David V. Putnam - Patent No. 327018 - Car-Coupling(1885)

My search for David V Putnam(1831-1905) in Full-Text search returned a newspaper listing of persons who had been granted a patent.  David is the son of William Putman and his wife, Anna.  

Newspaper Article Text:

Tennessee Patents.
Patents were granted yesterday to the following named Tennesseans:
John Johnson, Memphis, shovel;
Samuel Killebrew, Brownsville, hame fastener;
Jacob D. McKenney and T.W. Brown, Chattanooga, cartridge loader;
David V. Putnam, Nolansville, car-coupling;
Charles W. Taylor, Gallatin, hand motion for sewing machines.

"Tennessee Patents" Nashville Banner(Tennessee), 30 September 1885, Vol 10, No 148, p 4, col 4; images, Ancestry(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-Q3R9-YV4W : accessed 7 May 2025) IGN 8966262, Image 752 of 756.

Using the information from the paper, I went looking for an entry for David V Putnam

in the Patent Records on Ancestry.  Below is the first paragraph of the patent description.

David V. Putnam, of Nolensville, Tennessee
Car-Coupling.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,018 dated September 29, 1885.
Application filed August 11, 1884.


To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, David V. Putnam, a
citizen of the United States, residing at No
lensville, in the county of Williamson, and
State of Tennessee have invented a new and
valuable Improvement in Car-Couplers, of
which the following is a full, clear, and exact
description, reference being made to the an-
nexed drawings, making a part of this speci-
fication, and to the letters of reference marked
thereon.

There is a copy of the drawing and the full patent on Ancestry.com

"U.S., Patent and Trademark Office Patents", 1790–1909, David V. Putnam, Patent No. 327,018 (1885), Car-Coupling; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1314/images/31082_18853270-18001 : accessed 7 May 2025), images 55–57 of 332; citing United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html : 2008).

The Troubled Life of Kate Pruner

The tale of Kate Pruner—where do I start? 

I believe she was the daughter of William Pruner and Elizabeth Parsons. Her story takes place in the Pennsylvania counties of Mifflin & Dauphin. My research into George Solifelt led me to her. She and George likely married around 1861. George enlisted for three months in April 1861, so they may have met and married during his first enlistment. He enlisted a total of three times, using aliases during the first two: George Sullivan and Theodore Sullivan.

By June 1868, Kate petitioned for divorce in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This initiated a divorce by publication, with notices running through December. The notice instructed George to appear on the third Monday in January at the Harrisburg Court of Common Pleas. No record of the court’s ruling has been found—yet.

Image created using ChatGPT

In June 1870, Kate appeared in Mayor’s Court for keeping a bawdy and disorderly house.  The following year, she was arrested on a drunk and disorderly charge. By 1873, her name was turning up frequently in similar reports. One article referred to her as a demi-rep (a woman of doubtful reputation) who had “imbibed too much benzine.” She continued to appear in newspapers for related offenses, and in June 1889, she was actually convicted of keeping a bawdy house.  She used several aliases, including:

• Kate Cunningham
• Kate Kerns
• Kate Tippery

Kate appears to have a son named George—possibly born during her marriage to George Solifelt.  He is enumerated with her in 1870. It’s unclear whether this is the same son mentioned, though not by name, in one of the accounts of her death and news about people who had inquired about her estate. The elder George served time in Eastern & Western Penitentiary for highway robbery  1870-1871) I have not found Kate in the 1880 or 1900 census records.

.

Her death drew attention in newspapers across the country because it was so odd. The article below is a transcription of one that ran in the Wilkes-Barre Times.

HARRISBURG.—Two women, who had been dead in their home for 48 hours, were found Friday night by the police. They were Mrs. Annie Bear, 73 years old, and Mrs. Kate Soliffet, aged 68 years. The women lived together, and the last seen of them alive was on Wednesday night when they closed the house. Friday evening the neighbors notified the police of the women’s absence and the door was broken in. Mrs. Solifelt was found dead in bed from the effect of an overdose of morphia. Mrs. Bear was found partly dressed on a chair, sitting by a window on the second floor. The theory is that Mrs. Soliffet died first, and that Mrs. Bear’s death was caused by heart disease as the result of sudden fright over her companion’s death.

Source: “Pennsylvania Briefs,” Wilkes-Barre Times, 30 Nov 1901, p. 4, col. 4; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/wilkes-barre-times-death-of-kate-solifel/171673558/ : accessed 4 May 2025).

Did her divorce get finalized? I’m not sure. George remarried in 1893 to a woman named Mary or Mollie while he was living in the south(Arkansas, Mississippi, & Texas). He and Mary were enumerated in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, in the 1900 census—a year before Kate’s death. George had returned to Pennsylvania to resolve an issue with his U.S. Civil War pension. Ironically, he wrote to the Office of the Register of Wills protesting any will filed and claiming to be Kate’s husband. If true, then he was also a bigamist.

I still haven’t found Kate’s death certificate, but one of the accounts of her death said she was to be buried in the Paxtang Cemetery in Dauphin County, PA, on May 2nd, 1901. A FindAGrave entry was created for her with a misspelling of Solifelt, but when I contacted the cemetery, they could not find her in the records. Her grave was likely never marked. I would also like to locate the court proceedings from her divorce and her entries in the 1880 and 1900 censuses. 

Stories like Kate’s remind us that while we often refer to the past as "the good old days," the truth is more complicated. There were still tragedies, heartbreak, pain, and greed. In many ways, the struggles people faced then are not so different from those we face now.

1939 Dean Family Reunion--Bedford County TN

Dean Reunion Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Henry were
hosts of the Dean reunion Sunday at
their home. The guests carried din-
ner and with the hosts portion of the
dinner it was served on the lawn at
noon picnic style. Those in attend-
ance were Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Dean
and daughters, Helen, Peggy Ann
and son, H. P. Jr., of Chicago, Mr.
and Mrs. H. M. Rives and son from
Birmingham, Ala., Mr. and Mrs. T.
C. Dean of Goldsboro, N. C., Mr. and
Mrs. W. B. Jakes and children of Old
Hickory, Miss Florence Nelson of
Nashville, Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Lee
and daughters of Manchester, Mr. and
Mrs. J. H. Jenkins and children, Mrs.
Emanda Moore and children, Mr. and
Mrs. J. B. Morton and Eldridge Mor-
ton, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Morton and
daughter and Jim Snelling of War-
trace; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clark and
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Neal of Shelby
ville; Mrs. Maude Shriver and sons,
Roy Hazel, Charles and Sam Shriver
of Chicago, Ill. Jim Morton of War-
trace offered the invocation at the
dinner.

Source:  

"Dean Reunion Sunday," Bedford County Times(Shelbyville,Tennessee), 7 Jul 1939, Vol 53, No 64, p 5, col 3; image, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-13TS-YGH9 : accessed 2 May 2025), IGN 008992178, image 511 of 989. 

