Three Marriages and a Westward Journey: The life of James Polk Cook (1836–1888)

James Polk Cook was born on October 13, 1836, the son of William Clifford Cook and Elizabeth Putman Cook. The family was living in Bedford County, Tennessee at the time of his birth but were enumerated in Dyer County, Tennessee by the 1840 U.S. Federal Census. They were back in the middle Tennessee area by the following year, as shown in the school census, with James's older sister Minerva attending school in Williamson County, Tennessee, District 25. James was likely still living with his family at the time of the 1850 U.S. Federal Census, when he would have been around thirteen years old. We cannot confirm this with certainty, however, as the Bedford County, Tennessee District 10 enumerations have been lost.

Between 1858 and 1867, James entered into three distinct marriages.  He first married Messina "Cenia" Ann Bailey on August 6, 1858, in Rutherford County. By the time of the 1860 census, James was enumerated living in his parents' home without his wife. When the Civil War began, he enlisted on August 24, 1861, in Company A, 24th Tennessee Confederate Infantry, serving as a wagoner. He was sick for much of his service and was eventually discharged in June of 1862 at Tupelo, Mississippi. In April of 1865  his union with Cenia was legally dissolved in Bedford County, with her desertion cited as the reason.

Only months after his divorce, James sought a fresh start, marrying Harriet Hamer on October 12, 1865, in Williamson County. This union remains something of a genealogical mystery. While it is widely believed that Harriet passed away shortly after the marriage, given the lack of children and James's remarriage within two years. However, the records do not explicitly state how this union ended. James' brother, Gideon had married Mary Hamer, a sister of Harriet, and she too had passed away not long after giving birth to their only child, a son named Robert Cook.

On December 20, 1867, James married Susan Carson Ferguson in Rutherford County. This union finally provided the stability James had long sought, lasting twenty-one years until his death and producing three children: Harriet Sophie (1869), Minerva Mae (1870), and William C. (1873). Susan's children from her first marriage, John R. Ferguson and Tennessee ("Tennie") Ferguson, became integral members of the household. However, their presence in historical records creates a fascinating puzzle for researchers. In both the 1870 and 1880 censuses, John R. and Tennie are listed with the surname Cook. To a casual researcher, it might appear they were James's biological children or had been legally adopted. Other records  such as Tennie's marriage license clearly use the name Ferguson, however. This highlights a common nineteenth-century nuance: census takers often recorded everyone in a household under the head-of-household's surname for simplicity. It is a good reminder that the name on a census isn't always the legal reality.

Following the 1880 census, James and Susan, along with others of the Cook family, relocated to the Franklin County, Arkansas area. William Green Hight, a maternal first cousin of James's father had previously moved to the Washington & Madison Counties of Arkansas area and had also ended up in Franklin County, where he died in 1881(around the same time the Cooks were heading that way). We know the family had arrived by late 1881, as James's stepdaughter Tennie and Joseph Knox Cook's daughter Melzora both married on November 15, 1881. James appears on the Mulberry Township tax list for Franklin County in 1882. His brother Joseph Knox Cook is also on the same tax list for Mulberry Township that year, though his entry is noted as not paid. By 1884, James is listed on the White Oak Township tax list in Franklin County. Joseph does not appear on any further Arkansas tax lists. Whether John R. Ferguson accompanied the family to Arkansas remains unknown, as no records have been found that positively identify him there. Records for Tennie, Harriet, Minerva Mae, and William C. have been located.

James's mother had died in the fall of 1880, and when the family departed for Arkansas, it would be the last time James saw his father, William Clifford Cook, who passed away in January of 1882. James himself died in Franklin County, Arkansas, on August 19, 1888, and is buried in Highland Cemetery in Ozark.

Sources:

Williamson, Tennessee, School Census 1838-1939, District 25, William C Cook 1 child(Over 6<16); digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1W-9QXZ-K?cat=823595 : accessed 9 April  2024), Image  1067 of 5811; citing Genealogical Society of Utah, 1998  Film 2115582 Item 2, DGS 8411324.

"1840 US Census"  Dyer County, Tennessee,  p. 104, Household of Wm C Kook(Wm C Cook); database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBJ-96TR : accessed 12 March 2026), IGN 5154899, Image 212 of 1013.

"Rutherford, Tennessee, United States records," 1856-1861, marriage register, p 54, James P Cook and Cenia Ann Bailey, 6 August 1858; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93F-MSLY : accessed 12 March 2026), IGN 5725214, .image 728 of 971.

