Happy Thanksgiving and Some Family History
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We have so much to be grateful for. Our Savior and His gospel; our wonderful family and the abundance of darling grandkids; A beautiful area to live in; and reasonably good health.
This year was the year of the in-laws for the holiday. Elise went with the Jacksons to Universal in Florida. Adrienne went with the Greens to Disneyland. Nick and Sara planned on cooking for Sara's family, but Sara and Ori have Covid, so they are home trying to recuperate. Crista is in Mapleton with the Vances, and Dan and Jennie and their families are having dinner with us. At least we weren't completely abandoned. Dojin looked at me shortly after arriving and said, "Are we all that's coming?" It's just not the same without all the cousins.
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| Foster, Dojin, and Yuli watching TV |
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| Jieun and Elijah |
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| Hyeji |
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| The Vances were in Mapleton, but Matt sent me this picture showing their Home Depot craft activity |
Nan was over on Monday for Jennie to cut and color her hair. We had a good visit. When she was leaving, Foster said, "Goodbye...Happy Halloween."
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| Her idea was to hang the markhor that she had submitted to the state fair. We'll either buy this from her or commission her to do a landscape for this spot. She previously painted the antelope for Roy. I made the quilt on the left. It's all embroidery. The markhor is a goat found in Asia. She thinks she'd have been able to sell it if it was an animal that people are familiar with. |
My brothers, Dave and Phil, shared some interesting family history in their letters from last Sunday. Dave is working with the Cook Family Organization finding DNA matches to try and find Henry Cook from the 1600's who was our first ancestor to come over from England. The difficulty is in the number of Henry Cooks. With the information Dave is gathering, the pool of Henry Cooks that could be our ancestor, has been significantly reduced.
From Dave's letter: New Info: Our cousin, Bryson Cook [Bryson has been on the CFO board in the recent past], found more information while he was on his mission to New York this year. He traveled to Goshen Connecticut and found more documents where other patriots were seeking pensions. They are listed as joining the army with Daniel Cook from Goshen. I [Dave] submitted an application to the SAR and their representative, Bill Simpson. Today, we had a long phone call with Bill, Bryson, and myself to see if we have enough information to connect Daniel Jr. as a patriot in the American Revolution. From Phineas’ journal (I did not correct the spelling):
"The house where grandfather lived was the birth place of my father. Grandfathers name was Daniel Cook and grandmothers name was Elizabeth Porter, him I never saw but I just remember of seeing grandmother it was when I was very small. Grandfather died when he was 49 years old it is little that I know of him and that little I heard father tell. he served all through the revolutionary war with England which broke his constitution and his health was always poor he was in many battles and skirmishes but still he was saved, one or two anecdotes which I heard father tell I will here relate, one night he was sent out in company with one more as a scouting party to see what they could find the night was dark and as they desended a hill a stone wall on both sides of the road a party of about 30 men arose on the oper side of the road over behind the wall, he could see them because they ware higher than he was, and they hailed them saying who comes thare, his answer was friend, frient to who was again interogated friend to the states he replied, surrender—God dam you—replied the at this time known enemy. At this moment he fired his musket at the bigest one and run for the oposite wall the moment he was on the top of it the bullets came like hail stones one went through the top of his hat one through his ear one grazed his side and one went into the heel of his shoe, down the hill they run until they met a party of his own men supposing he had met another enemy he exclaimed I give up I give up, when soon to his joy he found it was his friends he wished to return and persue the enemy but the officer thought it not prudent in the night so they returned to camp meanwhile his hand was covered with blood caused by feeling for a hole in his side which however he was not able to find. In the morning, they came again to the spot and found blood on the ground supposing that it was likely he had hit his mark. At another time when want had driven the company that he was in almost to desperation their horse beef was all gone and no dogs or any kind of meat could be procured, and they had even roasted their shoes and eaten them, at last their Captain told them to go out and take some Tory’s chickens or anything they could find, they knew of a tory near by who had plenty but 7 Daniel may have had a nice uniform like this, but chances are he wore regular clothes or had a would sell none, he had a large bull dog that guarded the house so there was no coming round in the night, at length a plan was hit upon, Grandfather was selected as guard so he went forth near to the house when out came the dog in a great fury he saw that he must defend himself so he drew his musket and shot the dog which brought the old tory to the door in a great rage wanting to know what he nad shot for, he said he had shot his dog for every time he was on duty he was in danger of being torn to pieces, and after detaining the old man for some time in the cold he lift for camp and found the boys had got some honey which they had taken from the old torys beehouse while he was scolding about the dog. the next morning the old man came to camp in pursuit, the captain told him he did not think his boys had it but sais he we will search so round the camp they went the old man peeking and looking very closely till he came to the mess where it was hid in a chest, the captain opened the chest suddenly puting his hand into a small cask and taking it suddenly out again covered with honey slaming down the lid and takeing his handkerchief from his pocket and wipeing it off saying, boys what in thunder do you keep soap here for, says Grandfather, we have to keep it there or the souldiers will steal