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. 

George Solifelt and wife in Columbus Ohio(Nov. 1902)

 I've been trying out a GenealogyBank subscription and found an additional mention of George H Solifelt in one of the newspapers images.  The paragraph about George contains an amazing amount of information considering it is only 3 sentences long. 

The Details

• George H Solifelt(58) & wife(32) 
• Passed thru Columbus Saturday(Nov 22nd or 29th)
• They were traveling from Pittsburgh to western KS
• They claim to have friends in KS
• They are entirely destitute & plan to take the trip on charity passes
• County Infirmary directors gave them train tickets good as far as London OH

This wife would be Mary who is enumerated with him in the 1900 Census in Granville, Mifflin Co., Pennsylvania(E.D. 135 Sheet 3B). He sides steps the questions about a wife multiple times in his application for a pension and pension increases.  This is likely the one he married in TX and who was born in Mississippi.  His 1st wife, Kate divorced him by publication and her death which occurred about a year prior was covered in a number of newspapers.  Presumably George and Mary didn't make it out to Kansas.  They leave a paper trail in Fort Smith Arkansas and later he and Tennie after Henry F Hill's death do end up in KS.  There is evidence to suggest that Mary was still alive and in Ft Smith(AR) at least until 1926.  George and Tennie came to Iola, KS in April of 1909.

I need to make a timeline. 

Source:  

“Brevities,” Columbus(Ohio) Evening Dispatch, 29 Nov 1902, p. 7, col. 7; digital image, GenealogyBank.com (https://www.genealogybank.com/ : accessed 17 Apr 2023).

Trip from Pittsburgh to Columbus(OH) and on to London OH 
Note that this example is shown using present day roads.

Making Connections: How Charles met Catherine?

How does a girl from Tennessee end up meeting and marrying a guy from Ohio in the 1850s.  What is the connection?  In my blog post "Catherine Jones Bronson--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives" I noted that Catherine was among those on the pupil list at the Tennessee School for the Deaf in 1851.  She marries Charles Bronson(also a deaf mute) in 1856.  In the 1860 census, Charles & Catherine are living near Catherine's family.  Charles' place of birth is listed as Ohio.  A search of other pupils there yielded nothing remotely close to Charles Bronson.  On a whim I checked the teacher listing and there is a George E. Bronson(source:  Knox Co TNGenWeb--TN School for the Deaf)  listed as an instructor from 1849-1853.  

This is the same George E. Bronson who is listed as a sibling of Charles on the U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives(see above image.)   Did George bring his brother, Charles to Tennessee with him during the time he worked at the school?  That would explain how a guy from Ohio came to know a girl from Tennessee.  

WRONG!!  

Well not completely wrong but a check of the 1850 Federal Census shows that Elijah and Fannie Bronson were already in Tennessee by the time that George takes the job at the Deaf School.  They are enumerated in White Co TN in 1650.  Elijah and his wife were both born in Connecticut.  That kind of makes me wonder if they knew the Connecticut Hitchcocks.  Charles' Mother-in-law was a Hitchcock.  In 1850 George--noted as Deaf and Dumb is in KY in what I believe is his sister Sarah Bronson Powers household(though the 1850 doesn't list relationships)  I've yet to find Charles during 1850.  So now I know that the connection was at least that they lived in the same county AND had connections to the TN School for the Deaf.  

  

Elzey Families involved in Buggy Wreck--1895

I found the following article in an old Alabama newspaper at Newspaper.com.  Was it published in there because the Elzeys had a connection to that area of Alabama?  I wish I knew.  May have been carried in many newspapers over the country as they liked to run news from all over the US.  My 3rd Great Grandmother Adeline Eliza Elzey Hale was said to have been born in Alabama but I have never been able to find anything on her family.  The only insight I have is info given by her granddaughter, Phoebe Hale McCormick.  In evaluating the information in the statement I need to remind myself that Phoebe was only 5 years old when her Dad's mother, Adeline passed away in April of 1905.   Too, it should be noted that Phoebe's Dad, John Nathaniel Hale  was the youngest child.  John N. Hale never knew his Daddy as William Taylor Hale drowned in the Collins River shortly before his birth.  The account of Wm Taylor Hale's unfortunate death is mentioned in Phoebe's recollection of her Grandparents.  Much of the information detail events which happened up to 80 years before Phoebe was even born.


