Connections between 1807 Franklin Co NC and 1820 Maury Co TN

1820 U.S. census, Maury County, Tennessee, population schedule, p. 99, William P Cook; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7734/images/4433291_00066 : accessed 8 Aug 2025)

I've looked at William P Cook's 1820 US Federal Census Maury Co TN census entry many times over the last year so much so that I can remember many of the family names. I'd ordered a tax list book covering Franklin Co NC and started reviewing that today.  It covers the years 1785-1810(not all inclusive) but my focus would be on Wm P Cook's years after his marriage for the most part.  So the years 1806 thru 1810. The first year I find a Wm P Cook is in 1807 p. 92 Capt. Jordan's District.   He's listed as William P Cook paying one white poll.  Along with the Bobbits, Fullers. Hights. and Woodliefs that I would expect around him I found a Richardson Gill.  This is not a terribly common name but it is one with which I am familiar because it is listed immediately before William P Cook in the 1820 Maury Co Tennessee US Census entry. 

Bradley, Stephen E. 1990. Franklin County, North Carolina Tax Lists, 1785-1810.Keysville, Va.: S.E. Bradley; p. 66, Capt. Jordan's District 1807, entries for William P Cook and Richardson Gill.

Franklin Co NC 1815 Tax List at NC Digital Collections---I searched and found Richardson Gill still in the 1815 Tax list but didn't find William P Cook.  William shouldn't be there though because he is in TN by that time.
 

Compiled Service Record-William P Cook 1st Reg't (Metcalfe's) TN Militia War of 1812

In a blog post last month, I mentioned that I had ordered the compiled service record for William P Cook 1st Reg't (Metcalfe's) West TN Militia.  That ordered arrived today

Cook William P 1st Regiment (Metcalfe's) West Tennessee Militia.
War of 1812 Private(in) Private(out)
Card Numbers
38479190
        9277
----------Company Muster Roll----------

William P Cook
Pvt Captain Andrew Patterson's Co. of
Inf., 1 Reg't Tennessee Militia.
War of 1812

Appears on
Company Muster Roll
for Nov 13 1814 when mustered

into service, to May 13 1815

Roll dated
May 14, 1815

Date of Appointment or enlistment, Nov 13 1814.
To what time engaged or enlisted May 13, 1815
Present or absent, Present

L Baker Copyist

---------Company Pay Roll-----------

C 1 Metcalfe's W. Tenn. Militia.
William P Cook
Pvt Captain Andrew Patterson's Co. of
Inf., 1 Reg't Tennessee Militia.
War of 1812

Appears on
Company Pay Roll
for Nov 13 1814 to May 13 1815
Roll Dated May 13 1815
Commencement of service or of this settlement Nov 13 1814
Expiration of service or of this settlement May 13 1815
Term of service charged, 6 months, ____ days
Pay per month, 8 dollars, ____ cents
Amount of pay 48 dollars, ____ cents

Signer's name ____________
Remarks ____________________

L Baker Copyist

--------------------

Other documents included:

Power of Attorney--Joel Childress of Ruther(ford) County TN had power of attorney for William P Cook signed on 29 Aug of 1815.  Joel Childress is the father-in-law of James Knox Polk.

Discharge Certificate--William was honorably discharged 

Transcription of Discharge Certificate

I certify that William P Cooke, a Private
in my Division of Tennessee Militia, has performed a tour of duty of six months, ____day in the service of the United States--that his good conduct, subordination and valor, under the most trying hardships, entitle him to the gratitude of his county; and he is hereby honorably discharged

Wm Carroll
Major General 2d Division Tennessee Militia.

Source:

Compiled military service record, William P Cook(Pvt.), 1st Regiment(Metcalfe's)West TN Militia, War of 1812, RG 94: NARA-Washington.

The Civil War Around My Cook & King Families

Long, E. B., Barbara Long, and Bruce Catton. 1971. The Civil War Day by Day : An Almanac, 1861-1865. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday.


I wanted to gain a better understanding of what my Cook & King families experienced in the region where they lived during the Civil War. They resided in the southern part of Rutherford County and northern Bedford County, Tennessee. I made a list of key locations and notable events from those areas using Long's Civil War Day by Day. The first part of 1863 appears to have been a particularly difficult time for them. I plan to do this exercise for a few other families and regions.

Eagleville

1863 Mar 2 skirmish

1863 Mar 31 skirmish

1863 Apr 16 skirmish

1863 May 3 Fed scouts

1863 Dec 7  skirmish

Eagleville Pike

1863 Jun 10  Federal scout

Rover
1863 Feb 19 skirmish
1863 Mar 13 skirmish

1863 Mar 15 skirmish

1863 May 5 skirmish

1863 Jun 23 skirmish

1863 Jun 28 skirmish

Shelbyville

1862 Mar 25 Fed Recon to 

1863 Oct 7 Sim's Farm

1864 Nov 28 Calvary units skirmished

Shelbyville Pike

1863 Jan 5 skirmish

1863 Feb 20 skirmish

1863 Apr 23 skirmish

1863 Jun 4 Confederate operation

1863 Jun 6 skirmish

Shelbyville Road
1862 Apr 24 skirmish

Unionville

1863 Jan 31 skirmish

1863 Mar 4 fighting

1863 Jun 23 skirmish

Versailles
1863  Fed Recon to Jan 13 Mar 9

William Taylor Hale Tax Records 1841-1859

Worked on the Van Buren County Tennessee Tax Records  for my 3rd Great Grandfather William Taylor Hale(1820-1861) He drowned in the Collins River in the spring of 1861.  I've not found any records detailing his death other than a letter written from one Phoebe Hale McCormick to Oleta Cope detailing the family story( I've looked for newspaper accounts for many years and have not yet found one) The Hale family is missing from the 1860 US Federal Census and 1870.  The tax records for 1851-1859 are the only records I have found so far let us know that he was still in the area up until about 1860. I believe Francis Hale is Wm T Hale's younger brother as I do find him in the census with an older lady that I believe is their mother in 1850.

Van Buren Co. TN Tax Records 1840-1862   

IGN 008264049 (Item 1 of 2)

Poll Tax of one for each name listed.  No land unless noted.
Dist No 8 1841 Image 20 of 428 William T Hale
Dist No 8 1842 Image 28 of 428 Taylor Hails
Dist No 8 1843 Image 37 of 428 William T Hail
Dist No 8 1844 Image 44 of 428 Taylor Hails
Dist No 8 1845 Image 52 of 428 William T Hail
Dist No 8 1846 Image 60 of 428 Francis Hale(600 acres value $50--Wm T Hale not located)
Dist No 8 1847 Image 72 of 428 Wm T Hale(& Francis Hale-- 600 acres value $50)
Dist No 8 1848 Image 84 of 428 William T Hail (& Francis Hail 600 acres value $100)
Dist No 8 1849 Image 92 of 428 William T Hale(& Francis Hale 600 acres value $30)
Dist No 8 1850 Image 101 of 428 Wm T Hail (Francis Hail no land)
Dist No 6 1851 Image 108 of 428 William T Hale
Dist No 6 1852 Image 116 of 428 William T Hail
Dist No 6 1853 Image 126 of 428 William T Hail
Dist No 6 1854 Image 137 of 428 William T Hail (& Francis A Hail no land)
Dist No 10 1855 Image 155 of 428 W T Hail
Dist No 10 1856 Image 167 of 428 Wm T Hail
Dist No 6 1857 Image 178 of 428 W T Hail
Dist No 6 1858 Image 188 of 428 Wm T Hale
Dist No 6 1859 Image 200 of 428 William Hale