Bedford County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes, 1864-1865, IGN 8659576, Image 172-3 of 672, Bill of Divorce, James P. Cook vs. Messina Ann Cook, State Case #6331 & #6332 (April Term 1865), pp. 283-284; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-D3C6-49Z9-4 : accessed 7 April 2024).[This is James P Cook's divorce from Cenia Ann Bailey]

"Williamson, Tennessee, United States records," marriage bond, James P Cook and Miss Harriet G Hamer, 12 October 1865; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93F-SRXF : accessed 9 Apr  2024), image 1331 of 1649; IGN 5725450, Williamson County Archives (Franklin, Tennessee).[I believe that Harriet died not long after the marriage]

"Williamson, Tennessee, United States records," marriage license, James P Cook and Miss Harriet G Hamer, 12 October 1865; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93F-SRCY : Apr 10, 2024), image 1329 of 1649; IGN 5725450, Williamson County Archives (Franklin, Tennessee).

"Tennessee, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1851-1900, "database, J P Cook and Susan Ferguson, 20 December 1867, Rutherford County, Tennessee; citing  database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/31525:4125 : accessed 10 April 2024);

Cook Family Bible Record, 1834–1857; "WC Cook Bible Family Records p 1," James P Cook's date of birth listed as Oct 13th, 1836;digital image, shared by Marie Cooke Beckman, 11 Mar 2026, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/77121678/person/46358454391/media/b3646cdd-dc1a-4e4b-af70-e3601a05099c : accessed 11 Mar 2026); privately held by descendants of Cass B Cook.

1860 U.S. census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Western Division District 10, Rover Post Office, page 115(penned),  dwelling 860, family 814, James Polk Cook living in Household of W C & Elizabeth Cook; imaged "United States Census, 1860",  FamilySearch  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9BSF-9M1B : accessed 7 April 2024).

1870 U.S. census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 10, pg 31(penned), dwelling 211, family 211, James and Susan Cook; imaged, "United States Census, 1870,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD8F-ZLC : accessed 7 April 2024).

1878 Beers Map, J P Cook listed in Dist 10 of Bedford County TN, Library of Congress(https://www.loc.gov/item/2006626023/ : accessed 13 Mar 2026)

1880 U.S. census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Enumeration District 10, pg 12(penned), dwelling 102, family 103, James and Susan Cook; imaged, "United States Census, 1880,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBH-YK1 : accessed 7 April 2024).

"Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6LL9-653 : accessed 13 May 2024), Entry for Hugh Clawson(age 20)  and Tennessee Ferguson(age 18), 15 November 1881.

Franklin Co Arkansas Ozark Tax Records 1882, 1884, 1886 & 1887, Mulberry Twp. , p 27, J K Cook(not marked paid) and J P Cook; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-RSNQ-M :  accessed 12 March 2026),
IGN 8139953 Image 32 of 621.

Franklin Co Arkansas Ozark Tax Records 1882, 1884, 1886 & 1887, White Oak Twp.,  p (none), J P Cook, ; images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-RSJL-P : accessed 12 March 2026), IGN 8139953 Image 264 of 621.

"Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6LL9-X6N : accessed 13 May 2024), Entry for H F Hill and Tennessee Ferguson, 1 September 1886.

Examining Tennie's Claim That She Is George's Niece

I'm looking at Tennie Hill's claim that she is the niece of George Solifelt and gathering what evidence I have for analysis. Below is a "play by play" of Tennie's correspondence with the Veterans Administration who by 1935 was in charge of Union Pensions.

• Tennie writes to the Veterans Admin to let them know George has died. She asks them to send forms so you can get any pension due to him because she took care of his expenses.  Also included in her correspondence with the VA is a copy of his death notice and a notarized statement from the funeral home showing that she was the one who paid for his funeral expenses..
• Veterans Admin. writes back saying they need a certified Death cert.
• Tennie sends one along with a notarized statement from the minister who preached at George's funeral
• Veterans Admin. sends letter to Notary in error.
• The notary attaches a noted letter explaining that the wife mentioned that George's death record is deceased and that Tennie is his sole surviving heir. (screenshot below)

• Veterans Admin sends letter to Tennie asking her to clarify what the death cert. of George says.  It said he was married and gave his wife's name.  If the wife is a survivor they need to know that as she would be the one who would qualify for any money due him.  If she is deceased they need to have a sworn statement of that with her date of death.
• Tennie returns that letter with a notarized statement typed at the bottom.  (screenshot pg 307)

• Veterans Admin sends a letter to Tennie letting her know that accrued pension is not an asset of his estate and is not payable to heirs and is not liable for the payment of debts but may be paid to reimburse the person who bore the expenses of his last sickness and burial or who is held responsible for the payment thereof only in case he did not leave sufficient assets to meet such expenses or is not survived by widow or a minor child under the age of 16 yrs at the date of his death.  They enclose form for her to use if that is the case.
• Tennie completes the file and sends it back.