Most of the attendees are descendants of Pleasant A. Dean(1840-1913) & Nannie Nelson(1865-1925)

There also seems to be a concentrated number of railroad workers among them.  Will & Georgia hosted the Dean Family Reunion in 1941.

Wm B & Georgia Dean Jakes

Mr. & Mrs. Dewey Henry

Dewey L. Henry & wife, Jimmie Frances Dean Henry

Mr. & Mrs. H. P Dean and daughters

This is Herbert Pleasant Dean and Virgie Ann McAdams Dean, along with their children Helen Dean, Peggy Ann Dean, and Herbert P Dean Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. H.M. Rives and son

This is Harry M Rives and  Salena Catherine Dean Rives. I'm not sure which son, though it would seem that it is likely to be one of the two youngest who are not yet married- John Herbert Rives or Harry Clayton Rives.  Joe Ernest Rives is married

Mr. & Mrs. T. C. Dean

Thomas Clayton Dean & wife Alice Lurline Prather Dean.

Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Jakes and children

William Bryan Jakes & Georgia Dean, and their son William Bryan Jakes and daughter Lula Pauline Jakes

Miss Florence Nelson

I haven't figured out her connection yet but think it's likely through Nannie Nelson Dean.

Mr and Mrs. T. L. Lee and daughters

I believe this is Thomas Logan Lee and his wife Maggie Ragan. and their Daughters : Catherine and Jo-Ann

Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Jenkins and children

James H Jenkins & Eva Dean Jenkins

Mrs. Amanda Jenkins Moore and her children

Amanda is the married daughter of James & Eva Dean Jenkins.  Their children are Mary, Bobby, Dorothy, and James

Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Morton and Eldridge Morton

James Robert "Bob" Morton and Lady Bell Koonce with son Eldridge Morton/

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Morton and daughter 

Ralph is the younger son of J.B. & Lady Bell  Koonce Morton.  Husband of Hazel Appleby. Ralph & Hazel's daughter is Dorothy Morton.

Jim Snelling

Unsure which Jim Snelling this was, but both were descendants of Lemuel Snelling and Sarah King.  Lemuel and Sarah were Pleasant's maternal Grandparents.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clark 

Henry Harris Clark and wife, Josephine Merritt Clark

Mr. and Mrs. Lester Neal

Lester and Lorena Henry Neal

Mrs. Maude Shriver and sons, Roy, Charles, and Sam Shriver & Hazel 

Maude McAdams Shriver, sister of Virgie Ann McAdams Dean(wife of  Herbert Pleasant Dean)

Daughter Hazel's name was included in the middle of the listing of the sons in the article.

SNGF--My 3rd Cousin DNA matches Descendants of 2nd Grandparents

 The Saturday Night Genealogy Fun from Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings

1)  How many autosomal DNA matches do you have descended from your eight 2nd-great-grandparents (they would be your third cousins)?  Do you know how they are related to you?  Have you corresponded with them?  Why are your numbers high or low?

2)  Share the number of your autosomal DNA matches for each of your 2GGP, and answer my questions above.

My 3rd Cousin Descendants of my Great Grandparents

I've got a lot of matches that descend from my 2nd Grandparents, but they are not all my 3rd cousins. My parents were both the next-to-youngest ones in their family, and although I am the oldest of 5, my parents didn't have children until Dad was almost 40 and Mom was almost 30.  Because of this, I have many 3C1R, 3C2R, 3C3R, and 2C1R who are descendants of my 3rd Great Grandparents. For the purpose of this exercise, I have included only the 3C from Thrulines in the first list from Ancestry.  The 2nd List from Ancestry results lists ALL of the Descendants in Thrulines(there are many more not included in the Thrulines total because they have private trees). I have also included to the right of each couple the number of matches I have marked with a DOT for that couple.

Ancestry

3C
13  William C Cook(1811-1882) & Elizabeth Putman1813-1880)
5   William B King(1819-1901) & Eliza J Manire(1818-1896) 
1   George Jakes(1820-aft 1882) & Catherine Morrow(1830- aft 1882) 
7   David Frizzell(1808-1870) & Rebecca Manley(1818-1862) 

26 Paternal 3C

2  Elisa Luna(1825-1889) & Keziah Rigsby(1832-1909) 
30   David Pitman(1838-1922) & Mary D F Adcock(1842-1902)  
1   William Leon Acuff(1842-1898) & Sarah McElroy(1847-1925)  
3   William P Hale(1849-1926) & Nancy A Hitchcock(1840-1887) 

36 Maternal 3C

Thrulines Descendents(includes 2C1R & 3C1R, 3C2R, 3C3R) ---Dot Sort Filter
[40] William C Cook(1811-1882) & Elizabeth Putman1813-1880) Dot Filter-216
[42] William B King(1819-1901) & Eliza J Manire(1818-1896) Dot Filter-406
[19] George Jakes(1820-aft 1882) & Catherine Morrow(1830- aft 1882) Dot Filter- 95
[57] David Frizzell(1808-1870) & Rebecca Manley(1818-1862) Dot Filter-279

[63] Elisha Luna(1825-1889) & Keziah Rigsby(1832-1909) Dot Filter-102
[106] David Pitman(1838-1922) & Mary D F Adcock(1842-1902) Dot Filter-285
[21] William Leon Acuff(1842-1898) & Sarah McElroy(1847-1925) Dot Filter-81
[23] William P Hale(1849-1926) & Nancy A Hitchcock(1840-1887) Dot Filter-74

MyHeritage

3C
0  William C Cook(1811-1882) & Elizabeth Putman1813-1880)
3   William B King(1819-1901) & Eliza J Manire(1818-1896) 
0   George Jakes(1820-aft 1882) & Catherine Morrow(1830- aft 1882) 
1  David Frizzell(1808-1870) & Rebecca Manley(1818-1862) 

4 Paternal 3C

0  Elisha Luna(1825-1889) & Keziah Rigsby(1832-1909) 
2   David Pitman(1838-1922) & Mary D F Adcock(1842-1902)  
0   William Leon Acuff(1842-1898) & Sarah McElroy(1847-1925)  
0   William P Hale(1849-1926) & Nancy A Hitchcock(1840-1887) 

2 Maternal 3C

FamilyTreeDNA

3C
0  William C Cook(1811-1882) & Elizabeth Putman1813-1880)
2  William B King(1819-1901) & Eliza J Manire(1818-1896) 
0   George Jakes(1820-aft 1882) & Catherine Morrow(1830- aft 1882) 
0  David Frizzell(1808-1870) & Rebecca Manley(1818-1862) 

2 Paternal 3C

0  Elisha Luna(1825-1889) & Keziah Rigsby(1832-1909) 
1   David Pitman(1838-1922) & Mary D F Adcock(1842-1902)  
0   William Leon Acuff(1842-1898) & Sarah McElroy(1847-1925)  
0   William P Hale(1849-1926) & Nancy A Hitchcock(1840-1887) 

1 Maternal 3C

Conclusions:

I have more autosomal matches at Ancestry, and 62 Total 3rd Cousins. There are a lot of 3rd Cousins who are 1, 2, and even 3 generations removed from me as well, because of the way generations fall in my family. All of my 2nd Great Grandparents were farmers. Most had larger families, with one exception in my paternal(Jakes & Morrow) and one in my maternal(Acuff & McElroy)

I have 6 total 3rd-cousin matches at MyHeritage.  I have a few 2C1R, and 3rd cousins of different generations there as well as more distant matches.  I use the dots to sort there, which helps some.

