robert and Reubin were .... wish I did.
Readers are welcome to contact me for further information, or to correct me if they think I am wrong, or to add to my insufficient information about Robert or Reubin, or any other in this “case”.
Thank you,
Graham Louer<<
Plano TX
Married 60 years November '11