KEY STATEMENT FROM Pg. 1 of Reimbursement Application

KEY STATEMENT FROM Pg. 2 of Reimbursement Application

• She is awarded an accrued pension amount of $95 and they note that there is possible additional aid of $150 towards the remaining expenses.  She claimed  $3448 they approved only a certain amount for items of which the $150 possible deduction was subtracted leaving $753.60 I don't see anything on the document that give any indication that they paid anything other than the $95 amount to her and merely suggested she might be able to get $150.  

Let's look at what is being said and compare it to known information.

I tried to make a list of all the possible ways that Tennie might be George's niece but she seems to have explained it in the above snippets from the reimbursement application.....or does she?  Tennie's mother is Susan Carson of Williamson Co TN.  Susan's 1st husband John Ferguson was Tennie's father.  His family was also from Williamson Co TN  I am familiar with both families and that of Susan's 2nd husband(Tennie's stepdad, James Polk Cook)  Tennie is on the census in the household of her Stepdad and her Mom in 1870 and 1880.  Susan Carson was not a sister of George.  If Susan Carson is not Tennie's Mom then the 1/2 sister that Tennie names in her will(and also listed as a survivor in obituary) would not be her half-sister.  That half-sister's father is James Polk Cook.  What we know about George from his early life and that of his Mom, Eliza, and his sister Wilhelmina is that they were all in Pennsylvania up until at least 1870 and that is documented. While Penn is sometimes mistaken for  Tenn(Which does happen in indexing a good bit)that is not what is happening here. Tennie consistently gives her state of birth as 1862 in Tennessee.  George's only sister of record Wilhelmina married in 1870 and is living with her new husband, Henry Walters, and her mom Eliza Solifelt(Saufeld in entry) in Lewiston, Dauphin Co PA.  There are no others in the household with them.

Tennie is the informant on George's death certificate yet she cannot name his parents.  That would be her maternal grandparents and you would have thought she would have at least attempted a guess at their place of birth.

All the evidence I have found, census records, kinships, death certificates, and even her own will, provide clues that suggest that her statement about her being by birth the daughter of George's sister is false.  I believe she claimed to be his niece for several reasons.  There was money to be gained not only from the reimbursement but also she was still drawing her widow's pension and I don't know if she could have continued doing that after she and George left Arkansas and came to Kansas without having some backstory of why she was living with a man. The obituary that she included was one of two obituaries for George and I believe that it was written by Tennie.  I don't claim to know what, if any other relationship existed between George and Tennie, but I am 99.9% certain that they were not uncle and niece by blood.

Sources: 

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ57-SLQ : 29 May 2021), Willamina Walters in entry for Eliza Saufeld, 1870.

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.

“Mrs. Tennessee Hill Funeral Tomorrow,” The Iola Register, 12 May 1946, p. 1, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 Dec 2022).

"Will of Tennessee Hill," File #6782; Allen County Kansas Clerk's Office, Dated 14 Mar 1946. 

"George H Solifelt Standard Certificate of Death," State of Kansas, State Board of Health Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate #8581, DOD 30 Jan 1935, Filed 15 Feb 1935, informant Mrs. Tennie Hill.

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD8F-ZLD : 25 October 2022), Tennessee Cook in entry for James Cook, 1870.[Tennie is listed under the Cook surname.  Her half sister Sofie who is listed in her will is also in this census]

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDQ2-DMM : 15 January 2022), District 10, Bedford Co., Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district 10 , sheet 12D, Household of James P. Cook.