I have very few 3rd-cousin matches at FamilyTreeDNA.  I do have a number of 2C1R there as well as more distant cousins.  I have corresponded with many of my 3rd cousins who are on my list at Ancestry.  

Celebrating 21 years of Blogging

 

Learning about an ancestor’s life entails much more than collecting the basic birth, marriage, and death records. To truly understand them, you need context, and that's where cluster research becomes essential. By studying the friends, associates, and neighbors who shaped their world, we can uncover deeper stories and connections that vital records alone can't tell us. This week, as I celebrate 21 years of blogging about my genealogy journey, I’m sharing a special project: a list of 21 Friends, Associates, and Neighbors (the "FAN club" a term coined by Elizabeth Shown Mills) of my 2nd great-grandfather, William Clifford Cook.  

21 Members of the FAN club of Wm C Cook

1. James Henry Waldo Jones--Wm. C. Cook sold him 140 acres in October of 1854 in Bedford Co., TN.  JHW Jones had married Hester Ann Augusta May two years before the purchase and was just starting his family.  He was a preacher in the Cumberland Presbyterian church in Obion and Weakley County, TN,  where he'd relocated by the time of the 1860 Census.  He was living in Wingo, Graves County, Kentucky, when he died. His son, Andrieus Aristieus Jones, moved to New Mexico and did very well.  He was an educator, a lawyer, and a US Senator.  As a senator, he was the chair of the Committee on Woman Suffrage.
2. Ivey Phillips--a neighboring landowner SW of the land where Wm. C Cook lived in 1846. He was also a witness for Thomas B. Carlton when he deeded the land for the Liberty Meeting house.
3. William Putman--Brother-in-law of Wm. C.  Doubly so, William was Elizabeth's brother, and William's wife, Anna G, was Wm. C's sister. Wm. C. Cook's deposition for the State Supreme Court case of Williams vs. Putman et al. was a great find.
4. Zephaniah Anglin--lived in the neighborhood with Wm. C. Cook and was also involved in the Williams vs. Putman State Supreme Court Case
5. Joseph S Cook--Wm. C. Cook was the administrator of his estate. Relationship not yet determined. He is frequently confused with Davidson County, TN, Joseph Cook.  Their probate files are combined in the Williamson County, TN, Archives folder.  You can tell them apart if you examine each document in the file because Jos. S. Cook died without a will, and Joseph Cook of Davidson County, TN, left a very detailed will and information about his children.
6. Wm G Hight--maternal 1st cousin of Wm. C.  They traveled together and are listed as staying at a Nashville hotel(likely a trip to KY or a Masonic conference).
7. Wm B King--His parents were neighbors of Wm. C., and his daughter married Wm. C. Cook's son. He is my 2nd Great Grandfather
8. Messinah Ann Bailey--1st wife of Wm. C.'s son James Polk Cook. Wm. C. went to court with James to help secure their divorce.
9. Tennessee Ferguson--step-granddaughter of Wm. C.'s son James Polk Cook through James' 3rd wife Susan Carson Ferguson Cook.
10. George Evans--Wm. C. bought a pair of shoes at his estate sale
11. William Gilliam--the depositions for Williams vs Putman were taken at his smith shop in Rutherford Co, TN.
12. Zachariah Little--He and Wm. C. Cook were at the courthouse applying for a marriage license(Zach to marry Mary Hill and Wm. C. to marry Elizabeth Putman) on 26th Sept. 1831.  They were each other's bondsman.
13. John W Maxwell--put up security for Wm. C. Cook(1849)
14. David Lemuel Manire--officiated Wm. C. Cook & Elizabeth Putman's marriage. My 3rd Great Grandfather.
15. David Young--He bought land that Wm. C. Cook's wife received from the estate of her father, Jabel Putman.  When David purchased the land, he was living in District 25 of Williamson Co. TN, and Wm. C. Cook and wife were living in Bedford County.(1837) David's wife was Elizabeth Reed(Dau of Josiah Reed & Mary Elizabeth Carson Reed)
16. Althy Elmore--He and Longshore Lamb were part of a Deed of Trust where Wm. C. Cook put up livestock and household goods as collateral for $50 loan from Elmore and $38 loan from Lamb.
17. Thomas B Carlton--Wm. C. Cook was a witness when Thomas deeded land for the Liberty Meeting House.
18. Jonathan Vickery-- bought a saddle and a saddle blanket at the estate sale of Jos. S. Cook. (1838)
19. Charles Pope--purchased 25 pounds of picked cotton at the estate sale of Jos. S. Cook.  Husband of Elizabeth Smith.
20. Alfred L  Little--purchaser at Estate Sale of Jos. S. Cook.  He married  Martha Emily Pope,  Charles Pope's daughter.
21. Renwick Adams(R.A.) Gault--He and Wm. C. Cook were selected as jurors from District 10. (1855) He lived just north of where Wm. C. lived in 1846. A contemporary of Wm. C., he was married to Elizabeth Floyd in Williamson Co., TN(1833)

I encourage you to try this exercise with one of your own ancestors.  Making a list of their Friends, Associates, and Neighbors, along with a timeline of their life, can reveal gaps in your research and highlight connections from different areas of their life you might otherwise miss. A heartfelt thank-you to all my readers and everyone who has supported and encouraged me over the years. I look forward to continuing to share my research and tell the stories of my ancestors for many more years to come. 

William Harrison's Conflicting Month of Death

The reprint of the Pension Roll of 1835(available on Ancestry.com) contains an error in the entry for Lt. William Harrison, a Bedford County, Tennessee pensioner. The same mistake appears in the original 1835 publication, which can be viewed on Google Books. Both sources incorrectly state that William Harrison died on 22 June 1833. However, in his widow Elvira’s pension application, she provides a sworn statement that William died on 22 January 1833. This date is supported by additional statements in the pension file.

It's unclear what caused the original error. Perhaps someone compiling information for the 1835 publication abbreviated the month of January, and it was later misread as June. We may never know for sure.

To further complicate matters, the summaries prepared by the pension office in response to requests for copies of William Harrison’s pension file also reflect this mistake. Several of these summaries, sent to different researchers over the years, repeat the incorrect date of 22 June 1833. In at least one response, the summary includes both dates, several paragraphs apart.

Another valuable detail found in Elvira’s sworn statement is her mention of a family record. She explains that the list of family births was copied from an original list kept in an old dictionary that had contained the family's records. That dictionary was later purchased by Stephen Lynch and ultimately destroyed.  😢

Sources:

Revolutionary War Pension Application File W463, Elvira Harrison, widow of William Harrison (NC service); imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XY-YY8Q : accessed 20 April 2025), IGN 7584164, image 404 of 1123.

