Berrien County GaArchives Biographies.....Cook, Benjamin T. 1842 - ca1924 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Meadows lmeadows@surfsouth.com July 23, 2004, 6:11 am Author: Linda Ward Meadows BENJAMIN T. COOK 1842-ca1924 BERRIEN CO., GA Benjamin T. Cook was born in GA in February 1842, the son of John Cook and Martha Knight, who were married 5 December 1841, in Wikinson Co., GA. Ben and his parents are listed in the 1850 census of Wilkinson Co., GA, and in the 1860 Baldwin Co., GA census. After his service in the Confederate Army, Ben married Samantha Jane Taylor on 14 December 1865, in Berrien Co. Jane was the daughter of William Jackson Taylor and his wife, Samantha Jane Rogers. Children of Benjamin and Jane Taylor Cook included: 1. William Jackson b.3/13/1867 d. 2/1/1951 md. Annie Laura Mathis 9/25/1887, Berrien Co. b. 4/17/1871, d. 10/7/1910 md. Nancy Barker md. Carrie E. Sullivan, b. 10/19/1878, d. 11/20/1942 (Jack, Laura, and Carrie are buried at Empire Cemetery in Lanier Co., GA.) 2. Francis "Fannie" b.1868 (crippled by rheumatism) md. "Bud" Benefield 3. Mary b. ca 1871 4.Henry b. ca 1875 md. Fannie Giddens 5.James Lewis b. 2/7/1876 d. 5/31/1945 md. Elizabeth Virginia "Lizzie" Duren 8/24/1899 in Berrien Co. She was born 4/13/1879, and died 8/28/1942. They are buried at PineGrove Cemetery in Berrien Co. 6. Elijah "Lige" md. Eva Studstill, 2/9/1905 in Berrien Co. 7. Martha md. Charlie Tucker ( Both Martha and Charlie are buried at Empire.) Shortly after Jane Taylor Cook's death on 7 June 1888, Ben married his second wife, Arrilla "Sis" Stone. Arrilla was born in March, 1867. According to the 1910 Berrien Co., Census, they had been married 20 years and were the parents of 7 children, six of whom were still living in 1910: 8. David b. 6/22/1891 d. 4/1/1957 md. Lou Annie Gray David is buried at Empire Cemetery. 9. Elizabeth b. 9/1894 10. Nancy b. 10/1897 md. Isaac Gray 11. Leonard b. 2/1899 moved to Alabama 12.William Harrison b.11/13/1902 d.2/1/1967. buried at Empire. md. Mineola Smith. b.3/10/1904. Living 10/13/1990. 13. Celia Samantha b.6/5/1907. md. Eddie Gray 11/11/1922 in Berrien County. (Separated and resumed her maiden name.) (Listed as 2 yrs. old in Apr 1910 census.) Benjamin T. Cook applied for a Confederate Veteran's pension in 1920. His claim reported that he had enlisted 1 May 1862, at Macon, GA with Co. A, 1st Confederate GA Regiment. He was a resident of Baldwin Co. at the time. He was captured 23 November 1864, at Milledgeville, GA and held as a prisoner at Point Look¬out, MD until his release 10 June 1865. Ben's physical description, listed on his Oath of Alle¬ giance, describes him as being a resident of Milledgeville, GA, of florid complexion, dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and 5 ft. 3 3/4 inches tall. Ben's application for a pension was accepted, and he was awarded $6.00 a month. Family members who remember Ben recall a man with a temper, who enjoyed family get-togethers, such as barbecues. He was a man who walked with a limp, which was the result of his breaking his leg when he fell from a barn roof. He rebroke it before it healed, thus the limp. Ben died at his home in the 10th district of the newly formed Lanier County sometime in the early part of 1924. He is buried between his two wives at Empire Cemetery. His home still stands as a reminder of the industrious man who came to Berrien County and carved a home for himself and his large family after the Civil War. Selected Sources: Tombstones Empire Cemetery; GA Census records 1850 Wilkinson, Co., 1860 Baldwin Co., 1870-1910 Berrien Co.; Interviews with Grandchildren of Ben & Jane Cook; Pension Records from GA Archives; Berrien Co. and Wilkinson Co. marriage records; Interview with Celia Samantha Cook and her sister-in-law, Mineola Smith Cook, at their home on 10/13/1990; Cook family Bibles. Mineola Smith Cook and Celia Samantha Cook went to the Berrien County, Ga nursing home shortly after my visit with them in 1990. Both are deceased. Contributed by : Linda Ward Meadows, great-great granddaughter of Benjamin T. and Samantha Jane Taylor Cook. lmeadows@surfsouth.com File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/berrien/bios/gbs34cook.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb