The Life and Disappearance of George F. Cook
George F. Cook, the son of Sarah Ann Watkinson and George Cook. He came to America from England as a small boy. His family settled in Almy, Wyoming where his father and older brother William worked in the coal mines. George also had a brother Edwin known as Ned and a sister Ann. George's mother Sarah died in childbirth in 1893 when he was 10 years old. The oldest of the family was William being 13 at the time, Ned was 7 and Ann 4 years old. This left George. Sr. to take care of the family alone. They had an older women live with them and help out for about a year, then Ann and Ned were sent to live with friends of the family. It was a difficult time for the family.
George's father married Mary Brown Hutchinson sometime between 1896 and 1899. Mary's husband James Hutchinson had been killed in a mine explosion in 1895 leaving her a widow with four daughters. Mary's oldest daughter Harriet had been born in England; James Hutchinson was her step father. Mary and James had three daughters together; Sarah Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Mary Ann. Harriet was 15 when James died and Mary Ann was only 2 years old.
William and his father quite mining. His personal history says that he often hired out as a ranch hand in the area. William and Harriet, being step brother and sister, were married on 16 January 1899. George F. and Sarah Elizabeth, also step siblings, were married on 24 December 1900.
The 1900 Census shows the following living at Hilliard – George Cook, Mary Hutchinson Cook, Sarah Hutchinson, Charlotte Hutchinson, Mary Ann Hutchinson, Ann Cook, George F. Cook, and Edwin Cook. William and Harriet were shown as living in a nearby residence, most likely they were in a separate house on the same ranch, as they were married at the time.
There is little known about George's growing up except what is written in his brother, William's history. William mentions that at one time he and George were running the ranch at Hilliard together.
In a recent interview with George, Jr.'s youngest daughter Marcia she talked about her father. She told us that her parents bought a ranch in Yellow Creek, near Evanston, Wyoming. She said they had several milk cows and the children sold the milk. Her father George was a drinker and a gambler. Her father often disappeared for great lengths of time. Sometimes they would learn where he was and Marcia's brother Jim would go get him. Often he was in Idaho, where his son Roy lived.
One time George came home and told his wife Sarah that he had sold all of the cows. Sarah was very upset, as that was how she supported the family. Marcia remembers her father having $600 and she wondered where the money came from. She now believes that it was most likely from selling the cows. He talked to Marcia and said that he was leaving and asked if she would write to him. He gave her four silver dollars and left. Marcia kept looking for a letter from her Dad so that she could write back to him, but one never arrived. She has wondered all of these years what happened to him. She suspected that something bad happened to him because he had so much money when he left. Marcia said that occasionally her mother would hear he was in Evanston and they would drive around hoping to find him, but never did. They thought that people might have just "made up" that he was in town and maybe he never was.
Marcia was surprised to learn of my grandmother Harriet telling me the following story about George, Jr.
Harriet said that her husband received notice to go and identify a body that had been found by the Great Salt Lake. The authorities believed that it might be George F. Cook. My grandfather, William Cook, told Harriet that the body was badly decomposed. He said it had red hair like his brother George and that he was of the same build. As there was no identification with the body and he could not make a positive identification, he could not claim it. No one seems to know exactly when this occurred or what happened to the body. (George is listed with his wife and children in the 1930 Census in Evanston, Wyoming, thus it was after that.) My grandmother Harriet also remembered he had a great deal of money when he left and that my grandfather thought he was probably murdered for the money. There has also been speculation that he was gambling and people must have noticed he had money, so they killed him for it. As my grandparents are no longer living and no one has a record of when this happened, the demise of George F. Cook remains unknown to this day.
At some point Sarah divorced George. She sold the ranch and purchased a large house in Evanston. To make a living, she rented out rooms and did washing and ironing for people. Marcia said that her mother's specialty was cleaning draperies and she remembers them stretched and drying around the house. She said that her mother was very strict, but also kind to many people.
Written by Micky O. great niece of both George and Sarah Cook, granddaughter of William and Harriet Cook.