Ancestry.com, U.S., The Pension Roll of 1835, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60514/images/pensionroll1835iii-004091 : accessed 20 April 2025), image 37 of 118; citing The Pension Roll of 1835, Vol. 3, p. 557, entry for William Harrison, Lieutenant; reprint of U.S. Senate publication (1835), 1968 reprint with index (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company).

Bill of Sale--Enslaved man, Lewis --Maury County Tennessee(1821)

Maury County Tennessee--Recording of Bill of Sale--Enslaved Man named Lewis

William P Cook to James Hardison

(William and James on the same page of the 1820 US Federal Census in Maury Co TN.)

Timeline
6 Feb 1821 - Transaction
20 Jan 1823 - Bill of Sale Produced in Court 
28 Jan 1823  - Ordered to be certified
24 Feb 1823 - Registered in Deed book

Witnesses
John Wilson
Sally Smithwick(likely kin of James Hardison's wife)

Sources:

Maury County Tennessee Court Minutes, Vol 6, Monday 20 January 1823, Wm P Cook to James Hardison, negro man named Lewis; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKX-VQ4B-9 accessed: 14 April 2025) IGN 8151023, Image 788 of 830.

Maury County Tennessee Deeds, Deed Book, Vol K, p 98, William P Cook to James Hardison a negro man named Lewis, 24 February 1823; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4F-XG2K : accessed 14 April 2025), IGN 7896936, Image 377 of 558.

1820 US Federal Census, Maury County, Tennessee, p 99, William P Cook; Database with Images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYB9-SKSQ : accessed 14 April 2025), IGN 5156987 , Image 74 of 242.

How I am using Ancestry's Network Tool

I have access to the Beta of Ancestry's Network Tool.  At this point, it's only available to those with the ProTools add-on.  Since my main research block is my Cook ancestry, I've created several networks dealing with William Clifford Cook to try and pull together what I have and hopefully make some discoveries.

William Clifford Cook(1811-1882) Networks

• Purchasers at the Estate Sale of Jos S Cook 1838
• Involved in Robert Williams vs Wm Putman et al
• 1830 Bedford County TN Dist 9 Neighborhood
• W C Cook Deeds--Note Involvement Regardless of Role

Within those networks, I use the Stickies to make notes.  In the W C Cook's Deeds network, I create a Stickie for each transaction, which allows me to tag people from the network involved in each record, along with the date and location. The Stickies remind me of Trello (I have used Trello for some genealogy projects to organize my work)

I'm continuing to add people, events, and notes to the network, but the image above is a screenshot of what I have done as of this date. As I add people to the networks, I will need to research them and use the protools tree checker to merge duplicates and check for other errors.  

I've already discovered some overlap and new information because of using the network and working to learn more about the connections. When you review your notes, you can sometimes discover that you have errors, and correcting those will help to clear the picture.  

I love the ability to focus on a Network with the Tree Mapper.

Things I'd like to see as far as improving the Networks

• The ability to move, sort, and save how I view Stickies.  
• An +ADD A PERSON button at the top AND the bottom of a list
• The page view amounts(10 is the default) seem too small, which can hinder productivity (it does in other areas of the site--list of people, DNA match list, etc.)
• The SORT of the items in the Tree Mapper is done by Fact or Event type, but I'd like to be able to arrange that by date overall or at least by date under each Fact or Event.

The Networks tool is a great addition. I truly wish they would work on a Find & Replace tool for locations. That would not only help to improve Ancestry Trees but also the functionality of tools that rely on those trees, such as Thrulines and the ProTools Tree Mapper.

Consider the Weather: Factoring Weather into Family History

This week has been full of dramatic weather across the southeastern U.S., where I live. As storms rolled through, I found myself wondering how my ancestors might have dealt with similar conditions without the aid of the tools and technology we rely on today.

These days, we often receive weather alerts days in advance. Radar systems, smartphone apps, and emergency alerts give us time to prepare, evacuate, or seek shelter. But for those living in the 1800s and even into the early 20th century, storm preparedness looked very different. While they might have consulted an almanac for seasonal patterns, my ancestors largely depended on nature to warn them. They watched the skies, listened to the wind, and observed animal behavior for signs of approaching danger. When it came to tornadoes and severe storms, the best they could do was be alert and ready to take cover.

Curious to learn more, I used the Full-Text Search feature on FamilySearch.org to track down newspaper articles referencing major weather events in areas where my family lived. Even as late as the 1920s, articles show that storm preparedness was minimal—focused mostly on reaction.

One article I came across was in The Gallatin Examiner, Vol. 118, No. 10, dated March 8, 1956 (page 13), from Gallatin, Tennessee. It offers suggestions about tornado behavior and stats along with information about what to do in the event of a warning.

For more on how weather forecasting has evolved, check out the History of the National Weather Service, which provides a fascinating timeline of developments that changed how we experience and survive storms today. While many factors influenced our ancestors’ lives, weather played a significant role—and it’s one we shouldn’t overlook when researching their stories. 

See also my blog post from May 2021:  Chapel Hill Tornado Tuesday 10th May 1921 4pm

Notes of Interest from Pine Bluff(Aug 1934)

NOTES OF INTEREST FROM PINE BLUFF

Andrew Hillis spent Tuesday afternoon with Will Rowland.

Ray Slatten visited Haze Miller one evening last week.

Rev. W. J. McElroy and family are spending a few days with relatives in this part.

Jo Acuff visited Fannie Barlow Sunday night.

John Bluford Witt spent Sunday with Elbert Acuff.

Leighton Hash and wife, Gladys, spent Saturday with his sister, Mrs. Bascom Chandler.

Mrs. Charlie Lee Acuff visited Mrs. Richard Moore Sunday.

J. Walter Davis and family of Chillicothe, Texas, spent last week with his sister, Mrs. L. D. Chandler.

Mrs. Ida Breedlove and daughter spent Sunday with Jim Breedlove.

Walter Davis and son, James, spent Monday morning with Andy Acuff.

Mr. and Mrs. Ivy Sparkman spent last Saturday with her mother, Mrs. Daisy Johnson.

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Deaton spent a few days last week with his father, Squire Deaton.

Notes:  A lot of Van Buren County connections in this article. Elbert Acuff and Charlie Lee Acuff are 1st cousins of my maternal grandmother Minnie Acuff Luna. I'm not sure if Jo Acuff was Sarah Josephine Acuff(Daughter of Andrew "Andy" J Acuff and Hannah Hash) or Margie Josephine Acuff(daughter of Wm H Acuff and Minnie Hash Witt.)  Both were named after their maternal grandmother, Josephine Potter Hash.

Source:

"Notes of Interest From Pine Bluff," Southern Standard(McMinnville, Tenn) 23 Aug 1934, Vol LV, No. 26, p 5, col 4; image, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-13RM-16D7 : accessed 26 Mar 2025) IGN 8964042, image 1121 of 1152.