Of course these events in this newspaper article are happening in  1895 which is about 10 years before Adeline Hale dies.  These could be nephews, or brothers cousins or even great nephews.  Her surname has been spelled a variety of ways.  The details of the buggy wreck are pretty gruesome.

The Eutaw Whig and Observer (Eutaw, Alabama)
01 Aug 1895 Thu
Page 1

www.newspapers.com

So I went looking for any record of a William Elzey in the 1880 census and found one in the Adams Co Indiana area. From that information I was able to find details of who he married and also his Death Certificate(from Ancestry.com) which lists him as a widower.  

Indiana Death Certificates, 1899-2011  Searched on William Elsey (Decatur area)
Year:  1904 Roll : 01

The Ancestry Database
Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Based on records from:
Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900–2011. Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.

I did a search for the cemetery where he is buried, having gotten that information from the Death Certificate and found a listing for Reynolds Cemetery at the Adams County page of the INGenWeb.  Addition info was listed at the website in an obituary and while it didn't say exactly when his wife died it gave the impression that it had been more than several years.  The obituary also told of Wm. Elzey coming to the Decatur area in 1836 with his father from Clinton Co Ohio.  His father is also buried at the Reynolds Cemetery.  LOTS of information.  Also in the Reynolds Cemetery there is a Mary E Elzey Mann who dies in Oct of 1895.  This particular Elzey family doesn't appear to be connected to my Adeline Elzey Hale within the 1800s.  There may be some connection back in Deleware and Maryland. There are several families from Maryland and Connecticut which settled in Van Buren Co TN.  I am also intrigued by the Martin Family connection to this Elzey.  There are many many Martin family connections in my autosomal DNA results but no patterns yet.  I'm putting this aside for now but this information could come in handy if I ever make a connection to Elzeys in Maryland.

Genealogical details in an advertisement.

The Cincinnati Enquirer  Cincinnati, Ohio  Thu, Sep 5, 1901 – Page 12

My Daughter, Brittany's Folley line is her most recent immigrant line.  George Folley(her 3rd Great Grandfather) brought his family to the USA about 1887.  At the time, his family consisted of his wife and their two daughters.  His wife would die in 1888 of Yellow Fever. George was a tailor and remarried in New York to Barbara Klemme(from Franklin Co IN) about 3 years after his wife's death.  Franklin County, Indiana is where most of Brittany's Paternal Grandfather's German ancestors lived.  George and Barbara lived in Campbell Co Kentucky for awhile before moving on to Cincinnati Ohio.

I recently subscribed when I noticed a good deal on their Publisher Extra subscription which they were offering to Ancestry.com subscribers.  Imagine my surprise at finding genealogical information in an advertisement.   The subscription price is well worth it.  I found the details of George's Death published in The Cincinnati Enquirer and also ran across an advertisement from about 25 yrs prior to that which gives a little background about George's employment.



The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati, Ohio Mon, Mar 25, 1929 – Page 12

Who are you and how do you know my Grandmother? --Part 4

The holidays have been very busy and I wanted to write more about Flora but haven't had much time to research Flora's family.  In previous posts covering this mystery I had mentioned that my Grandmother Pearl had traveled to the Navy Hospital(In Bethesda, MD according to the telegram) near Washington D.C when notified that her son, Morris was there.  I've scanned and read over this post card many times over the years but I just now made the connection with the scene that is on the front.  It is a picture of the fountain in Cincinnati Ohio.  Odd that it wouldn't be something from Washington DC.  Did she stop over in Ohio and buy some postcards there planning to use them to write home.  Was that how she met Flora...on the bus or train?   I have a photo of what remains of the telegram she received from the Navy. Which I'm posting here also. I guess the next step is to find any descendants of Flora and see if they have anything from those years which might over clues.  My parents hadn't married yet so my mother wasn't around while this was going on. She did seem to think that one of Granny's nieces went with her...most likely Sue Bell Thompson--Papaw Cooke's niece(daughter of Rebecca L. Cook and Charlie Thompson).

