John d 1743 Brunswick VA NOT s/o Wm & Joan (Roper) or John & Hannah (Jones)
Many researchers have claimed that the John Cooke who died testate in Brunswick Co VA in 1743 leaving a widow Diana and several children was a son either of William Cooke and Joan Roper or of his son John and Hannah Jones.
There is enough known about Johnthat is seems quite safe to declare that he was NOT a son of John Cooke who made his will in 1711 Surry Co VA, naming John as his first son.
Consider these facts found in records:
---After John’s death his widow Diana requested the local churchwardens to bind out her three youngest minor sons: James, Reuben and Nathaniel.
---The only other son mentioned in the will was Richard, who received 139 acres, clearly the eldest son.
---It is known, by Bristol Parish register records,that son Richard was born to John and Diana in July 1728.
---None of the three daughters mentioned in John’s will were married in 1743.
The conclusion is that John married Diana in probably about 1726 and thus was born probably in about 1700.
The exception to those conclusions would be if John had an earlier wife by whom he had no children, or did have children, none of whom were mentioned in John’s will.
John and Robert Cooke are found in court records together in such a way that it appears they were working together in a mercantile business,and,in my own opinion, were brothers.Robert died in early 1748, also in Brunswick Co.
I would very much like to hear from others interested in either John or Robert, or any of the southern Virginia Cook / Cookes.
Graham Louer<<
Plano TX