J.P. Acuff Estate--Van Buren Co. TN(1940)

James P Acuff died in November 1939, about 2 and a half months after his wife's death. They were both living in Madison County, Alabama, at the time they died but still owned land in Van Buren County, Tennessee.  Minnie Acuff Luna was living in Lincoln County, Tennessee.  Mildred Acuff is Ernest Acuff's daughter and the only grandchild listed presumably because Ernest had passed 5 years earlier. I'm not sure why Ovena's name is spelled Evena, but this is not the only case where her name has not been spelled as one would have expected.  

This notice was ordered to be published in the Southern Standard for 4 consecutive weeks.

Dates of publication were:

May 24, 1940
May 31, 1940
Jun 7, 1940
Jun 14, 1940

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

To Evena Sharp, Emma Sanders, Er-

nest Acuff, Mildred Acuff, Sarah 

Thomas and W.E. Acuff
------
W.E. Acuff, Administrator
vs
Minnie Luna et al

In the County Court of Van Buren
County, Tenn.

-------
In this cause it appearing from the
petition which is sworn to, that Evena
Sharp, Emma Sanders, Ernest Acuff,
Mildred Acuff, Sarah Thomas and
W.E. Acuff, the only heirs of J.P.
Acuff, deceased, are non-residents of
the State of Tennessee, they are
therefore, hereby required to appear,
on or before the 1st Monday in July,
1940, before the County Court of Van
Buren county, Tennessee, at the Court
House, in Spencer, Tennessee, and
make defense to the petition filed
against them in said Court, by W.E.
Acuff, administratior, or otherwise the
petition will be taken for confessed as
to them.

It is further ordered that this no-
tice be published for four consecutive
weeks in the Southern Standard, a
newspaper published at McMinnville,
Tennessee, there being no paper pub
lished in Van Buren County, Tenn.
Said petition seeks to sell the lands
of J.P. Acuff, deceased, as an insol-
vent estate, to pay his indebtedness.
This May 16, 1940.

W. B. Cummings, Clerk

4t-32

Source:

"Order of Publication," Southern Standard(McMinnville, Tenn.), 14 Jun 1940, Vol LXI, No 35, p 7, col 2; image,

FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-C3TC-GX1H : accessed 25 Mar 2025), IGN 8992355, Image 75 of 1194.

Genealogy, Loyalists, and the Power of Shared Research

About 15 minutes after telling a genealogy colleague that I didn't have any known Loyalist ancestors, one(or likely more) unexpectedly emerged. I finally took a closer look at my Combs line beyond my 4th great-grandmother—a branch I had largely ignored while focusing on other ancestors over the years. Though I knew of a detailed Combs family webpage from the late 1990s, I had never fully explored it. Fortunately, that page still exists.

I’ve traced my matrilineal line back to my 4th great-grandmother, Nancy Combs Fleming(1797-1881). I don't have her parents proven but I believe they were Mason Combs (1747–180?) and his wife, Dorothy. While I don’t know much about Dorothy’s identity, I do know that all her matrilineal descendants share an mtDNA haplogroup with a unique backward mutation. A recent update to Mitotree prompted me to dig deeper into her history. Since women from that era are best researched by studying the men in their lives, I turned to FamilySearch’s full-text search and looked up Mason Combs. The results were surprising—I found multiple records mentioning Mason, along with other Combs and Cody men, labeling them as Tories and murderers. Maybe this explained him removing from NC to Hawkins Co. TN. 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPGL-9B27

When I couldn’t get back to sleep last night, I decided to browse the Combs site for any information on Combs Loyalists, specifically Mason Combs' family. I found a few interesting details. Court records related to the settlement of William Ridge’s estate—he was the husband of Winnifred Combs, Mason’s sister—revealed that he was a British Loyalist. This was the case that FS's Full-Text Search had returned the previous day.

The Combs site also referenced the work of George Baumbach. Fortunately, I was able to retrieve his page using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

William Ridge Estate Records: Tory Combs &  Allied Families of Surry and Wilkes Co., NC  

Even with 35 years of genealogical research, I still learn something new every day. I'm a lifelong learner and I never want that to change. I’m especially grateful for the dedicated researchers who have shared their findings online, helping to connect family groups and point the way to valuable records. When those resources disappear from the web, the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine often comes to the rescue, preserving crucial information that might otherwise be lost.

SNGF: Favorite Legacy Family Tree Webinars From Past 3 Months

Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge tonight is to answer the question:  What were your favorite Legacy Family Tree webinars over the last 3 months? I have a paid subscription to Legacy Family Tree Webinars.  The majority of the webinars I watch are through that subscription. 

Mine in no particular order are:

• DNA: Proof, Citation & Privacy by Elizabeth Shown Mills (27 Dec 2024)  An ESM webinar.  What's not to love...
• Lost and Found: Locating Ancestral Origins with FAN Club and DNA by Mary Kircher Roddy (18 Dec 2024)  Cluster research. Gets them every time.
• The Everleigh Sisters: A Case Study in Conflict Resolution by Karen Stanbary (22 Jan 2025)--I loved this one because I have a few persons I'm researching who love to lie about themselves.
• Applying Research Standards to the Census by Diane MacLean Boumenot (19 Feb 2025)  Always good to have a solid research plan and guidelines to keep you from constructing your own brick wall--signed..the voice of experience.

I also attended the TN Genealogical Society's Virtual Spring Seminar today where I heard excellent presentations by Annette Burke Lyttle and Gena Philibert Ortega on the theme of "The Occupations of Our Ancestors." There were also door prizes and Q and A after each of the 4 presentations.  I was happy that despite the storms, my internet and electricity held the connection. 

A look at updated mtDNA results of tests I manage

 Last week I received the notification that the updates for the two FULLmtDNA kits I manage were in.  

My daughter did the mtDNA test and because there is a backward mutation present in descendants of the mother of my 4th great-grandmother, I find it unnecessary for Mom and I to test.  Nancy Combs b. 1797 d. 1881 is our earliest proven matrilineal ancestor but we do know her mother was the wife of Mason Combs(1746-1802) who is believed to have been named Dorothy.  Some researchers have her listed as Dorothy Mason. There are 25+ Exact matches.

Timeline

My paternal Aunt Bobbie took the full mtDNA test so that we could know the matrilineal haplogroup of my paternal grandmother,  Ruahama Weaver((b. 1766 d. 1840) is the earliest proven matrilineal ancestor for Aunt Bobbie and Dad.  Due to pedigree collapse, this line appears twice from Ruahama and her husband on back thru our pedigree.  There are no exact matches but many are one genetic distance away including a matrilineal descendant of Rebecca Sheppard(1755 - 1837).  The Sheppard family marries into the Rushing, Deason, and Frizzell families in early Maryland. Many from each of those lines end up in Bedford County Tennessee.

Timeline

RootsTech 2025--Day 3

RootsTech Day 3

March 8th 2025

FamilyTree DNA recently announced a new updated MitoTree.  This means an updated haplogroup for those who have taken the mtDNA test and new reports via the mtDNA Discover tool.