[Tennie is again listed under her Stepdad's surname ]

Notes On William Clifford Cook(4 Apr 1811-1 Jan 1882)

W. C. Cook is my 2nd great grandfather and I’ve been searching for information on who his parents were since I began my research in 1990.  I’ve collected documents from a varying number of sources and even have DNA tests both autosomal and YDNA. The intent of this blog post is to pull together the documents, squeeze out the information and clues contained in them and to use those clues to ask questions and identify where I have opportunity for further research in my quest to answer the question:  Who are the parents of William Clifford Cook(1811-1882)  I have this information in my tree at Ancestry but wanted to make sure that any other researchers who don't have access to the tree could see the information. I'd love to hear from any other Cook or related family researchers with any additional information / corrections or insight. 

W.C. Cook's place of birth is consistently listed as North Carolina on the 1860^[1], 1870^[2] and the 1880^[3] Census. His first identifiable appearance in the area(Rutherford Co TN, Williamson Co. District 25 and Bedford Co TN 9 & 10) is among a group of men who on the 5th September 1831 met at the smith shop of William Gilliam to give depositions for the court case of Robert Williams vs Wm Putman, et al^[4]. This case would eventually be a TN State Supreme Court case.  In W C’s deposition he is asked if he is related to Wm Putman and he acknowledges that Wm. is his brother in law.   Is he thinking ahead?  He’s not yet married to Wm’s sister(That happens about 3 weeks later).  Or just maybe William Putman is married to W.C.’s sister?  I do not know.  It would seem to me that he could have given the answer as NO at that point and time.  Given that and scattered stories identifying Wm Putman’s wife as a Cook I believe that it seems possible that W C's sister could be Wm Putman's wife. Need to work on finding the marriage of Wm Putman to Anna which would give her name and the time period of their marriage and help to answer this question.  The copy of the TN State Supreme Court Case that I obtained from TSLA is 41 pages.  It contains documents from Bedford, Rutherford and Williamson Counties..  All of the counties’ records need to be examined for the period even though the case itself is in Rutherford Co. TN Time Frame  Oct 1829-1835ish.

I also have yet to locate W.C. in the 1830 Federal Census although from his deposition it would appear that he was in the Middle TN area at that point.  I have checked Joseph S Cook and variations though I do not know the relationship between Joseph and W C.  I’ve not located a Joseph(or variation) with a male W.C.'s age living in the household in the area where I'd expect him.  There are a few Cook households in Bedford Co TN who have a male the right age--John, Thomas, and Elizabeth Cook.  The Elizabeth Cook household would seem the most likely given that it is near the Anglins and other families that were involved in the court case.

What is the relationship between W C Cook and Samuel Anglin?  Between W C and Robert Williams?  Asking about Williams because W.C. was asked if he rode the horse(the one at the center of the Williams vs  Wm Putman case)after Williams bought it and his answer was yes.  Generally speaking, I wouldn't think a person would let someone ride their horse unless there was a trusted relationship between the two parties.  Just like these days we don't let just anyone drive our car.

Other Blog posts about the Williams vs Wm Putman case: 

• Outline of Williams vs Wm Putman, Anglin & others
• At a Smith Shop in Murfreesboro on Sept 5th 1831
• More Statements from Williams vs Wm Putman
• 50+ Person's Mentioned in TN State Supreme Court Case from 1835

As I mentioned earlier, W C Cook and Elizabeth Putman were married on 27 of Sept 1831 by Lemuel Manire. The marriage bond and license are dated 26th of Sept 1831 and Zachariah Little signs with W C.  Zach Little was making bond & obtaining a license to marry Mary Hill at the same time.  The person copying marriages from the loose documents into the book writes 29 instead of 27 when copying WC Cook and Elizabeth’s marriage date. Their marriage was announced along with others from Williamson Co TN in the 7th Dec 1831 edition of the Nashville Banner & Nashville Whig.

In 1836 & 1837 W C Cook was on the Tax List of Bedford Co TN in District 10. August 4, 1837 W C Cook & wife sold land in Williamson Co TN District 25 to David Young.  This would presumably be land that Elizabeth inherited when her father Jabel Putman passed.  At that time they were not living on the land.  In 1838 W C was appointed Overseer for Road Work. This is recorded in the Williamson Co TN records

“Ordered that William C Cook oversee that part of the fishing ford road of which Jacob Crick was late overseer and that all the hands on the south side of the road  leading leading(sic) from Murfreesborough to Columbia and all the hands that worked under said Crick work therein under his direction and that they work said road from the Bedford County line to the Rutherford County line.”

