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TABLE OF CONTENTSInventory |
Guide to the Cook Family Papers
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Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator | Cook family | |
| Title | Cook Family Papers, | |
| Dates: | 1791-1934 | |
| Abstract: | Papers in this collection, practically all loose papers, are Personal and business papers of the family and total approximately 900 individual items, or 1 cubic foot. They consist almost exclusively of general correspondence, accounts and receipts. Practically all are in manuscript form, only a few of the later dated items being in typescript. | |
| Extent: | 2 boxes, 1 cubic foot | |
| Identification: | C-1 | |
| Location: | The material is located in the Archives at Queens Library. | |
Historical/Biographical Note
Not much information has been gathered concerning the Cook Family. They were, nevertheless, a family with roots on Long Island dating back many years, and resided in Bridgehampton and the immediate area.
Alanson Melville Cook, with whose papers this collection commences probably was born in the 1790s and passed away around l870. According to the Corrector of May 9, 1846 he married Caroline Halsey on May 5, 1846. She was the daughter of Elisha Halsey.
Addison Melville Cook, son of Alanson was probably born in the late l840s. From a copy of Probate of his will, we learn that he passed away on February 12, 1924. Mr. Cook was a surveyor and real estate agent and was active in social and political circles. Perhaps, he is best known for his association with the Hampton Agricultural Society which had its headquarters at Bridgehampton, He served as secretary of the organization during the latter half of the l870s and assumed the office of president in l88l. Mr. Cook was also a member Of the Suffolk County Shell Fish Commission. Sometime in the late l870s he married Anna Rose.
Anna Rose Cook was also a native of the Bridgehampton area and was probably born about the same time as her future husband. It is known that she was still alive in 1924 when her husband passed away. She and Addison had at least one child, Carol, who married William D. Stoots near the turn of the century. The family are all buried in Hayground Cemetery in Bridgehampton.
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Scope and Content Note
Papers in this collection, practically all loose papers, are Personal and business papers of the family and total approximately 900 individual items, or 1 cubic foot. They consist almost exclusively of general correspondence, accounts and receipts. Practically all are in manuscript form, only a few of the later dated items being in typescript.
PAPERS OF ALANSON M. COOK Mr. Cook’s Papers consisting of about 170 items are contained in one series -Financial Documents, and consist largely of accounts and receipts; accounts submitted by various individuals for goods supplied or services rendered either to him or other members of the Cook family; receipts issued by various individuals for having received payment for goods supplied or services rendered. Among members of the Cook family mentioned in some of these documents are Topping Cook, Nathan Cook, Phebe Cook, Richard W. Cook, and Mrs. Mary Cook. They are mentioned, for the most part, in the documents dated prior to 1830, and only incidentally at that. On some very rare occasions, the variant spelling, Cooke is found.
Most of these accounts and receipts are rather small in size, provide very meager information and generally conform to the following type formats:
Compared account with John Fordham and find a balance due him of ________
Received of Mary Cook, by the hand of Hetty Cook, being the interest due me
A. Cook to E. Ryder is indebted for ___________________
Some half dozen documents, other than financial in character (real estate deed, for example), are interspersed throughout.
All documents are arranged chronologically. Included are two land deeds involving the Rose and Halsey families, both of which were related by marriage to the Cook Family. 9 items
1821-1825 Included is a sermon, several pages in length, tentatively identified as a sermon preached in 1322 at the death of William Cook ca. 20 items
1826-1829 15 items
1830-1839 ca. 35 items
1840-1849 Included is a lease between Richard O. Rogers and Silvanus Halsey, ca.25 items
1850-1859 Included is a bond between Richard O. Rogers and Elisha Halsey ca. 35 items
1860-1869 ca. 20 items
PAPERS OF ADDISON M. COOK The papers of Mr. Addison Cook are the most voluminous in this collection totaling about 400-450 items. They are contained in five series – General Correspondence Received 1874-1921, Shell Fish Commissioners Papers 1886-1899, 250th Anniversary Celebration of Brookhaven Papers 1909, Miscellaneous Papers Referring to Brookhaven Church History and Miscellaneous Documents 1880s-1890s, and Financial Documents and Volumes 1870-1922.
Included in the first and fourth series is an occasional miscellaneous type document.
Included in the last series are two bound volumes, among the less than half dozen bound volumes found in the collection.
The General Correspondence Received series documents Mr. Cook’s profession as a surveyor and real estate operator. The vast majority of the correspondence deals with these subjects, especially with surveying matters. Occasionally one will find some letters concerning politics or the Hampton Agricultural Society. Several of the later dated letters are typewritten. A 1920 item is a draft of a speech or article regarding Puritan immigration to America and it was probably used in a pageant commemorating an anniversary. These items are arranged chronologically. In the undated correspondence one will find about 3 letters addressed not to Cook but to members of the Rogers or Hallock families. It is not clear how these items are related to the rest of the collection.