Below is a list of the classes which I selected for Day 3.  There are many more sessions available.  For more in-depth information on the day's events check out any of the classes or online expo hall at RootsTech website

9:00 AM CST Online Advanced / Professional

Session:  Document Analysis: Digging into the Details

Speaker:  Angie Packer McGhie

10:30 PM CST  Online Intermediate

Session:  Navigating Sensitive Topics: Writing about Difficult Chapters of the Family’s History

Speaker:  Laura Hedgecock

2:30 PM CST Online Intermediate

Session:  Learning to Use AI Tools: Taking Your Prompting Skills to the Next Level

Speaker:  Steve Little 

These last 3 classes were unavailable to online attendees Live due to technical difficulties but were made available by late Saturday and Sunday.

2:30 PM CST Online Advanced / Professional

Session:  Why Did It Say That & Other Contextual Clues

Speaker:  Rebecca Whitman Koford

4:00 PM CST Online Intermediate

Session:  Extracting Evidence:  Strategies for Analyzing Genealogical Sources

Speaker:  Alice Childs

4:00 PM CST Online Advanced / Professional

Session:  Taming Same-Name Research

Speaker:  Jenny Hansen

RootsTech 2025--Day 2

RootsTech Day 2
March 7th 2025

MyHeritage has introduced a new feature called Cousin Finder™, which helps discover other MyHeritage members who share common ancestors with you. They launched Ancient Origins a few weeks ago for members with a Complete or Omni tier subscription. Their latest ethnicity update (v 2.5) was released earlier this year for those who have tested or uploaded their DNA.

Ancestry has several new features that use AI.  "Recognize Ancestors" helps to identify people in photos by using AI to compare them with other photos on the site.  Another feature uses AI to transcribe the handwriting in uploaded documents. A DNA match clustering tool is also in the works for release later this year. See the video for more on Matches by Cluster.

These were just the classes that I viewed.  There are many more available.  For more in-depth information on the day's events check out any of the classes or online expo hall at

RootsTech website 

Session:  The New FamilySearch Catalog

Speaker:  Robert Raymond

Session:  FamilySearch Full Text Search Is Even Better (a session I missed from Thursday)

Speaker:  Robert Raymond

9:00 AM CST Online Intermediate

Session:  Becoming Betsey: Find Female Ancestors with Cluster Research

Speaker:  Rebecca Whitman Koford

9:00 AM CST Online  Advanced / Professional

Session:  Analyzing Evidence:  A Research Game Changer

Speaker:  Mindy Taylor

10:30 AM CST  Online  All Levels

Session:  RootsTech Innovation and Tech Forum 2025

10:30 AM CST Online  Advanced / Professional

Session:  DNA and Endogamy:  Strategies to Analyze Your DNA Matches

Speaker:  Adina Newman

2:30 PM CST Online  Intermediate

Session:  The Story of Rachel -- Eventually This Enslaved Woman & Her Children Were Freed

Speaker:  Diane L. Richard

2:30 PM CST  Online Intermediate

Session:  How Just One Match Can Help You Find Missing Ancestors in 2025

Speaker:  Diahan Southard  

RootsTech 2025--Day 1

RootsTech Day 1
March 6th 2025

Ancestry announced the addition of Networks.  It is a tool that can be used to track an ancestor's FAN.  Right now it's only available to ProTools subscribers, but might be rolled out to other users at some point.  There are a few other promotions they are running right now here

FTDNA has discount codes available and includes some discounts on upgrades 

Legacy Family Tree Webinars has a great offer see the coupon code at

https://cms-z-assets.familysearch.org/b6/00/dacb99a94dd6037ce9e5111ebf69/webinars.pdf

These were just the classes that I viewed.  There are many more available.  For more in-depth information on the day's events check out any of the classes or online expo hall at

RootsTech website.

9:00 AM CST Online Advanced/Professional

Session:  Intersecting Lines: Pedigree Collapse Helps Identify an Ancestor’s Parents

Speaker:  Alice Childs

10:30 AM CST Online Intermediate

Session:  Women and Children Second: The Laws and Records of Citizenship
Speaker:  Alec Ferretti

1:15 PM CST Online Intermediate

Session:  Endogamy? Now what?

Speaker:  Kelli Bergheimer

4:00 PM CST Online Advanced/Professional

Session:  Finding Migrating Families: How to Trace Elusive Ancestors Using Cluster Research

Speaker:  Nancy A. Peters

5:30 PM CST Online Intermediate
Session:  Using Indirect Evidence to Identify Enslaved Parents
Speaker:  LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson

A letter for George in Denison City, Texas(March 1888)

In George Solifelt's pension application, he claimed he had been living in Denison City Texas in 1886 when he began his pension application process. Many of the things George claimed in his pension are sketchy and some are just outright lies, but today I found evidence that he was likely in Denison City Texas before March of 1888(at least). A newspaper included a Letter list of those with letters at the Denison City post office on March 24th of 1888; Geo H Solifelt was on that list. So someone had reason to believe that they could reach him by mail there. Did he ever get that letter?  Who was it from?  And where is the Bosque Co TX marriage record for him?  He denied being married repeatedly and then admitted that he had been married but was no longer married. Not sure at this point how many times he was married.  Hopefully, more pieces to the puzzle will surface soon.

Source:

"Letter List Denison City, Grayson County, Texas: Date of List, March 24, 1888," The Sunday Gazetteer(Denison, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 47, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 25, 1888, p 4, col 6, Solifelt Geo H on unclaimed letter list; digital imaged at University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth555506/m1/4/zoom/?q=Solifelt&resolution=1.5&lat=2011.722868720386&lon=4532.198686273052 : accessed March 2, 2025); original newspaper for digitization provided by Grayson County Frontier Village.

George Solifelt(Pvt., Co. E, 20th PA Cav., Civil War), pension application no. 580,089,
certificate no. 950,395, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil
War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National
Archives, Washington, D.C [George used the aliases George Sullivan & Theodore Sullivan both of which are noted in the Pension Index Cards. He also served in Co. C 2nd PA Inf., Co. H 126th PA Inf., and Co. C 1st PA Prov. Cav.]

Antioch news from Warren Co. TN(Sept 1933)

Before there was online social media, there were newspaper articles focused on specific areas where they posted about what all the citizens of that area were doing.  This one is from Antioch, a community in Warren County Tennessee(not to be confused with the city in Davidson County)

Notes of Interest Around Antioch  (Sept. 1933)

(transcribed as written)

Mss Aileen Johnson spent the week-

end with her sister, Mrs Evy Spark-
man of Cummingsville.
Andrew McElroy has malaria fever.
Sam Brady is some better.
Mrs. Charles Rogers is visiting her
daughter, Mrs Oda Grissom.
Andrew Hillis was in Sparta Satur-
day.
Mrs. Jim Breedlove and children and
Miss Della Chandler were Wednesday
guests of Mrs. Andy Acuff.
Miss Willie Maye Witt visited Mrs.
Bascomb Chandler Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs R.obert Wednestead
visited Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Wednestead.
There will be a box supper at Semi-
nary(near Bone Cave) Saturday night,
Sept. 23. The public is invited.


