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"Jese Cook Warrington Township (p. 499) York County Militia, 1st Battalion, 5th Company, 7th Class, No. 166 - April 11, 1778."
(I wonder if "Jese Cook" is the phonetic way Jesse actually spelled/signed his name? -- rlciii)
Situate in Managhan and Warrington Townships in the County of York. (unintel) as above set forth 160 acres & 121 perches and Allowance. Being part of a Larger Tract of 474 acres & 84 perches and allowances of Land Resurveyed on the 23rd day of October 1810. In Pursuance of a Warrant granted to Roger Cook [no relation] dated the 21st day of June 1768 for to Resurvey 630 acres. Which had been originally surveyed to William Langley Including his Improvements. Surveyed and divided off from the said Larger Tract of Land on the 24th day of October 1810 for Jesse Cook the present owner who desired the same to be Resurveyed for Conformation. per Joseph Spangler D.S.
IN TESTIMONY that the above is a copy of the original remaining on file in the department of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania, made conformably to-an Act of Assembly approved the 16th day of February 1833, I have hereunto set my Hand and caused the Seal of said Department to be affixed at Harrisburg, this third day of May, 1898.
James W. Latta Secretary of Internal Affairs
-- Neal O. Hively January 1, 2003
100+ acre farm of Jesse Cook. Two-story stone and log house built by Jesse Cook completed by 1785 - sold in July 1953) nr. Dillsburg, Carroll Twp, York Co., Pennsylvania
(Today 2021, the farm straddles the Carroll/Warrington township line, before 1831 it straddled the Monoghan/Warrington twp. line. There is a 1785 datestone with Jesse's and his wife Mary's initials under the second story eve.-- rlciii)
1. The original house, according to my grandfather William R. Cooke, was the first floor east end. This appears to have been two bedrooms and a kitchen, which also must have served as a general living area. The floor of this part of the house is elevated above the floor of the remainder of the house, added later. As the original house is the only part under which there is a cellar, this appears to account for the difference in level. This area has many springs, including one just down the hill from the house, so it is possible to speculate that underground water prevented digging the cellar deep enough to bring the house floor to ground level.Jesse Cook married Mary Wierman in 1767. He was age 23 at the time. Presumably the first part of the house was built about this time. The date under the eaves at the peak of the house of 1785, I take to be the date of the addition of the second floor. One reason for assuming the first part was built earlier lies in the will of Jesse's father, Peter Cook. Peter came to York Co. in 1745 and his house, now gone, was several miles south of this one. In his will (Peter), dated 1/17/1777 (Will Book F, page 246 at York Co. Courthouse) he left his own farm to his youngest son, Peter. This implies that his other sons (Jesse, Joseph and Samuel) had established themselves elsewhere. The size of the original land holdings is not known to me but the taxables of Monoghan Twp. (which at the time included present Carroll and Franklin Twp's.) for 1783 lists, "Jesse Cook, 105 acres, 1 tanyard, 143 (pounds)." The mention of the tanyard in 1783 makes it clear that a residence existed prior to 1785.
2. By will dated 2/16/1815 (Will Book O, page 66, York Co. Courthouse) Jesse Cook left everything he owned to his son John. John, however, was charged with paying various legacies to his brothers and sisters. The will states that if this is too great a burden to him any of the others could have the farm upon paying John 600 (pounds).
3. By will dated 7/14/1858 (Will Book W, page 249, York Co. Courthouse) John Cook left the farm to his son John. He refers to the farm as the one where his son "now resides with me....100 acres more or less." He also mentions "...any of my farms...the one I now live on or the one occupied by the said widow...of Walker Cook, deceased." The spring house is also mentioned. John Cook, Sr. married Hannah Walker and John Cook, Jr. married a second cousin, Lydia Marsh Walker (Hannah and Lydia thus being first cousins once removed). They did not get along and the will of John, Sr. contains the following: "...and whereas the wife of my said son John Cook, Jr. has for sometime since and is now acting in an unbecoming and ungenerous manner towards me and my said wife, in view of which conduct it is my will and I hereby declare that she, John's wife, shall never have any interest, claim on or demand into or out of the Real Estate I hereinbefore bequested to the said John. However it is my will that the right of said premises shall be in the said John absolutely forever so that he may use, enjoy and dispose of the same absolutely by sale, bequest or otherwise but not to his said wife directly or indirectly."
4. John Cook, Jr. apparently died intestate. However, a deed dated 4/1/1891 (Deed Book 9C, page 602, York Co. Courthouse) is a transaction between the heirs of John Cook, Jr. being William R. Cook, Mary A. Cook, Andrew B. Shearer & his wife Eliza, and Ruth Emma Bair (Cook). The farm described as partly in Carroll Twp. and partly in Warrington Twp. was sold to William R. Cooke by the other heirs. It was shortly after this that William added the "e" to his name.
5. The farm next went to Ruth Cooke, daughter of William Ramsey Cooke (and my father's sister), probably by sale during his lifetime. There appears to be no will and I have not checked the deed records.
