James Madison Cook was probably born about 1834 in Union County, Georgia. In the 1834 Union County special census, the household of William Cook and Susannah Hill was the largest household in the county with 16 people (7 males and 9 females). Some records put the birth year for James Madison Cook as early as 1832, so James may have been part of this household in 1834.
One family tradition (see the listing of children in William's Find A Grave memorial) has been that James Madison Cook was the 14th child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill, whereas another family tradition (see 2006 note below from Elaine Cook Thompson) has been that James Madison Cook was not the 14th biological child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill. Several 1854-1855 guardianship court records and an 1875 land sale support the likely situation that James Madison Cook is the biological son of Martha Patsey Cook and the grandson of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill.
The references are detailed below, but James M. Cook is a common name, and it is always possible that one or more of these records is for a different James M. Cook than the person who married Emily Crumley.
No 1850 census record for James M. Cook has ever been located. However, there is a James Self living in 1850 in the household of Robert and Martha Self with an age suggesting James was born before Robert and Martha married. Then in Aug 1854, Drury Logan is appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook". James M. Cook marries Emley Crumley the next month.
James M. Cook is not referenced in the 1875 land sale to Burton Cook, whereas all the other children of William M. Cook are referenced in that land sale.
In his 1922 will, James M. Cook mentions his daughter Martha Wilson and his grandson William Andrew Cook. It seems possible that James M. Cook's oldest daughter Martha Cook (Martha Wilson) was named for his mother Martha Patsey Cook.
Additional child:
9- Elisha Cook (1881- ).
References:
• 24 Mar 1834 Union County, Georgia, special census: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/union/census/1830/1834cens.txt .
• 1850 Union County, census, name listed as James Self.
• 7 Aug 1854 Union County, Court of Ordinary, Drury Logan appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook", https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893T-FSQW .
• 1854-1855 Union County, Court of Ordinary, additional items related to guardianship.
• 24 Sep 1854 Union County, marriage record.
• 2 Aug 1875 Union County, book A, page 147, land sale to Burton Cook by heirs of William Cook: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160016620 .
• 31 Jan 1922 Union County, Georgia will (filed 14 Oct 1924; recorded 11 Nov 1924).
• 2006 email from descendant Elaine Cook Thompson, "I have been searching for the parents of James Madison Cook and have hit a brick wall. I was told by a cousin that he was not actually a Cook, but was taken in by a Cook family".
• 2023 FamilySearch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KG13-FKG .
• 2023 Cook descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CookDescendants.txt .
• 2023 Crumley descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CrumleyDescendants.txt .
One family tradition (see the listing of children in William's Find A Grave memorial) has been that James Madison Cook was the 14th child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill, whereas another family tradition (see 2006 note below from Elaine Cook Thompson) has been that James Madison Cook was not the 14th biological child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill. Several 1854-1855 guardianship court records and an 1875 land sale support the likely situation that James Madison Cook is the biological son of Martha Patsey Cook and the grandson of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill.
The references are detailed below, but James M. Cook is a common name, and it is always possible that one or more of these records is for a different James M. Cook than the person who married Emily Crumley.
No 1850 census record for James M. Cook has ever been located. However, there is a James Self living in 1850 in the household of Robert and Martha Self with an age suggesting James was born before Robert and Martha married. Then in Aug 1854, Drury Logan is appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook". James M. Cook marries Emley Crumley the next month.
James M. Cook is not referenced in the 1875 land sale to Burton Cook, whereas all the other children of William M. Cook are referenced in that land sale.
In his 1922 will, James M. Cook mentions his daughter Martha Wilson and his grandson William Andrew Cook. It seems possible that James M. Cook's oldest daughter Martha Cook (Martha Wilson) was named for his mother Martha Patsey Cook.
Additional child:
9- Elisha Cook (1881- ).
References:
• 24 Mar 1834 Union County, Georgia, special census: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/union/census/1830/1834cens.txt .
• 1850 Union County, census, name listed as James Self.
• 7 Aug 1854 Union County, Court of Ordinary, Drury Logan appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook", https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893T-FSQW .
• 1854-1855 Union County, Court of Ordinary, additional items related to guardianship.
• 24 Sep 1854 Union County, marriage record.
• 2 Aug 1875 Union County, book A, page 147, land sale to Burton Cook by heirs of William Cook: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160016620 .
• 31 Jan 1922 Union County, Georgia will (filed 14 Oct 1924; recorded 11 Nov 1924).
• 2006 email from descendant Elaine Cook Thompson, "I have been searching for the parents of James Madison Cook and have hit a brick wall. I was told by a cousin that he was not actually a Cook, but was taken in by a Cook family".
• 2023 FamilySearch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KG13-FKG .
• 2023 Cook descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CookDescendants.txt .
• 2023 Crumley descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CrumleyDescendants.txt .