"Notes of Interest Around Antioch," Southern Standard(McMinnville, TN), Vol LIV, No 30, 21 Sept 1933, p 7, col 2; images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-B3RM-16VB : accessed 24 February 2025) IGN 8964042, Image 828 of 1152.

Another Court Record --Williamson Co TN Hamer Family

Another court record with more information about the Hamer descendants.
The case: T.K Barnes et al - vs - A.D. Redmond et al.

From the court minutes:

Robert Cook, is the only one of all the parties in interest who appealed from the decree of the Chancellor. His appeal, did not of course, disturb the decree in so far as the interest of those persons to whom intestate was of kin through her father were concerned, but his appeal did bring up for review the whole decree in so far as the interests of those who were of kin through her mother to the intestate were concerned. 

Because there were funds to be divided, relationships had to be stated to calculate each person's share.
Information in italics was not stated in the court record, but are additional notes from my research.

See also my previous post which includes an earlier case concerning the Hamers. This reminds me that often it took many years for probate to be settled. Repeated use of
the same given names in several generations and multiple marriages into the Barnes and Redmond families by the Hamers also add to the confusion.
Descendants of Reece Hamer:
James Hamer(son)
Mrs. Arkie Redmond(daughter)
Robert Lee Cook(grandson of Reece Hamer through Mary S Hamer Cook)
Romie Hamer(grandson of Reece Hamers through Lundy Hamer)

8 Children of Leander S. "Lee" Hamer:
Adeline Watson
Harris Hamer(married Mary Redmond-both buried at Mt Olivet Cem Davidson Co. TN)
Louisa Redmond(Lemisa, named after her paternal aunt--buried at Mt Olivet Davidson Co TN)
John Hamer
Kate Hamer
Amanda Hamer
Montgomery Hamer
James Hamer

Sources:

Williamson Co Tennessee, Chancery Court Minutes, Vol 3, 17 March 1913, p 144-5, T.K. Barnes et al -vs- A.D. Redmond et al; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-N3CK-L9YT-1 : accessed 21 February 2025), IGN 8664025, Image 105 of 666.

"Public Member Trees" database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/77121678/person/322317754126/facts : accessed 24 February 2025)
"Cooke Luna" family tree by Marie Cooke Beckman, profile for Harris Hamer(1 Jun 1793- 31 Oct 1858).

Using Broad Searches to Gather Genealogical Evidence

I'm in the habit of checking back on my searches at repositories that are constantly adding records. This week, one of my searches was for Gideon Cook in FamilySearch's Full Text Search. That search led to several discoveries which helped give me more evidence to use in my study of the Cook family.

One significant find was a court case in which Reece Hamer sued J. H. Hill and others. Hill had been appointed to attend to real estate and personal property that Reece’s wife, Nancy Vernon Hamer, inherited from her father. Some form of mismanagement or dispute arose, prompting the lawsuit. The key detail for my research was that the case listed the children of Reece and Nancy Vernon Hamer, mentioning that Gideon Cook, who married Mary S. Hamer, was among them. It also established that Gideon and Mary were Rutherford County, Tennessee residents. The case and all other involved parties were in Williamson County, Tennessee. I already had other evidence placing them in Rutherford County, as Gideon and Mary’s son was born there in May 1868 but can always use additional evidence. This also supports my hypothesis that Mary was alive until at least October 1868. She passed away sometime between that date and October 30, 1869, when Gideon remarried Martha Ann Hale.

Another important detail from the court case was the absence of Harriet G. Hamer Cook, daughter of Reece and Nancy, who married Gideon Cook’s brother, James Polk Cook, in October 1865. Harriet was not mentioned among Reece’s children, suggesting she had died before James married the widow Susan Carson Ferguson in December 1867. While divorce was technically possible for James and Harriet, it seems unlikely since James and Susan named their first child Harriet Sophie Cook, likely in memory of his first wife. Harriet’s omission from the case strengthens the evidence supporting her earlier death.

In addition to the above discoveries, I also located the death certificate of Joseph Gideon Cook, the infant son of David Stahl Cook and Ollie Mai Cook. He passed away in January 1915 at just one month and 28 days old due to whooping cough with an additional complication of indigestion. I was unaware of his existence since he never appeared on any census records. The death certificate listed his father as "D. S. Cook" and his mother as "Miss Cook." Ancestry did not generate a hint for him until I manually added him as David and Ollie Mai’s child. I also would not have found him on FamilySearch because I was unaware he existed. However, by searching for "Gideon Cook"—one of his grandfathers and his namesake—I was able to identify him and place him within the family tree.

A broader search using the FS Full Text Search yields better results for me. I can then apply filters to zoom in and out of surrounding areas and sort through the findings efficiently. This approach works better than conducting a highly specific search that returns no results.

Sources:
Williamson County Tennessee, Chancery Court, Oct. 1865-Oct. 1868, Vol 22, p 578, Reece Hamer v. John H Hill et. al; imaged at FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSBP-GK55 : accessed 20 February 2025), IGN 008398574, Item 2, Image 577 of 604.
"Tennessee, Deaths, 1914-1966," Davidson Co TN Death Certificate of Joseph Gideon Cook DOD 27 January 1915; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XCZ9-FLQ: accessed 20 February 2025), IGN 004183031 > image 1540 of 2173; Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville.

Robert & Anna Cook Analysis with a little help from ChatGPT

I've been gathering source documents of Robert Lee Cook, son of Jefferson Gideon Cook.  A few of Gideon's sons moved to the bigger cities of Chicago and Detroit for work. I wanted to look into that. I don't get to do that much with my direct line.  My direct ancestors tend to put down permanent roots in rural locations.

• Typed up a data extraction from each source and crafted my citations
• Opened ChatGPT and discussed what I wanted--a table that would help in comparing and contrasting the information from the documents.
• Copied and pasted my extractions and source citations into ChatGPT
• Instructed it to use that info for the table.

It did a pretty good job.  I had to make several corrections but it did save me some time.

Below is the information from the documents and source citations. 

Robert & Anna's Marriage(1924)

Return of Marriages in the County of Wayne(Michigan) 1924

Record No:  268078

Date of License: April 29, 1924

Bridegroom: Robert L Cook

Bride: Anna C Bailey

Maiden name of Bride, if widow:  Eutsler

Age of each in yrs:  Groom 55 Bride 53

Race: Both White

Residence of Each:  Detroit, Mich.(both)

Birthplace of Each: Tenn(groom) Ohio(bride)

Occupation of Each: Bookkeeper(groom) House wk(bride)

Name of Father of Each:

    Groom's Father: Jefferson

    Bride's Father: Christopher

Maiden name of Mother of Each

    Groom:  Mary S Haymer

    Bride:  Elizabeth A Dunn

Time Previously Married

    Groom:  None

    Bride:  Two

Date of Marriage: April 30 1924

Place of Marriage:  Detroit, Mich.