6. Ruth Cooke sold the farm to Niles Shearer, a son of Andrew Shearer, about 1953. (July 1953-rlc, III)
7. Niles Shearer sold the farm to his grandson Carl Shearer, about 1978. It still consists of about 120 acres.
-- Research by Robert L. Cooke, Jr. dated June 15, 1980
pg. 146. 8mo. 8, 1767 at Warrington Jesse Cook & Mary Wierman declare intensions: William Cox, John Underwood, Patience Berry & Naomi Cox to inquire
pg. 147. 9mo. 12, 1767 at Huntington Jesse Cook & Mary Wierman, 2nd time: Peter Bower, Wm. Kenworthy, Patience Berry & Naomi Cox to oversee
pg. 148. 10mo. 10, 1767 at Warrington Marriage of Jesse Cook & Mary Wierman reported orderly
Jesse Cook (son of Peter and Sarah [Gilpin] Cook,) b. 9 mo. 15, 1744 d. 8 mo. 18, 1818
Mary Cook (wf. of Jesse and dau. of Henry and Priscilla [Pope] Weirman, b. 10 mo. 19, 1746) d. 12 mo. 1, 1824
In the name of God Amen I Jefse Cook of the township of Franklin in the County of York and State of Pennsylvania. Being in Perfect Health of Body and of Sound mind In Memory and Understanding (Blefsed be God, for the Same) But considering the uncertainty of this transitory Life do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following to Wit first of all I Command my body to the Earth to be buried in a Decent and Christian like Manner at the discretion of my Executors Herein after Named--and as to Such worldly Estate wherewith, it hath pleased God to blefs me with in this life. I Give and dispose of the Same in the Following Manner to Wit ----------
I Give and devise to my beloved wife Mary one feather Bed and bedding, one Cow and Her Keeping and Eight pounds lawful mony of Pennsylvania in one year after my Decease and the like Sum Every year During her Natural life to be paid by my son John Cook and the privilage of the Room that John lives in and a Sufficiency of fire wood Made Ready for the fire or Stove, one fourth part of the Household and Kitchen furniture to be at her own Disposal Exclusive of the before mentioned bed and Bedding --
Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Son Henry Cook and to his heirs and afsign all the Bonds against him in my Pofsefsion but the two last this to be in full of his Shares of my Real Estate --
Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved son Isaac Cook and his heirs or afsigns the Sum of two Hundred pounds lawful mony of Pennsylvania to be paid to him by my son John Cook in manner following that is to say twenty five pounds to be paid to him in one year after my decease and So on twenty five pounds yearly until the two Hundred pounds is fully paid -- and farther I Give and Devise to my said son Isaac Cook his heirs or afsigns the two last Bonds now in my My Pofsefsion Signed by Henry Cook to be paid to him by my son Henry Cook as they become due. ---
Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved son Samuel Cook to his heirs or afsigns the Sum of twenty five pounds lawful mony to be paid in three Years after my decease to be paid to him by my son John Cook ---
Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Daughter Mary, Now Intermaried with Zachariah Reed, and to her heirs or afsigns the sum of fifty pounds lawful mony to be paid to her by my son John Cook in three years after my decease -- and farther I Give and devise to my daughter Mary Reed one Case of Drawers and the Small tea Kittel, one Good bed and bedding in full of her share of my Estate except personal Estate--
Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved son John Cook his heirs or afsigns the Plantation I now live on Clock and Large tea Kittel. He paying the legacies above Specified to Isaac Cook Samuel Cook and Mary the wife of Zachariah Reed.
If so be that my son John Cook do not think proper to take my Plantation and pay the afforsaid legacies to my wife and Children and any of my other Children taking my Plantation paying as Mentioned is to pay to John Cook his heirs or afsigns the sum of Six Hundred pounds lawful mony, the first payment to be fifty pounds In one year after my decease and so on fifty pounds yearly until the Six Hundred is fully paid -- and farther I allow And it is my wife that my personal Estate What Shall Remain after my wifes fourth part and paying my Just debts, to be Equally divided among all my Children above Named or their heirs --
And lastly I Nominate and appoint my Son Henry Cook - Isaac Cook and my trusty friend Elisha Cook to be my Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby Revoking all other wills, legacies, and Bequeaths by me heretofore made and Declaring this and no other to be my last will & Testament, In Witnefs whereof I the Said Jefse Cook have hereunto Let my hand and Seal the Sixteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and Fifteen Signed Sealed Published pronounced and Declared by the Said Testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us Who in his presence and at his Request Have Subscribed Witnefses
Witnefs present Daniel Cookson Jese Cook (Seal) Sarah Cookson
Sources
York County, Pennsylvania in the American Revolution A Source Book - Black Series Compiled by Henry James Young and Others 1936. (rlciii - joined SAR May 14, 2014 #191001)
Abstracts of the Records of Warrington Monthly Meeting York County, Pennsylvania, pages 146-148, Gilbert Cope, 1877 LDS FHL Fiche #387937
Tombstone Inscriptions Warrington Friends Meeting House, York Co., Pennsylvania, page 9, Albert Cook Myers, 1950 (inscriptions copied in 1895)
Last Will and Testament for Jesse Cook (1744-1818) York County Archives Will Book - O, Page 66.
Note: Jesse's birth month has been changed to agree with that in the historical biography and Findagrave.