The Shell Fish Commissioners Papers is a very small series consisting only of some 20 to 30 documents, most of which apparently are rough minutes and allied papers referring to meetings held at Riverhead by Shell Fish Commissioners. Since the name of Addison Cook appears on some of the documents (sometimes noted as a Secretary for the Commissioners), we are assuming that these papers were part of those used at the meetings and produced as a result of said meetings. As indicated, they are rough papers, and in most cases appear to be mere jottings.
The Bridgehampton 250th Anniversary Papers series documents Mr. Cook’s service on a committee which was formed ca. 1909 to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the founding of Bridgehampton and possibly to erect a monument (this may have been another committee). There are about 20-30 documents in this small series consisting of rough minutes, notes and correspondence, as well as a badge worn by members of the executive committee.
The Bridgehampton Church History and Miscellaneous Documents series contains material documenting the history of the church. Though we cannot ascertain for sure, it would seem that Mr. Cook or some member of the family may have begun to gather some notes for a history of the Bridgehampton Church. This series, then, consists of about a dozen very rough notes (mainly in pencil) written on scraps of paper. There are also a few miscellaneous items such as a large broadside advertising the Excelsior Lawn Mower.
The Financial Documents and Volumes series consists largely of receipts or bills, similar in format to those described under the Alanson Cook sub-group. A variety of subjects (newspaper subscriptions, taxes, surveying matters) is covered. These items are arranged chronologically. The documents 1880-1889 contain detailed account of the estate of Jeremiah (Lattiour?).
The two volumes are found at the end of this series. One volume was used apparently to make recordings of various financial transactions which had expired. Entries are usually very brief and are constructed primarily according to the following examples:
Paid Andrew Reeves for cutting 5 cords of wood-$5.00
Bought of O. Nickerson 1M short pine shingles-$4.00
Surveying for Lewis Scott’s heirs at Wickapoque one day-$4.00
Sold the Miller cow to William Strong for $40.00
Most of the transactions involve surveying matters and sales of farm animals. However, in several instances larger and more detailed transactions are recorded. An example of this is the Hampton Library Account. Mr. Cook was probably a trustee of this Library and simply recorded financial transactions involving the Library in his own personal account book. Inserted in the volume are some loose bills, receipts and miscellaneous items. The volume is actually labeled "Hampton Agricultural Society Entry Book, 1876" but has no relation ship to the Society. It was probably intended for the Society’s transactions at first but evidently found that it was not needed. First entry is dated January l888, the last, July 1922. A name index is included.
The second volume is somewhat similar, with the following major exception. Interspersed throughout are pages bearing the heading, “Farm Notes”. As the title implies, these pages consist of brief jottings of the day concerning events on the farm. The following are some examples:
July 3 -Began to mow
Sep 24 -Sowed 1 a wheat
Several loose pages interspersed throughout. Many pages have been torn from the volume, thus making it difficult to ascertain if some pages are devoted to "Farm Notes" or to a listing of various financial transactions. Period covered is approximately 1882-1887.
PAPERS OF CAROLINE HALSEY COOK The Papers of Caroline Halsey Cook is the smallest sub-group of Cook Family Papers. Caroline Halsey, daughter of Elisha Halsey married Alanson Cook on May 5, 1846. Mrs. Cook's papers are contained in one series, Miscellaneous Volumes.
There are three volumes in the series. One is a copy book (about 50 pages) in which Caroline copied several poems or excerpts from various writings. Such titles as "There is a Voice", "Twilight", and "The Rose Without a Thorn" are found. The book was sewed into a copy of the Corrector for Mar 20, 1830 said paper serving as a cover. It is not known when the volume itself was copied but presumably it was done sometime around the l830s, when Caroline must have been a young girl. Some of Poems may be originals written by Caroline, though it is difficult to determine this, and it is unlikely. The first page carries the inscription, Caroline Halsey, Bridgehampton, Feb 6.
The second volume is very similar to the above. However, this copy book belonged to Miss Frances Halsey, probably Caroline’s sister. It is bound into a copy of the Corrector, dated Feb 13, l830. The first page carries the inscription, Frances M. Halsey, Bridgehampton, March 16, l828. This volume contains about 64 pages
The third volume is an album maintained by Caroline. The volume was published by J.C. Riker of New York probably in the late l830s or early l840s, and contains about half a dozen steel engravings. In this album, various literary passages or inscriptions were copied by friends and relatives of Caroline. About 25 such passages are found. Those that are dated are for Period ca. 1844-1846, thus covering Period when Caroline passed from the single to the married state.