There is no date given in the entry however looking at the surrounding entries it appears to be Fall of 1838.  Where is Volume 1 of the Williamson Co Road Books?  Does it no longer exist?  I looked for it on the digitized microfilmed images but it looks like this roll of microfilm only contains Volumes 2, 3, and 4 of the Williamson Co TN Road Books.  Check 1838(Fall) thru 1840 for entry to see if there is a replacement named for W C Cook.  W C Cook was appointed admin of the estate of Joseph S Cook 1st Oct 1838.  He reports the estate sale 7 Jan 1839.  The inventory listing provides a good bit of names.  No other Cooks made purchases other than WC.  I was unable to find distribution papers for Jos S Cook’s estate.  His Probate file in Williamson Co TN Archives is problematic. Jos S Cook died intestate and they have mixed his file with a Joseph Cook who died in 1840 and who left a will.  It’s obvious by looking at the handwriting and knowledge of probate records.  Was that paper lost or did it ever exist?  I contacted the Williamson Co TN archives about it and explained the issue.  I was told that sometime in the 1980s the probate files were put into folders.  This is probably when the two Joseph Cooks' files were combined and might have been when the distribution paper was lost if it did in fact exist.  
W C  and family were in Dyer Co TN^[5] by 1840’s census date of June 1st and the enumerator tallying which was signed on Oct 30 1840. Why Dyer Co?  Also who is the “extra'' female 15-20 in his household.  I’d not discovered that the family was in Dyer Co TN until I went looking to see with which of her children W C’s mother-in-law was living.  It appears she is living with daughter Elizabeth(W C’s wife) unless that is another older lady.  Maybe W C’s Mom but I haven’t identified his parents so I don’t have anything for age comparison. It is more than likely Nancy, widow of Jabel Putman as I was unable to find her in the households of any of her other children.

By July of 1841 the family was back in Williamson Co TN District 25 where Wm C Cook is listed on the school census with one female over 6 but under 16 attending school^[6].  That would be his daughter, Minerva. During the time that W C Cook and family were in Dyer Co TN the Putman siblings were scattered–some in Bedford, Lauderdale, Weakley, and Williamson Counties of TN and by the early 1850s the majority of the Putman brothers would be in Christian and Hopkins Co KY area.  

W C Cook was the witness for a deed by Thos. B Carlton for Liberty Meeting house on Dec 23 1843 in Bedford Co TN^[7].  

In July of 1848 daughter Elizabeth was born living only for a week.

Any Census Entry for W. C. Cook in 1850 was likely in Bedford County Tennessee’s District 10.  The District 10 enumeration is nowhere to be found.  I do not know if they were skipped, the pages lost, never turned in or skipped in the digitization.  In May of 1853(23rd)^[8] W C was at the Union Hall Hotel(D Y Winston Proprietor) and noted as being from Bedford Co along with fellow Bedford Co resident W G Hight(s).  Several others in the same hotel are J O Stubbs(Rutherford Co), J N Clark, and J W Nelson (both of Murfreesboro.) What was the reason for the stay?  Business in Nashville?  On the way to or from Kentucky?  Need to look at court records from Davidson Co. TN around this date.

Records from the “burned”^[9] index that was reconstructed have Wm C Cook selling? land to J H W Jones (140 Acres) on Oct 4th, 1854  Also a deed to Wm G Hight Nov 9th that same year.

Feb of 1855 finds WC listed among others of the District 9 & 10 area petitioning for a boundary change.^[10]  The change was granted and I’ve included the information from it below.  That area seems to change boundaries frequently.  

(Feb 1855 Term pg. 413)

On Petition of John Jackson, William G. Hight, William C Cook, Thomas Davis, Jno. W. Manier, William King, and Jno. Boyce, it was ordered by the Court that the line of Civil District #11 be changed as follows, to wit, commencing at Weakley's Creek and running with the public road by Hight's to as to include the lands of the petitioners from District #9 to #10.  21 Justices voting in the affirmative.

The year 1857 would be a rough year for WC and family as children David V(abt 8) and Rebecca(abt 14) would die.

The Census day for 1860 was June 1st.  W C and family would be enumerated^[11] in District 10 of Bedford County, Tennessee.  
^[12]On 27th Nov 1860 W C would witness a deed of 155 acres(District 10 land) from Richard Nance to J F Elliot.  