it from us, one of the mess had his tongue swolen so that his mouth was wide open caused by the sting of a bee, the old tory wondered at this and asked what ailed that man the captain told him he had the tooth ache this passed off first rate and the old man went away. In this manner they had to live, sometimes almost star-veing and watching tories (which were ten times more traible than the English) and sometimes liveing on horse beef which was their best living until General LaFayette came from France after which they fared well, In the course of these hardships the companies where he was all mutenered twice, which was all hands arose saying home, boys home, no bread no meat no rum, but all returned after geting something to eat, just before Lafayette came they was almost starved and he had news from home that they had some pork, he asked the captain to let him go home and get some, he told him he could not spare him, but he resolved to go so that night he started and was gone 8 or 10 days and come back with a back load of pork, he was then taken for deserting and court-martialed and found guilty he was asked if he had anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed upon him, he said he had suffered enough to die a thousand deaths but he had tuft it through and if they wished to kill him for what he had done they*might try it, but he should fight his way through and make his escape or loose his life, so they consulted sometime upon the matter finely he was liberated and he went and divided his pork all round and they had a good feast. He was about 16 years old when he enlisted in the army he served his country faithfuly for 7 years or to the end of the war, After this he went to work and bought new land among which was the place of my birth for one English shilling pr acre which arose in value and he sold enough to maintain him with his family and a handsome property bsides, whare he was buried I don't know that I ever knew but it seems to me that it was in East Goshen And the place of his birth I never knew but I believe it was in the town of Goshen. this is all I can tell of him."
(Dave's letter this week informed us that he was accepted into the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) through Daniel Cook Jr. This means that all of his descendants can join the SAR or the DAR (daughters), by using his name).
In Phil's letter he shared this tidbit, which I found very interesting: This week in my family history research, I came across a memory of my mom’s first husband, Gene Bird, who died in the war just seven months after they were married. It was written by his friend, Grant Clyde. Grant was also my mother’s friend and first cousin. Gene and Grant were very close and were often together from before grade school until Gene started college. When Grant moved to Salt Lake for college, they communicated much less. Sometime in 1941, just before Grant left for an LDS mission to Hawaii, the two of them drove to Ogden to see some high school friends. On December 14, 1943, Grant recorded the events of that day in 1941, not knowing at the time that Gene had died two weeks earlier (November 29, 1943). Sometime later, after hearing of Gene’s passing and probably after Grant had returned from his mission, he added to his story. "Now I write a Chapter of sorrow in my life…. When we left Ogden [in 1941] it was about 7:30. I drove, and Gene sat in front with me. Mother slept in the back. As we drove along, we talked continually. I cannot recall the things we spoke of. But it seemed we talked almost feverishly. Trying to cram into those last few hours together a whole lifetime of memories to look back on and remember…. I had the greatest feeling of happiness I'd ever known. I was ready then to leave for my mission. When he stood by the car door for just a moment and shook my hand and said, "goodbye", I suddenly felt cold. Just for an instant I felt I would not see him again. Then it was gone, and I felt warm and happy just being there with him for a last moment. I know I shall see him again. I know that we will meet and continue on living this wonderful bond of friendship. Each day I am more thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the assurance of life hereafter far more wonderful and complete than this. He is not gone. His memory lives on, richly enshrined in the hearts of those he's left behind. Though no conquest of the world has marked him as great, his conquest of life...his determination...his perseverance...and most of all, the love and companionship he gave me unceasingly, will live forever. An eternity cannot erase the memory of all that I've known with him, and gained by following his example. ...I took his death very calmly. More so than I ever imagined I could. But when the day was through and I knelt in prayer, I could control my feelings no longer. There in the dark and quiet of the mission home I gave way to my emotions. I asked God to bless me with an understanding of his leaving---to grant unto me piece of mind, and to alleviate the sorrow of his mother and father, and Ila [my – Phil’s – mother]. The comfort I sought came, and as I pondered over all the wonderful things my friendship with Gene has brought, I began to see more fully that it was meant like this a long time ago. I could no longer feel that bitter sadness. I was profoundly grateful for all that had been mine. I was struck by their friendship, and was grateful my mother was a part of it. How wonderful to have a close friend and how wonderful to know that the associations we have here will continue in the next life. Those were difficult and sad times."
We drove up to the Gorge the day after Thanksgiving. We were going to stay through Sunday until we looked at the weather report. When we saw the storms that were coming in, we decided to play it safe and come home Saturday afternoon. We've learned we have to leave by 4:30 at the latest in order to get through the animal zone before dark so it was another short trip. While we were. up there, Roy was able to take a reconnaissance ride to check out some trails in the area. He took a few pictures and wanted to share them.
Roy: So Cat and I went up to the Gorge Friday morning. I went on a ride in the Pioneer by myself (which I don't usually do but I wasn't too far away). I have been exploring the area to the east of Keith'-s ranch in the back of the ridges towards the drop-offs. I went on some new trails that I hadn't tried before which were beautiful.
(back to Catharine)
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