Picture:  Fountain Square, Cincinnati Ohio

Addressed to :  Miss Magnus Cook 911 Dodson St Old Hickory Tenn

Postmarked Jun 8, 1945 Washington, D.C.

Message:

Have just arrived at the Station in Washington.  Have just finished eating.  Have not been out to the hospital yet which is 12 miles out .  Will write again this afternoon.  (From the Back side of post card)

Love, Mother(written on front)

Below is a photo enhanced picture of what is left of the Telegram my grandmother received.  I do not have a copy or know where the letter is that is mentioned in the Telegram.

Who are you and how do you know my Grandmother? --Part 2

Questions about Flora's letter and her connection to my family

What year was the letter written?
Flora's daughter was married  to her first husband in 1943.  The daughter would have been divorced some time prior to 1956 as that is when her ex husband marries again.  This leads me to believe that the letter was written some time between 1943-1956.  I searched for a source for divorce records for area of Akron, Summit Co Ohio, USA but didn't find one available on-line.  So I did what I would have done if I were "on the ground" in that area.  I went to their library by way of the website.  As it happens the Akron-Summit Co. Library has done a wonderful job of getting many of the City Directories on-line.  One of the most impressive ones I have seen.  I now totally get the importance of City Directories and how they contain a vast amount of information.

By checking the Directories for the years from 1940 to 1956 I was able to get an idea of the time period in which it was written.  The 1956-57 Directory shows Flora's Son-In-Law and her Daughter living apart from each other.  They were together in the 1954-1955 listing so I think it's safe to say that the letter was written some time in the period from the publication of the 1954 and the 1956.  Flora's son-in-law marries again in June of 1956 so it may be closer to 1954 when they separated and divorced.


Where is their oldest son in 1940 was he already in the Navy?  If so he should be enumerated at the location which he is stationed.

 326. Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines.-Enumerate soldiers, sailors, and marines in the Army or Navy of the United States as residents of the place where they usually sleep in the area where they are stationed. If, therefore, any household in your district reports that one of its members is a soldier, sailor, or marine stationed elsewhere, do not report him as a member of that household. 

Full instructions for 1940 Census are located HERE  (pdf file)


I'm continuing to search for the oldest son in the 1940 Census.  I was able to request a copy of his obit and found that he was living with his sister in 1974 when he passed away.   Oddly it didn't mention the younger brother who I had found through public records and marriage records living in Dade Co FL.  He would pass 6 years after his brother's passing.

As I was searching the directory I also came across some of my Dad's paternal cousins who had moved north from Tennessee to Akron Ohio for work.  Because they had lived in Indiana a good bit of time when I knew them,  I'd forgotten about their Akron Ohio connection.  So I've sent a message to see if any of them know who Flora might be and her connection.

At this point I still kind of think the connection is a chance meeting when my Grandmother went to see her son who was at the naval hospital in the Washington DC area.  Add to this too that I also noticed that Flora's Social Security Application was completed in Washington DC. The years 1952-1954 are listed in parenthesis in the place where the application year is usually located.  These years differ from the time period that my Grandmother would have been there.  I wonder if the older son was living in Washington from 1940-1954.  By the time she wrote the letter in the card he would have been in the hospital in Chillicothe Ohio.

Much more information and research is needed.  A lot of clues but no clear answers yet.

Akron-Summit Co. Public Library(OH)

I've been working on a FAN research project today which led me to seek out records from the Akron-Summit County Ohio area.  Let me just say how wonderful it is to see a Special Collections department that has so much on-line for those interested in the local history.  The Akron-Summit County Library  has a wonderful Database section.  The range of dates which are covered by the City Directories they have available on-line is so very impressive and was so helpful in my search for information from the 1940s & 1950s.

The Date Range:  1859-1969
Information Included:  Names, Occupation, Place of Employment, Home Address
Information about businesses, city and public school officials and a vast assortment of items that changed to adapt to the times(think postage stamp cost or notary public listings)

They also have an obituary index from which you can order copies.  Digital(free) or copies by mail.
I only wish I had ancestors from that area.