Feb of 1862 General Grant issued an order suspending civil government in TN and declaring martial law^[13] and by early March Lincoln had appointed Andrew Johnson as military governor of TN and the entire state was under military law(Middle & West by US and East by Confederate States)

Dec 31 1862- 2 Jan 1863–The battle of Stones River which according to family stories you could hear where W C and family lived(northern Bedford Co)  

4 Mar 1863 Cavalry Detachment, Army of the Cumberland. Col. Robert H. G. Minty 4th Mich. Cavalry & 7th PA were in Rover area

7 Mar 1863 “On Saturday last a Federal cavalry force made an attack upon the Confederate camp at Unionville, Tennessee and captured all their wagons and camp equipment. The Confederate 80 killed 180 injured. Federal 2 slightly wounded.”

Daughter Angeline would have 2 children–Sally born in 1864, and another who died as a young child from burns.  This would have an effect on the family, not to mention all they were going through with the state of unrest.

12 April 1865 Son James Polk Cook filed for a divorce from 1st wife Messina Bailey on grounds of abandonment. ^[14]  It’s granted and by 12 Oct 1865 James was married to Harriet G Hamer in Williamson Co TN^[15] with Richard Polk as his bondsman.  James’ brother Jefferson Gideon Cook married Mary S Hamer(Sister of Harriet) in Williamson Co TN on 9 Sep 1866 and James signed as a bondsman.^[16]  I do not know what became of Harriet or Mary.  More research is needed.  James was with Susan Carson Ferguson and Gideon with Martha Hale by the time of the 1870 Census.^[17] The 1870 Census entry has both couples listed in Bedford Co TN District 10 “next door.”  I did note that James and Susan’s 1st child together was born in 1869 and named Harriet presumably in honor of his wife Harriet so I’d think that there wasn’t a divorce involved.  Harriet’s mother is listed as Susan on her death certificate but I’d wondered if there was a chance that she was a child of James and Harriet G Hamer.  Maybe not.  I've never located the marriage record of James and Susan.  That needs more attention.

July 1866 Mail route restored Unionville and Poplins Crossroads suffering from a large outbreak of Flux.
Census Day 1870(June 1) finds W C Cook and family enumerated in District 10 of Bedford Co TN in the household of Elizabeth’s widowed sister, Parry Putman Lamb^[18]

W.C. paid taxes in District 9 of Bedford Co TN for the years,  1875^[19] 1876^[20] 1877^[21] 1878^[22] 1879^[23] 1880^[24] 1881^[25]  He wrote his will^[26] in November of 1881 and died in Jan of 1882 at the age of 70.  Elizabeth had passed in 1880 as the result of a fall.  They are buried together in Simpson Cemetery in Rover, TN surrounded by many family members.^[27] [28]

There seems to be some connection to the Hight, Little, Smith, Pope, and Harrison families when looking at DNA results and the interactions of the families.  The Putmans intermarried numerous times with the Crick, Carlton and Vickery families which also interact with the other families which may tie in thru the Cook lines. It must be remembered that not only are we looking for the father of William Clifford Cook, we are also trying to identify the mother whose family name is unknown to us.

Our YDNA line matches most closely with others who are descendants of Shem Cooke(1722-1796) of Granville Co NC and a group of Patterson men who are likely Cook descendants as the one of them who has tested matches with my our BigY700.  The connecting generations have not yet been found or sorted out.  Cooks from this group are all over NC, Middle TN, Alabama(Cullman Co area) and Georgia(Carroll Co)  We really need more Cooks in these areas to test.

Please see my Cooke/Luna Main File at Ancestry and the profile of William Clifford Cook in that tree

---

[1] "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8T7-38Q : 18 February 2021), W C Cook, 1860.

[2] "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD8F-W6V : 22 June 2022), Wm C Cook in entry for Parry Lamb, 1870.

[3] "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDQ2-XHB : 22 June 2022), W.C. Cook, District 9, Bedford, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration District 9, sheet 269D,

[4] Williams vs. Putman--TN State Supreme Court Case Middle District Ordered from TN State Library & Archives via https://supreme-court-cases.tennsos.org/ Delivery(Jan 2, 2019) via email of scanned digital images(PDF) 41 pages. (Location at TSLA Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: 2 Box Number: 375)

[5] "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:2:1TGQ-9RH : 30 September 2021), Household of Wm C Kook, Dyer, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 104, NARA microfilm publication M704 , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.), roll 521-522; FHL microfilm 24,544.