George F. Cook, the son of Sarah Ann Watkinson and George Cook. He came to America from England as a small boy. His family settled in Almy, Wyoming where his father and older brother William worked in the coal mines. George also had a brother Edwin known as Ned and a sister Ann. George's mother Sarah died in childbirth in 1893 when he was 10 years old. The oldest of the family was William being 13 at the time, Ned was 7 and Ann 4 years old. This left George. Sr. to take care of the family alone. They had an older women live with them and help out for about a year, then Ann and Ned were sent to live with friends of the family. It was a difficult time for the family.
George's father married Mary Brown Hutchinson sometime between 1896 and 1899. Mary's husband James Hutchinson had been killed in a mine explosion in 1895 leaving her a widow with four daughters. Mary's oldest daughter Harriet had been born in England; James Hutchinson was her step father. Mary and James had three daughters together; Sarah Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Mary Ann. Harriet was 15 when James died and Mary Ann was only 2 years old.
William and his father quite mining. His personal history says that he often hired out as a ranch hand in the area. William and Harriet, being step brother and sister, were married on 16 January 1899. George F. and Sarah Elizabeth, also step siblings, were married on 24 December 1900.
The 1900 Census shows the following living at Hilliard – George Cook, Mary Hutchinson Cook, Sarah Hutchinson, Charlotte Hutchinson, Mary Ann Hutchinson, Ann Cook, George F. Cook, and Edwin Cook. William and Harriet were shown as living in a nearby residence, most likely they were in a separate house on the same ranch, as they were married at the time.
There is little known about George's growing up except what is written in his brother, William's history. William mentions that at one time he and George were running the ranch at Hilliard together.
In a recent interview with George, Jr.'s youngest daughter Marcia she talked about her father. She told us that her parents bought a ranch in Yellow Creek, near Evanston, Wyoming. She said they had several milk cows and the children sold the milk. Her father George was a drinker and a gambler. Her father often disappeared for great lengths of time. Sometimes they would learn where he was and Marcia's brother Jim would go get him. Often he was in Idaho, where his son Roy lived.
One time George came home and told his wife Sarah that he had sold all of the cows. Sarah was very upset, as that was how she supported the family. Marcia remembers her father having $600 and she wondered where the money came from. She now believes that it was most likely from selling the cows. He talked to Marcia and said that he was leaving and asked if she would write to him. He gave her four silver dollars and left. Marcia kept looking for a letter from her Dad so that she could write back to him, but one never arrived. She has wondered all of these years what happened to him. She suspected that something bad happened to him because he had so much money when he left. Marcia said that occasionally her mother would hear he was in Evanston and they would drive around hoping to find him, but never did. They thought that people might have just "made up" that he was in town and maybe he never was.
Marcia was surprised to learn of my grandmother Harriet telling me the following story about George, Jr.
Harriet said that her husband received notice to go and identify a body that had been found by the Great Salt Lake. The authorities believed that it might be George F. Cook. My grandfather, William Cook, told Harriet that the body was badly decomposed. He said it had red hair like his brother George and that he was of the same build. As there was no identification with the body and he could not make a positive identification, he could not claim it. No one seems to know exactly when this occurred or what happened to the body. (George is listed with his wife and children in the 1930 Census in Evanston, Wyoming, thus it was after that.) My grandmother Harriet also remembered he had a great deal of money when he left and that my grandfather thought he was probably murdered for the money. There has also been speculation that he was gambling and people must have noticed he had money, so they killed him for it. As my grandparents are no longer living and no one has a record of when this happened, the demise of George F. Cook remains unknown to this day.
At some point Sarah divorced George. She sold the ranch and purchased a large house in Evanston. To make a living, she rented out rooms and did washing and ironing for people. Marcia said that her mother's specialty was cleaning draperies and she remembers them stretched and drying around the house. She said that her mother was very strict, but also kind to many people.
Written by Micky O. great niece of both George and Sarah Cook, granddaughter of William and Harriet Cook.
