These are just some of the trivial but amusing things you learn while researching your genealogy!
Anna Cook, eldest daughter of Katie and Joe married John Evers, who was at first a baker, and then a contractor. They had moved to Florida by 1930 where she and her husband were buried in the 1950s. In the 1900 and 1920 censuses, the Evers had a mysterious family member, listed as an "aunt", Regina Smith living with them. She also appeared in the 1910 census living in the home of Katie and Joe Cook listed as a "sister-in-law". She was the same age as John Evers, which would make her young enough to be Katie Cook's daughter, not sister. We thought maybe she was a secret scandalous baby that returned to her mother; and there was an orphanage right down the street from the Cooks in Cleveland that might have housed her at one time. Our imagination was piqued.
After a mind-numbing search through census records in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio to determine the correct Smith family, using this mysterious "Regina" as the key, we were ultimately able to confirm that she was Katie Smith Cook’s sister, sometimes listed in census records as “Virginia", sometimes not counted at all.
The Cook boys all enlisted in WWI and WWII, but only Charles and Elroy were young enough to serve in WWI – Charley was 33 and Elroy was 31. Both survived and were honorably discharged in 1919. After WWI, Elroy stayed San Francisco, California where he married a woman named Mary/May Evers, his brother-in-law John Evers' sister, and the couple had no children. He died in 1963 and was buried in a Veterans’ graveyard near the Presidio in San Francisco.
Albert, Sebastian, Delbert and Lulu all lived on the same street, East 124th in Cleveland for a few decades. Bertha, the second daughter who was born 1877, appears in 1880 census, never to be seen again. We presume she died before the 1900 census. Albert George married Margaret "Maggie" Forbes, who was their next-door neighbor in Cleveland. He had his own business, Cook Electric Company, 3000 E. 123rd St. Maggie died in 1923 at the age of 42. Albert's son, Albert Junior, had died very young at age 22 three years earlier in 1920, and Albert Senior married his son's widow, Rose (nee Kinkopf), who was 20 years his junior, soon after.
Yes, that's a little weird.
Sebastian Anthony Cook married first to Mary L. Kriz. He owned a real estate company on the east side. His son Marvin’s son Marvin Jr. became a doctor. His daughter, Ardella, born in 1909, only recently passed away in April 2011, at the age of 102! Mary Kriz Cook died in 1939 at age 51, and Sebastian survived another 30 years, eventually marrying and surviving his second wife, Helen Fry, by a decade.
Adelbert (Delbert) Vincent Cook was married three times. His first wife (and the mother of his children) Anna Elizabeth Frick, died very young in 1910 at age 25. He was listed as a carpenter and worked at the Citizens Building in Cleveland. He moved back to his parents' house at 2656 E. 124th St. in Cleveland according to his WWI draft registration card and the 1920 census. His second marriage to Mary Vargo ended in divorce. His third wife was Agnes Keriling, according to his obituary in 1955 in Los Angeles, California. He was 71.
Louisa (Lulu) Cook never married and raised both Delbert’s and her brother Charles' kids after 1925 or so. Delbert was widowed in 1910, and after marrying moved out of the house where his children were living, and shows up in the 1930 census in the same neighborhood with his second wife, Mary.
Charles and his wife Ida Duquette were killed in a tragic automobile vs. train collision in 1929. There was some speculation that this was a double suicide based on the stock market crash, but we can't reconcile that idea with the fact that Charles and Ida had two little girls at home. Evidently (as we affectionately joke), St. Lulu had a house of orphans in 1930.
Mamie Ann Noonan Cook died December 28, 1938 at age 60. "Papa" Bernard Cook outlived her by over 20 years. He died in 1960 at age 85. They are probably buried at Calvary Cemetery like the rest of the family.
Joseph "J.J." Cook, Bernard’s dad, died in 1921 at age 69. Catherine, his wife (Katie), lived to be 77, and both were buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland. Regina Smith is also buried at Calvary.
Albert, Sebastian, Delbert and Lulu all lived on the same street, East 124th in Cleveland for a few decades. Bertha, the second daughter who was born 1877, appears in 1880 census, never to be seen again. We presume she died before the 1900 census. Albert George married Margaret "Maggie" Forbes, who was their next-door neighbor in Cleveland. He had his own business, Cook Electric Company, 3000 E. 123rd St. Maggie died in 1923 at the age of 42. Albert's son, Albert Junior, had died very young at age 22 three years earlier in 1920, and Albert Senior married his son's widow, Rose (nee Kinkopf), who was 20 years his junior, soon after.
Yes, that's a little weird.
Sebastian Anthony Cook married first to Mary L. Kriz. He owned a real estate company on the east side. His son Marvin’s son Marvin Jr. became a doctor. His daughter, Ardella, born in 1909, only recently passed away in April 2011, at the age of 102! Mary Kriz Cook died in 1939 at age 51, and Sebastian survived another 30 years, eventually marrying and surviving his second wife, Helen Fry, by a decade.
Adelbert (Delbert) Vincent Cook was married three times. His first wife (and the mother of his children) Anna Elizabeth Frick, died very young in 1910 at age 25. He was listed as a carpenter and worked at the Citizens Building in Cleveland. He moved back to his parents' house at 2656 E. 124th St. in Cleveland according to his WWI draft registration card and the 1920 census. His second marriage to Mary Vargo ended in divorce. His third wife was Agnes Keriling, according to his obituary in 1955 in Los Angeles, California. He was 71.
Louisa (Lulu) Cook never married and raised both Delbert’s and her brother Charles' kids after 1925 or so. Delbert was widowed in 1910, and after marrying moved out of the house where his children were living, and shows up in the 1930 census in the same neighborhood with his second wife, Mary.
Charles and his wife Ida Duquette were killed in a tragic automobile vs. train collision in 1929. There was some speculation that this was a double suicide based on the stock market crash, but we can't reconcile that idea with the fact that Charles and Ida had two little girls at home. Evidently (as we affectionately joke), St. Lulu had a house of orphans in 1930.
Mamie Ann Noonan Cook died December 28, 1938 at age 60. "Papa" Bernard Cook outlived her by over 20 years. He died in 1960 at age 85. They are probably buried at Calvary Cemetery like the rest of the family.
Joseph "J.J." Cook, Bernard’s dad, died in 1921 at age 69. Catherine, his wife (Katie), lived to be 77, and both were buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland. Regina Smith is also buried at Calvary.
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