Who are you and how do you know my Grandmother? --Part 1

The Holidays
As the holidays approached  I found myself as I do every year looking through my wrapping paper, gift bags & cards and trying to determine what I need to buy more of in order to get thru the current season.  Inevitably, I also find the box which contains cards I have received over the years as well as some older cards that people sent to my paternal Grandmother.  One from her sister, Kitty Jakes Bell, another from Cora Jakes Gibson(another of her sisters)...one from her niece Olive Bell Shriver and her husband Sam.  One of the cards was from someone I couldn't place in her family and I thought it might be a neighbor or someone she has rented a house from as they lived in East Nashville rentals a bunch after moving from Old Hickory and before she moved to Dickson.  I looked inside to get the name which I believe I had done before and just  figured that the card was from family.  In addition to the name I also noticed faded ink across the entire card.  At first it looked like a letter had been in the card and faded, but on further examination I can see that the sender, a lady I'll call Flora had written a letter on the folded inside of the card.  The letter told of some hardships she and her family were going thru and made me further curious about how they knew each other.  My curiosity was peaked even further when she asked about my Uncle Morris and sent her regards.

Clues from the Letter
Flora and her husband live in Akron Ohio on Austin Avenue.  She gave vague details of the health problems she and her husband had been facing.  Flora's son was in the hospital in Chillicothe (OH?) and apparently it isn't a minor hospital stay as she mentioned not having written to him in awhile.  This leads me to believe that it may have been a Veteran's hospital so I want to check the census records for this family and see what I can find. Flora's daughter is also having a hard time. Her husband has left her and her children(Flora's Grandchildren) at the holidays.  What little information I do know is pulling at my heartstrings and I want to know how it turned out for these people....and yes...how they know my grandmother.  I note all of the clues to her identity in the letter so that I can use it in my research.

1940 Akron Ohio but not at the address on the card.

• Flora was born about 1902 which puts her at about 11 years younger than my grandmother.
• Her husband works at a Rubber Plant( Goodyear or Firestone?)
• Living at home is a daughter age 17 and a son age 15
• Living at the same house in 1935 (Stanford Ave, Akron, Ohio)

A check of the 1930 reveals a bit more

• Flora and her husband have a son age 11 who isn't in their household in 1940
• Flora's husband was working at the Rubber Shop(maybe the plant hadn't expanded at that time)
• All are Born in Ohio and there parents were also according to this census.
• Flora was 15 when she married and her husband 21.

Checking some of the suggested records that pop up when I view the census records at Ancestry.com lead me to find Flora's marriage record as well as marriage records for her daughter.  The older son was in the Navy as I find his death noted with U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File as well as a FindAGrave listing which shows his Navy marker..  I wonder if this is how the family would know my Uncle Morris.  He was in the Navy briefly in 1945.  Was the older son the one who was in the hospital

More clues....and more questions.

I want to look for a divorce record for the daughter.  That will give me an idea of what time period the letter was written which will tell me how far back their friendship goes.  I wonder if Ohio has the divorce court records and rulings at Ancestry like Michigan does.  

Lots to think about.  

My Grandmother's PostCards

This postcard was sent to my Grandmother Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke
It is of the Bay County Memorial Hospital in Panama City, Florida.
It is postmarked from Panama city on Nov 28 1952 and the postage was 2 cents.
My Grandmother's address at that time was 1209 Calvin Avenue Nashville, TN.
The note is signed from Bill however I don't recognize it as my father Bill Cooke's handwriting. I think it has to be from someone on the Jakes side of the family because it mentions my Grandmother's sisters.



This postcard was in my Grandmother's collection. It was not one she received or that was mailed. The subject of the postcard is the town in which they lived, Old Hickory Tennessee. My Grandfather(her husband) was an employee of the Dupont Company that built the town of Old Hickory and retired from there in the 1950s.



Sent by my Grandmother Pearl Gray Jakes Cooke to her eldest daughter Magnus Cook on June 8th 1945 from Washington DC. The scene is one of Fountain Square in Cincinnati OH. Postage was 1 penny. This documents that my Grandparents were still living at 911 Dodson St, Old Hickory TN in June of 1945.