[6] Williamson, Tennessee, School Census 1838-1939, District 25, William C Cook 1 child(Over 6<16); digital images, FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1W-9QXZ-K?cat=823595, Image  1067 of 5811; citing Genealogical Society of Utah, 1998  Film 2115582 Item 2, DGS 8411324.

[7] Bedford Co. Tennessee Deed Book OO p 26; digital images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QY-KSP4-G?cat=298281); citing Tennessee Department of Education, Nashville(TN)1965; Film 476362 DGS 8567893

[8] "Arrivals at the Principal Hotels," The Tennessean, 25 May 1853, p. 3,  col. 2; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 31 Aug 2022).Clipping is  at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28050107/hotel-arrivals-w-c-cook/

[9] Bedford County, Tennessee deed books and index, 1808-1966, Typed Index to burned volumes (extinct) made from the register's notebook, ca. 1852-1861; digital images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKX-93L5-Y?i=25&cat=298281) Image 26 of 481.

[10] Marsh, Helen C, and Timothy R. Marsh. Earliest County Court Records of Bedford County, Tennessee. Shelbyville, Tenn: Southern Historical Press, 1985. Page 119.

[11] "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8T7-38Q : 18 February 2021), W C Cook, 1860.

[12] Bedford County, Tennessee Deed Book DDD pg 6; digital images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKX-932Z-Z?i=188&cat=298281) Image 189 of 481.

[13] https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/civil-war-occupation/

[14] Bedford County, Tennessee Circuit Court Minutes 1864 - 1865

Apr. 1864 - Aug. 1867. FHL  Film  475985   DGS 8659576

Cook, James P. vs. Messina Ann Cook  page 283 - 284; digital images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-D3C6-49Z9-4?cat=247526)

[15] "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VN4N-YH7 : 4 December 2014), James F Cook and Harriet G Hamer, 12 Oct 1865; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing p.539 , Williamson, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.

[16] "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93F-MSZF?cc=1619127&wc=Q63S-B1P%3A1589264512%2C1589374067 : 22 December 2016), Williamson > Marriage records, 1865-1878, vol 6-8 > image 46 of 975; citing Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties.

[17] "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-68LS-FCY?cc=1438024&wc=KP49-BZ9%3A518655501%2C518949801%2C518905001 : 13 June 2019), Tennessee > Bedford > District 10 > image 31 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C: National Archives and Records Administration).

[18] "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD8F-W6V : 22 June 2022), Wm C Cook in entry for Parry Lamb, 1870

[19] Bedford Co TN Tax Books 1878-1881 Film # 477092 Dist. 9 1875 Tax Year image 91 of 573

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-63C6-4W3Q?i=90&cat=247961

[20] Bedford Co TN Tax Books 1878-1881 Film # 477092 Dist. 9 1876 Tax Year Image 269 of 573

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-63C6-4WRL?i=268&cat=247961

[21] Bedford Co TN Tax Books 1878-1881 Film # 477092 Dist. 9 1877 Tax Year Image 465 of 573

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-D3C6-44PQ?i=464&cat=247961

[22] Bedford Co TN Tax Books 1878-1881 Film # 477093 Dist. 9 1878 Tax Year Image 112 of 774

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-D3C6-493N-X?i=111&cat=247961

[23] Bedford Co TN Tax Books 1878-1881 Film # 477093 Dist. 9 1879 Tax Year Image 305 of 774

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-D3C6-499Z-1?i=304&cat=247961

[24] Bedford Co TN Tax Books 1878-1881 Film # 477093 Dist. 9 1880 Tax Year Image 494 of 774

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-63C6-499C-N?i=493&cat=247961

[25] Bedford Co TN Tax Books 1878-1881 Film # 477093 Dist. 9 1881 Tax Year Image 681 of 774

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-D3C6-49Q9-V?i=680&cat=247961

[26] "Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-2RLX-19?cc=1909088&wc=M6QW-VZS%3A179632901%2C180193601 : 22 May 2014), Bedford > Wills, 1861-1897, Vol. 1 > image 245 of 424; county courthouses, Tennessee.

[27] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66487991/william-clifford-cook: accessed 31 July 2022), memorial page for William Clifford Cook (4 Apr 1811–1 Jan 1882),  ID 66487991, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.

[28] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66488146/elizabeth-cook: accessed 31 July 2022), memorial page for Elizabeth Putman Cook (1814–5 Sep 1880), ID 66488146, citing Simpson Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee, USA.