Name & Official State of Person by Whom Married: C.E. Ferguson-Clergyman

Witness to Marriage:  Edward H Deutsch & Bessie C Deutsch (both reside in Detroit Mich.)

Robert & Anna's US Federal Census(1930)

Michigan, Wayne County, Detroit(City), Ward 10, Block 160, ED 82-298, p 173, Sheet 15A, Dwelling 1, Family 1, 

Robert L Cook age 61 First married at 55, self & Parents born in Tennessee

Robert's occupation is Sweeper at Auto Factory

Annie C Cook age 58 First married at 18, self & Parents born in Florida

Anna's Death Certificate(1935)

Michigan Department of Health

Division of Vital StatisticsCertificate of Death
State Office No. 200655
Register No. 10(3?)84
Place of Death:  Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Full Name:  Anna Charlotte Cook
Residence:  4280 15th St., Detroit, Michigan
Sex:  Female
Color or Race:  White
Marital Status:  Married
Spouse:  Robert Cook
Date of Birth:  April 12, 1867
Age:  68 years, 4 months, 24 days
Occupation:  At home
Birthplace:  Ohio
Father's Name:  Christopher Eusler
Father's Birthplace:  Unknown
Mother's Maiden Name:  Elizabeth Dunn
Mother's Birthplace:  Unknown
Informant:  Robert Cook (4280 15th St., Detroit, MI)
Date of Death:  September 6, 1935
Last Seen Alive:  September 6, 1935
Cause of Death:  Chronic myocarditis
Other Contributing Factors:  Gastritis 3 days
Burial Place:  Forest Lawn, Detroit, Michigan
Burial Date:  September 9, 1935
Undertaker:  Harvey A. Neely
Address of Undertaker:  Detroit, Michigan
Physician's Name:  Dr. James E. Clark
Physician's Address:  4292 14th Ave

Robert Lee Cook's Death Notice (1954)

Robert Lee Cook

Funeral services for Robert Lee

Cook. 86. of 301 Wimpole Drive, will 

be at Ellis and Kidd Funeral Home.

2627 Nolensville road. at 2:30 p.m. 

today. 

The Rev. Grady' Randolph and 

the Rev. E. W. Barnett will offi-

ciate, Burial will be in Triune cem

eterv, near Nolensville. 

Mr. Cook died Friday at David

son County hospital after A long 

illness. 

Born in Rutherford County, he 

was the son of Dr. J.G. and Mary 

Hamer Cook. For many years he 

lived in Detroit where he was em-

ployed by an automobile firm. Aft-

er his retirement five years ago. 

he returned to Nashville 

In 1923, he married the former

Miss Anna Bailey of Detroit. who 

died 20 years ago. 

Survivors include two brothers, 

J.R. Cook. Chicago. And C.B.

Cook. Robards, Ky: And a sister. 

Mrs. Dave Cook of Nashville,

Sources:

Michigan, Marriages Records, 1867-1952, Michigan Dept. of Community Health, Division of Vital Records & Health Statistics: imaged at Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9093/images/41326_342244-00502 : accessed 15 February 2025), Registers, 1887-1925 > 1921-1925 > 1924 Wayne, Image 384 of 1457, Record No 268078, Marriage of Robert L Cook and Anna C Bailey.

1930 US Federal Census, Michigan, Wayne County, Detroit City, Ward 10, Block 160, ED 82-298, p 173, Sheet 15A, Dwelling 1, Family 1, Robert L Cook household; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X79D-H8B : accessed 16 February 2025), IGN 4951281, image 350 of 1114, Entry for Robert L Cook and Annie C Cook.

"Michigan, Death Certificates, 1921-1952", Michigan Dept of Health; imaged at Michiganology.org (https://michigan.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_8d994f14-e0f6-4983-85d1-8f43600cf6cc : accessed 15 February 2025), Entry for Anna Charlotte Cook, Date of Death 06 Sep 1935.

"Robert Lee Cook," The Tennessean(Nashville) 13 June 1954, p 78, col 3, death notice of Robert Lee Cook; Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-obituary-for-robert-lee-c/42294702 : accessed 16 February 2025)

Additional Analysis

I built on the chat by typing in my analysis as I read and compared the info from the chart. ChatGPT can also help draft a report, but I found the introduction and conclusion to be of poor quality but no problem. In my opinion, those are the easiest parts to write. It did a good job with the contents of the report.  I will add the report to my Ancestry tree under Robert L. Cook's profile. This will be a great help to see what I have completed so far when I come back to this research.

Conclusion

I've heard that some folks have had success creating tables from image files.  I'm not sure that would save too much time for me.  I learn as I type so I'd miss out on the info "soaking in." I still have to double-check any output--my own or ChatGPT.  I find it helpful to "chat"  my analysis. It helps me to identify holes in logic and sometimes gives me a new perspective. When using AI the key is knowing what is time-saving, and what is a time suck.  Choose wisely.

Disclosure:

I used Free ChatGPT to make the table.  It helped organize the data and analysis I typed into a report.  I had to replace certain parts(intro and conclusion) as they were not what I would have used.  I didn't include the report in this article. 

Mr. and Mrs. John L Cook Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary(1959)

John Lemuel & Malissa A Barnes Cook

Mr. and Mrs. John L Cook
Celebrate Wedding Anniversary

Mr and Mrs. John L Cook,
who were celebrating their 50th
wedding anniversary Sunday,
enjoyed a buffet luncheon at
their home in Chapel Hill. The
dining table was covered with
a lace cloth and featured an
arrangement of yellow gladioli.
A crystal punch bowl was used
on the buffet.
A lovely display of gifts was
presented the honored couple.
Among those attending were
their two children, J.W. Cook
and Mrs. Charles F Rogers,
both of Chapel Hill; five of their
six grandchildren, Johnny Cook,
Max Cook, Mrs Dean Tipton
and Larry Hargrove of Chapel
Hill, and Mrs. Bobby Dean Mc-
Peak of Lewisburg, and Mr.
and Mrs. H. K. Rowland of
Rockvale, and Mrs Flemons
Haynes of Shelbyville, who were
present at their wedding 50
years ago.

Notes:  Mr & Mrs H. K Rowland is John's sister, Eliza A Cook Rowland, and her husband.

Mrs. Flemons Haynes is Mary Catherine Ghee, maternal half-sister of Malissa Barnes Cook.  

They were the daughters of Cordelia Alice Barnes. Malissa was sometimes listed as a Ghee under the surname of her stepfather.  See the blog post link below for a more detailed explanation.

https://mariegen.blogspot.com/2022/07/malissa-wife-of-john-lemuel-cook.html

John Lemuel Cook is the only one of William Green Cook's children who knew his paternal grandfather, W. C. Cook.

Source:
"Mr. and Mrs. John L Cook Celebrate Wedding Anniversary," The Marshall Gazette(Lewisburg, TN), Vol. LXXXVII, No. 31,  31st July 1959, p. 5 col. 1;  FamilySearch  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHK-93RS-3PBX : accessed 14 February 2025) IGN , Image 337 of 546.