PAPERS OF MISS BETSEY COOK The Papers of Miss Betsey Cook, a fairly small sub-group, consists of about 35 letters in one series titled General Correspondence Received. Miss Cook’s relationship to the family is not clear. In all probability, she was a sister of Addison Cook, or a cousin. The letters are dated in the 1830s and 1840s and virtually all are addressed to Miss Cook at Bridgehampton (one or two at New York). All are from various relations or friends and deal with family matters. One or two undated letters have been filed with those for the 1830s.
PAPERS OF ANNA ROSE COOK The Papers of Anna Rose Cook 1867-1931, wife of Addison Cook, consist of some 135 items and are contained in one series, General Correspondence Received. Nearly all of this correspondence deals with various personal family matters. Since some years are for those Before Mrs. Cook married, these items will be addressed as Miss Rose. On rare occasions, a letter from Mrs. Cook will be found. Letters are addressed primarily to Water Mill(s) or Bridgehampton, or on occasion to Elmira, New York where Mrs. Cook spent some brief periods. Several other letters may be addressed to Quogue or one or two other villages. Letters prior to 1877 will be addressed to Mrs. Cook under her maiden name of Anna Rose. Many of the later dated letters will be from daughter, Carol. Nearly all letters are from relatives or friends and deal with a variety of personal topics. All letters are arranged chronologically. In the correspondence dated 1879-1884 is a bound volume labeled “Egg acct. book, Jan 1882 to Jan 1883.” Less than half of its 20 pages or so have been utilized.
PAPERS OF CAROL HALSEY COOK STOOTS The Papers of Carol Halsey Cook Stoots, the next to the smallest sub-group of Cook Family papers, consists as it does of only about 25 items. Caroline Halsey Cook, daughter of Addison and Mary Cook, probably was born ca. 1883. She married William D. Stoots. Though the exact date of this marriage is unknown, we do know (to judge from correspondence) that she was married by 1915. Mrs. Stoots’ papers are in one series, namely, General Correspondence Received and Miscellaneous Documents, arranged in chronological order.
In the correspondence from 1887-1894 are found several test papers done when Carol was in the sixth grade, as well as, certification of successful completion of work in the grade. Also included is a small autograph book which according to an inscription in it, Carol received on Christmas of 1887. About 25 inscriptions from friends and relatives have been entered, and these bear dates between 1888 and 1891, and 1893. In correspondence 1914-1915, 1917 are found three letters dated 1914, written by Mrs. Stoots to her husband, as well as, a 1917 postal card to Mr. Stoots from his in-laws. The four 1915 letters were written to Mrs. Stoots by her mother. At this time, Mrs. Stoots lived at 347 Chauncey Street in Brooklyn.
In the correspondence from 1934 all the letters were written by Miss Ethel Stoots who may have been a sister-in-law of Mrs. Cook. Most are in typescript and are addressed to Water Mill. These letters deal with séance sittings which Ethel Stoots had attended and in which she, evidently, was greatly interested.
The undated correspondence contains a picture post-card from Grace G. Stoots (probably a picture of herself), and a small newspaper clipping concerning W.D. Stoots.
PAPERS OF VARIOUS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COOK FAMILY The Papers of Various Other Members of the Cook Family is an extremely small sub-group consisting of about a dozen documents in one series titled General Correspondence Received and Miscellaneous Documents. Virtually every item is undated. The Cook family members mentioned are Miss Hetty Cook, Miss (Mehetable?) Cook, Mrs. Ann Louisa Cook, Nathan T. Cook, William Cook and Abigail Cook.
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Arrangement
Papers are divided into seven sub-groups as follows:
| Papers of Alanson M. Cook | |
| Papers of Addison M. Cook | |
| Papers of Caroline Halsey Cook | |
| Papers of Betsey Cook | |
| Papers of Anna Rose Cook | |
| Papers of Caroline Cook Stoots | |
| Papers of Various Other Cook Family Members |
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The Cook Family Papers, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
- Archives at Queens Library
- Queens Borough Public Library
- 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
- Jamaica, NY 11432
- Phone: (718) 990-0770.
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Access Points
Subject Family Names:
- Cook Family
Subject Names:
- Cook, Addison M., 1847-1894
- Cook, Alanson M., 1808-1892
- Cook, Anna Rose, 1851-1937
- Cook, Betsey
- Cook, Caroline Halsey
- Stoots, Caroline Cook, 1879-1947
Subject Places:
- Bridgehampton (N.Y.)
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Inventory
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]
