Afternoon Cookies; I realized recently that it has been over a year since I posted. I am still searching for tangible evidence of HOWARD COOK's existence prior to 1880. Several of you graciously forwarded bits of information that has gotten me to this point ... hopefully I can gather one or two bits that will move me along ... HOWARD COOK was my maternal great grandfather. Other than being listed, quite briefly, in the two Workman family history books, I have never seen his name prior to the 1880 census. Last spring while I was in DC I located the annotated 1870 Annotated WVA Census. (1870 Census of Boone County, West Virginia, Annotated by Lenore Kingery Ferrell. Copyright 1993. Printed by Tri County Printers, Dansville, West Virginia.) This book lists a Hohard Cook under chlldren of William and Malinda Cook Wyoming Co. He was 9 and that he was not in the 1880 census. (This would fit with my Howard since I know he was in Boone County with the Amos Workman family in 1880 working as a hired laborer. I also show this William Cook as the son of James and Docia Meador Cook and Malinda as the daughter of Thomas and Eleen Riggins Cook. On the actual 1870 microfilm HOHARD is listed with siblings below: (I welcome corrections here ... as the film was dark and my eyes crossed after days in the NARA.) Parents were listed as William and Malinda Cook, Wyo Co and others in the house were Ellen, James, Judah, Eliza, Letha, Isaac, Charles and someone else, it was so faint I couldn't read the name. although at the moment,my primary interest is documenting Howard's birth I welcome all information about this family and will share what I have. Shortly after the 1880 census, Howard married one of the Workman daughters (Elnora (aka Anna) Workman). They moved to Johnson Co. KS. They had six children. If anyone would like me to fill in from here, please e-mail me directly. Best, Susan Hedrick-Chaffin Woodbury, CT schaffin@wtco.net