The Life and Disappearance of George F. Cook
George F. Cook, the son of Sarah Ann Watkinson and George Cook. He came to America from England as a small boy. His family settled in Almy, Wyoming where his father and older brother William worked in the coal mines. George also had a brother Edwin known as Ned and a sister Ann. George's mother Sarah died in childbirth in 1893 when he was 10 years old. The oldest of the family was William being 13 at the time, Ned was 7 and Ann 4 years old. This left George. Sr. to take care of the family alone. They had an older women live with them and help out for about a year, then Ann and Ned were sent to live with friends of the family. It was a difficult time for the family.
George's father married Mary Brown Hutchinson sometime between 1896 and 1899. Mary's husband James Hutchinson had been killed in a mine explosion in 1895 leaving her a widow with four daughters. Mary's oldest daughter Harriet had been born in England; James Hutchinson was her step father. Mary and James had three daughters together; Sarah Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Mary Ann. Harriet was 15 when James died and Mary Ann was only 2 years old.
William and his father quite mining. His personal history says that he often hired out as a ranch hand in the area. William and Harriet, being step brother and sister, were married on 16 January 1899. George F. and Sarah Elizabeth, also step siblings, were married on 24 December 1900.
The 1900 Census shows the following living at Hilliard – George Cook, Mary Hutchinson Cook, Sarah Hutchinson, Charlotte Hutchinson, Mary Ann Hutchinson, Ann Cook, George F. Cook, and Edwin Cook. William and Harriet were shown as living in a nearby residence, most likely they were in a separate house on the same ranch, as they were married at the time.
There is little known about George's growing up except what is written in his brother, William's history. William mentions that at one time he and George were running the ranch at Hilliard together.
In a recent interview with George, Jr.'s youngest daughter Marcia she talked about her father. She told us that her parents bought a ranch in Yellow Creek, near Evanston, Wyoming. She said they had several milk cows and the children sold the milk. Her father George was a drinker and a gambler. Her father often disappeared for great lengths of time. Sometimes they would learn where he was and Marcia's brother Jim would go get him. Often he was in Idaho, where his son Roy lived.
One time George came home and told his wife Sarah that he had sold all of the cows. Sarah was very upset, as that was how she supported the family. Marcia remembers her father having $600 and she wondered where the money came from. She now believes that it was most likely from selling the cows. He talked to Marcia and said that he was leaving and asked if she would write to him. He gave her four silver dollars and left. Marcia kept looking for a letter from her Dad so that she could write back to him, but one never arrived. She has wondered all of these years what happened to him. She suspected that something bad happened to him because he had so much money when he left. Marcia said that occasionally her mother would hear he was in Evanston and they would drive around hoping to find him, but never did. They thought that people might have just "made up" that he was in town and maybe he never was.
Marcia was surprised to learn of my grandmother Harriet telling me the following story about George, Jr.
Harriet said that her husband received notice to go and identify a body that had been found by the Great Salt Lake. The authorities believed that it might be George F. Cook. My grandfather, William Cook, told Harriet that the body was badly decomposed. He said it had red hair like his brother George and that he was of the same build. As there was no identification with the body and he could not make a positive identification, he could not claim it. No one seems to know exactly when this occurred or what happened to the body. (George is listed with his wife and children in the 1930 Census in Evanston, Wyoming, thus it was after that.) My grandmother Harriet also remembered he had a great deal of money when he left and that my grandfather thought he was probably murdered for the money. There has also been speculation that he was gambling and people must have noticed he had money, so they killed him for it. As my grandparents are no longer living and no one has a record of when this happened, the demise of George F. Cook remains unknown to this day.
At some point Sarah divorced George. She sold the ranch and purchased a large house in Evanston. To make a living, she rented out rooms and did washing and ironing for people. Marcia said that her mother's specialty was cleaning draperies and she remembers them stretched and drying around the house. She said that her mother was very strict, but also kind to many people.
Written by Micky O. great niece of both George and Sarah Cook, granddaughter of William and Harriet Cook.
