- Found a Trust Deed that Clarence Cook(my great uncle) took out to secure the burial of his wife who died of TB at the age of 28 leaving Clarence with 3 sons.
- Found the newspaper notices placed by Wm C Cook concerning Jos S Cook's estate
- Found a guardian document for Hugh Clawson(Tennie Ferguson's 1st husband) Tennie was the step daughter of James P Cook. She would later file for divorce from Hugh on the grounds of desertion.
- Found a mortgage to secure legal representation for my grandfather and his brother Clarence taken out by their parents, Wm G & Jane B Cook. No idea what sort of trouble they were in. I contacted the county clerk to see if they could find any court records but didn't have any luck.
- Warren Co TN Newspapers are online at FamilySearch
- Found an advertisement mentioning Toone Institute(Fall 1892). It mentioned that J K Cook of Eagleville TN was principal
- A typo in the announcement of a Versailles Masonic lodge gave it's former name as Black Vale instead of Rockvale.
- Found a deed for James Hitchcocks land
- Found Obituary of my Great Grandfather David E Luna.
- Questioned if my grandparents knew their grandparents
- Found Newspaper Announcement about Great Uncle John & Gr Aunt Malissa's 50th Wedding Anniversary.
- Studied Robert L Cook & his wife using ChatGPT to organized my notes and sources. Robert was the oldest son of J. Gideon Cook(Brother of my great grandfather Wm G Cook)
- Found more on the Hamer Family that married into my Cook family and also some social news on the McElroys and others from Warren Co TN Papers.
March:
- Found a notice that Geo Solifelt had a letter at the Denison City Texas Post office in March 1888
- Summarized RootsTech 2025
- Reviewed the updated mtDNA results for tests I manage
- Found New to me info on Mason Comb and his FAN.
- Found a newspaper notice concerning my great Grandfather James P Acuff's estate settlement.
- Pondered how the weather affected my ancestors
- How I'm using Ancestry's Network Tool
- Maury Co TN Bill of sell enslaved man named Lewis
- Resolving conflicting Month of death for Wm Harrison
- Celebrating 21 years of blogging
May:
- Found a newspaper article about the Dean Family Reunion
- Wrote about Geo Solifelt's 1st wife, Kate
- Found a Patent registered by David V Putnam a Putman Cook Descendant
- Geo Solifelt's other Court Martial File summary
- Deed from Wm Cook to Robert Taylor Franklin Co NC 1817
- More documents about Wm P Cook of 1st Reg't Metcalfe West TN War of 1812
- Lytle family in NC & TN
- Found Tax Records(1841-1859) for Wm Taylor Hale(my 3rd Gr Grandfather)
- Discussed the Civil War happening around ancestors from Rutherford and Bedford Co TN
- Obtained copies of the Compiled Service Records of Wm P Cook 1st Reg't (Metcalfe's) TN Militia War of 1812
- Connections between 1807 Franklin Co NC & 1820 Maury Co TN--both places where Wm P Cook was at during that time.
- Tax Records W G Cook Rutherford Co TN--District 10 1912-1944
- Wrote about a childhood home in Charlotte TN
- More Families who migrated from Franklin Co NC to Bedford Co TN
- An Estate settlement for Wm Cook...but which one.
- 23&me Ancestry Composition Update
- More info found in Probate files and reviewing once I have additional info
- Wm Harrison Land Grant in Bedford Co Tn
- Explored using Google's NotebookLM to help visualize an ancestor's life and also to brainstorm and critique research.
- My proof argument that Wm P Cook is the likely father of Wm C Cook.
- Found a deed for property my Grandparents had owned that I knew nothing about
- My Grandfather and his brother Clarence's WWI Draft Registrations and Numbers
- Obit of Andrew Jackson Acuff(1942) Brother of my Great Grandfather James Polk Acuff.
- Used Google NotebookLM's infographic option to generate one about Jefferson Gideon Cook's wives and children.
- Found a petition of Edward C Harrison(Brother of Elizabeth Harrison Cook) to open a grist mill.
- Found additional probate info pertaining to the Harger Family of Franklin Co VA. My 3rd Great Grandmother was Nancy Harger Jakes.
ChatGPT's Summary of my year in review
This year’s research and blogging reflected a deep, methodical exploration of family history through original records, contextual analysis, and evolving research tools. The work consistently blended traditional documentary research with modern technology, while keeping a strong focus on proof, context, and unresolved questions.
A major theme throughout the year was probate, land, and legal records. Trust deeds, mortgages, estate settlements, guardianship papers, deeds, patents, and petitions repeatedly surfaced, often revealing family crises, financial pressures, and turning points that do not appear in census records alone. Notable discoveries included a trust deed securing burial expenses for Clarence Cook’s young wife, estate notices for Joseph S. Cook, multiple Cook and Harrison land records, and probate material that clarified — or complicated — identities among men of the same name.
Another sustained focus was military service and its documentation. You revisited War of 1812 service for William P. Cook through newly obtained compiled service records, explored court martial files for George Solifelt, and examined World War I draft registrations for your grandfather and his brother Clarence. These records helped anchor men in specific places and times while raising new questions about family movements and relationships.
Migration patterns were examined repeatedly, especially between Franklin County, North Carolina, and Middle Tennessee (Bedford, Rutherford, Maury, and Warren Counties). Tax lists, deeds, estate records, and community studies helped trace how families moved together, intermarried, and re-established themselves. You broadened this work by studying FAN networks and writing about additional families who made the same journey.
The year also emphasized contextual and social history. Newspaper research revealed anniversaries, obituaries, estate notices, advertisements, social news, and even typographical errors that changed the interpretation of local history. You reflected on how weather, war, and local institutions shaped your ancestors’ lives, and marked personal milestones such as twenty-one years of continuous blogging.
DNA and technology played an increasingly important role. You reviewed updated mtDNA results, evaluated 23andMe’s ancestry composition changes, and experimented extensively with AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google’s NotebookLM. These tools were used not as substitutes for research, but as aids for organizing notes, visualizing lives, generating infographics, and critiquing proof arguments.
One of the year’s most significant analytical achievements was the development of a formal proof argument identifying William P. Cook as the likely father of William C. Cook, supported by accumulated land, military, tax, and migration evidence gathered over many months.
Overall, the year reflects a researcher moving beyond record collection into synthesis and argumentation — connecting disparate records, testing hypotheses, embracing new tools, and continually reassessing conclusions as new evidence emerges.
My Thoughts on the Year:
While it has been a tough year for me health-wise, I've made some progress with my research on several different lines. I look forward to 2026 and hope that it will bring many more research discoveries for us all.