James Madison Cook was probably born about 1834 in Union County, Georgia. In the 1834 Union County special census, the household of William Cook and Susannah Hill was the largest household in the county with 16 people (7 males and 9 females). Some records put the birth year for James Madison Cook as early as 1832, so James may have been part of this household in 1834.
One family tradition (see the listing of children in William's Find A Grave memorial) has been that James Madison Cook was the 14th child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill, whereas another family tradition (see 2006 note below from Elaine Cook Thompson) has been that James Madison Cook was not the 14th biological child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill. Several 1854-1855 guardianship court records and an 1875 land sale support the likely situation that James Madison Cook is the biological son of Martha Patsey Cook and the grandson of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill.
The references are detailed below, but James M. Cook is a common name, and it is always possible that one or more of these records is for a different James M. Cook than the person who married Emily Crumley.
No 1850 census record for James M. Cook has ever been located. However, there is a James Self living in 1850 in the household of Robert and Martha Self with an age suggesting James was born before Robert and Martha married. Then in Aug 1854, Drury Logan is appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook". James M. Cook marries Emley Crumley the next month.
James M. Cook is not referenced in the 1875 land sale to Burton Cook, whereas all the other children of William M. Cook are referenced in that land sale.
In his 1922 will, James M. Cook mentions his daughter Martha Wilson and his grandson William Andrew Cook. It seems possible that James M. Cook's oldest daughter Martha Cook (Martha Wilson) was named for his mother Martha Patsey Cook.
Additional child:
9- Elisha Cook (1881- ).
References:
• 24 Mar 1834 Union County, Georgia, special census: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/union/census/1830/1834cens.txt .
• 1850 Union County, census, name listed as James Self.
• 7 Aug 1854 Union County, Court of Ordinary, Drury Logan appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook", https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893T-FSQW .
• 1854-1855 Union County, Court of Ordinary, additional items related to guardianship.
• 24 Sep 1854 Union County, marriage record.
• 2 Aug 1875 Union County, book A, page 147, land sale to Burton Cook by heirs of William Cook: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160016620 .
• 31 Jan 1922 Union County, Georgia will (filed 14 Oct 1924; recorded 11 Nov 1924).
• 2006 email from descendant Elaine Cook Thompson, "I have been searching for the parents of James Madison Cook and have hit a brick wall. I was told by a cousin that he was not actually a Cook, but was taken in by a Cook family".
• 2023 FamilySearch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KG13-FKG .
• 2023 Cook descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CookDescendants.txt .
• 2023 Crumley descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CrumleyDescendants.txt .
One family tradition (see the listing of children in William's Find A Grave memorial) has been that James Madison Cook was the 14th child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill, whereas another family tradition (see 2006 note below from Elaine Cook Thompson) has been that James Madison Cook was not the 14th biological child of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill. Several 1854-1855 guardianship court records and an 1875 land sale support the likely situation that James Madison Cook is the biological son of Martha Patsey Cook and the grandson of William M. Cook and Susannah Hill.
The references are detailed below, but James M. Cook is a common name, and it is always possible that one or more of these records is for a different James M. Cook than the person who married Emily Crumley.
No 1850 census record for James M. Cook has ever been located. However, there is a James Self living in 1850 in the household of Robert and Martha Self with an age suggesting James was born before Robert and Martha married. Then in Aug 1854, Drury Logan is appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook". James M. Cook marries Emley Crumley the next month.
James M. Cook is not referenced in the 1875 land sale to Burton Cook, whereas all the other children of William M. Cook are referenced in that land sale.
In his 1922 will, James M. Cook mentions his daughter Martha Wilson and his grandson William Andrew Cook. It seems possible that James M. Cook's oldest daughter Martha Cook (Martha Wilson) was named for his mother Martha Patsey Cook.
Additional child:
9- Elisha Cook (1881- ).
References:
• 24 Mar 1834 Union County, Georgia, special census: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/union/census/1830/1834cens.txt .
• 1850 Union County, census, name listed as James Self.
• 7 Aug 1854 Union County, Court of Ordinary, Drury Logan appointed guardian of James M. Cook, "illigitimate child of Martha Cook", https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893T-FSQW .
• 1854-1855 Union County, Court of Ordinary, additional items related to guardianship.
• 24 Sep 1854 Union County, marriage record.
• 2 Aug 1875 Union County, book A, page 147, land sale to Burton Cook by heirs of William Cook: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160016620 .
• 31 Jan 1922 Union County, Georgia will (filed 14 Oct 1924; recorded 11 Nov 1924).
• 2006 email from descendant Elaine Cook Thompson, "I have been searching for the parents of James Madison Cook and have hit a brick wall. I was told by a cousin that he was not actually a Cook, but was taken in by a Cook family".
• 2023 FamilySearch: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KG13-FKG .
• 2023 Cook descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CookDescendants.txt .
• 2023 Crumley descendants: https://willbraffitt.org/roots/CrumleyDescendants.txt .
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