Pg 08d L1
This document was written by Helen Cook Atkinson(08) in Hawley Pa about 1890.
Information with respect to other family members has been included on their individual pages.
One family story that is focused on is "The Silver Spoon"
Part I:
When Capt Wadsworth hid the charter of Connecticut in his cellar, which he did previous to
his concealing it in the Oak, he was assisted by his daughter who held a candle to light him.
His daughter was Hannah Wadsworth) This was in 1685 or 1686. This daughter
afterward became the first Mrs. Cook (marring Lieut Aaron Cooke in 1715) and from
this pair we are directly descended. Captain Wadsworth's shoe buckles were large and
sterling silver. After his death, the thrifty Mrs. Cook had them made into 6 very small
teaspoons. They were afterward marked with the letters "H.C." for my great Aunt
Miss Hannah Cook(06) who died in Franklin NY. in 1844, unmarried.
(These spoons, inherited by Miss. Hannah Cook from her Grandmother Hannah Wadsworth
(Cooke), descended to Miss Fannie Cook and Ann Austin, both of Franklin N. Y., and then
Helen Cook Atkins of Hawlet PA., who also owned (a) beveled mirror Joseph Wadsworth,
"Charter Oak Joe" gave to his daughter upon her marriage to Lieut Aaron Wadsworth
Harriett C. L.)
Jonathan Trumbull, who was the governor of CT when the Declaration of Independence was
signed, and who was one of its chief promoters, was also descended from the same source,
and was a relation of my grand-fathers. He was a wise and able man. George Washington
nicknamed him "Brother Jonathan" a name which has become a typical word for a
yankee.
The one relic of heirloom my father preserved was a brass pocket compass. This used to be
kept in the old clock on the mantle, and when father wound the clock on a Sunday night, he
would once in a while take it down, unscrew the top, and we little ones would gaze with
awe upon the mysterious needle. Father would say, as he put it up, "That belonged to
my grandfather and he was a sailor." His name was William Cook(5); he was English or
the son of an Englishman, and very tall and of massive frame.
(William Cook, called "the seven-foot sailor," 5th generation; Lieut Aaron Cook,
4th Capt Aaron Cook, 3rd Capt Aaron Cook, 2nd Major Aaron Cook, 1st emigrant and Founder
H.C.L.)
Tradition says he was seven feet in height. My grandfather, Jacob Cook was born in
Harwinton, Litchfield County CT in 1767. His family were Presbyterians, patriotic and
loyal. He married Hanna Ames, who was nearly a dozen years younger than himself. The
Ames were a Tory family, clinging to Church and King. Hanna Ames Cook was tall and straight
and handsome - dark brilliant eyes and finely molded hands. In 1817 they left a
comfortable home and went to the "far west" Delaware County N. Y. (Going west is
a hereditary disease.) They had little money and had to work hard.
Grandfather became lame and broken down but she had pluck and energy for both. She
helped him pay for his farm, acquire considerable property, bore him nine sons, contrived
to have them learn all they possibly could with their meagre opportunities and herself
taught them the Westminister Catechism, every Sunday afternoon. Besides doing her
housework, and diary work, she did not disdain to "help the boys" and would
even sweep over the burnt log heaps that they might gather the ashes to sell at ten cents
a bushel. She died in 1873, full of years and honor, aged 94 years.
Part 2.
Eight sons of Jacob and Hannah Ames Cook grew to manhood, stalwart in body and of
excellent good sense, and respected by their neighbors. My father was the 3rd son, born in
Conn. 1808. He was nine years old when they came to NY. but he was all his life long a
New England man and a puritan. He was well built strong and dark, with fine eyes, slow in
movement and speech. He was scrupulously honorable, never forgetting to correct a mistake
in his own favor. He said little about religion, but lived it. He was seldom angry but
when he was his wrath was white hot. He was very fond of reading the Bible, choosing the
historical or poetical portions of the Old Testament. When we were youngsters and thought
someone had done him an injury or spoken ill of him, or if such a thing happened to
ourselves, and we wanted to "Pay back" and "get even" he would say
"Two wrongs never made a right," a motto he was immovable. His word was our law.
He died of fever in 1864, age 56.
(From 99-a-01 ABC Pdgre,see Front Page)
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