George F. Cook, the son of Sarah Ann Watkinson and George Cook. He came to America from England as a small boy. His family settled in Almy, Wyoming where his father and older brother William worked in the coal mines. George also had a brother Edwin known as Ned and a sister Ann. George's mother Sarah died in childbirth in 1893 when he was 10 years old. The oldest of the family was William being 13 at the time, Ned was 7 and Ann 4 years old. This left George. Sr. to take care of the family alone. They had an older women live with them and help out for about a year, then Ann and Ned were sent to live with friends of the family. It was a difficult time for the family.
George's father married Mary Brown Hutchinson sometime between 1896 and 1899. Mary's husband James Hutchinson had been killed in a mine explosion in 1895 leaving her a widow with four daughters. Mary's oldest daughter Harriet had been born in England; James Hutchinson was her step father. Mary and James had three daughters together; Sarah Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Mary Ann. Harriet was 15 when James died and Mary Ann was only 2 years old.
William and his father quite mining. His personal history says that he often hired out as a ranch hand in the area. William and Harriet, being step brother and sister, were married on 16 January 1899. George F. and Sarah Elizabeth, also step siblings, were married on 24 December 1900.
The 1900 Census shows the following living at Hilliard – George Cook, Mary Hutchinson Cook, Sarah Hutchinson, Charlotte Hutchinson, Mary Ann Hutchinson, Ann Cook, George F. Cook, and Edwin Cook. William and Harriet were shown as living in a nearby residence, most likely they were in a separate house on the same ranch, as they were married at the time.
There is little known about George's growing up except what is written in his brother, William's history. William mentions that at one time he and George were running the ranch at Hilliard together.
In a recent interview with George, Jr.'s youngest daughter Marcia she talked about her father. She told us that her parents bought a ranch in Yellow Creek, near Evanston, Wyoming. She said they had several milk cows and the children sold the milk. Her father George was a drinker and a gambler. Her father often disappeared for great lengths of time. Sometimes they would learn where he was and Marcia's brother Jim would go get him. Often he was in Idaho, where his son Roy lived.
One time George came home and told his wife Sarah that he had sold all of the cows. Sarah was very upset, as that was how she supported the family. Marcia remembers her father having $600 and she wondered where the money came from. She now believes that it was most likely from selling the cows. He talked to Marcia and said that he was leaving and asked if she would write to him. He gave her four silver dollars and left. Marcia kept looking for a letter from her Dad so that she could write back to him, but one never arrived. She has wondered all of these years what happened to him. She suspected that something bad happened to him because he had so much money when he left. Marcia said that occasionally her mother would hear he was in Evanston and they would drive around hoping to find him, but never did. They thought that people might have just "made up" that he was in town and maybe he never was.
Marcia was surprised to learn of my grandmother Harriet telling me the following story about George, Jr.
Harriet said that her husband received notice to go and identify a body that had been found by the Great Salt Lake. The authorities believed that it might be George F. Cook. My grandfather, William Cook, told Harriet that the body was badly decomposed. He said it had red hair like his brother George and that he was of the same build. As there was no identification with the body and he could not make a positive identification, he could not claim it. No one seems to know exactly when this occurred or what happened to the body. (George is listed with his wife and children in the 1930 Census in Evanston, Wyoming, thus it was after that.) My grandmother Harriet also remembered he had a great deal of money when he left and that my grandfather thought he was probably murdered for the money. There has also been speculation that he was gambling and people must have noticed he had money, so they killed him for it. As my grandparents are no longer living and no one has a record of when this happened, the demise of George F. Cook remains unknown to this day.
At some point Sarah divorced George. She sold the ranch and purchased a large house in Evanston. To make a living, she rented out rooms and did washing and ironing for people. Marcia said that her mother's specialty was cleaning draperies and she remembers them stretched and drying around the house. She said that her mother was very strict, but also kind to many people.
Written by Micky O. great niece of both George and Sarah Cook, granddaughter of William and Harriet Cook.
Family Members
Siblings
