Hello folks. The following was sent to me by Ed Cook, (edcook@thegrid.net), a descendant of John and Mary Ann (Simmons) Cook. Ed obtained this information from his grandfather's "stuff," when his grandfather died in Clark County, IL. John and Mary Ann also lived there. Bob Simmons Biography of John Cook John Cook was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, September 28th, 1782. Mary A. Simmons wife of John Cook, was born in Pendleton County, Virginia, March 8th, 1787. They were joined in matrimony October 31st, 1802: lived together sixty five years, one month and six days. Started from Virginia for Indiana October 15th, 1819, and landed in Rush County, Indiana, December 1st, 1819. They did not travel with the speed that the puffing engine sails from east and west, neither with the speed of the rumbling coach, but by the slow process of a large wagon drawn by oxen and horses, the wagon containing all the household, provisions and the family which were twelve in number. The place where they landed was not a city with it's elevated mansions, it's costly homes and towering steeples. It was a thick dense forest, with scarcely a log cabin to be found. But soon this kindly family met with Peter Shrader, a former friend who had come to this country a few months earlier in the season and had erected a log cabin eighteen feet square for his family, ten in number, a dwelling place. Mr. Shrader and his wife cordially invited Mr. Cook and family to lodge with them until they could build them selves a house. Mr. Cook gladly accepted the invitation and remained during the winter. Soon after they had arranged the house for the two families, Mr. Wright, father of Rev. Milton Wright came to the same place with his family, consisting of himself, wife and two children, and having no place to go into, Mr. Shrader cordially invited Mr. Wright and family also to lodge with them until they could build a house. Winter had already thrown it's icy mantle over the forest and Mr. Wright gladly accepted the invitation and the three families, twenty six in number, remained together during the winter. By hard and diligent labor, Mr. Cook erected himself a house and on the first day of March, 1820 moved his family into their own house, which was built of round logs without, floor, door, window sash, or glass. They, with an ax soon hewed out some puncheons or large slabs and lay in the back part of the house which served for bedsteads and one huge slab in the centre of the house for a table; this constituted the furniture, except a few stools, which served as chairs, a bed quilt was the only door. The country was not then infested with thieves and robbers as it is now. Wolves were very numerous and frequently the faithful dog was compelled to retreat into the house for safety, the wolves being afraid to approach the huge fire constantly kept burning in the fireplace. John and Mary A. Cook, his wife, were the parents of fifteen children, raised twelve. He lived until the youngest was thirty eight years of age. They were the grandparents of eighty two children, great grandparents of ninety nine children, and great great grandparents of one. John Cook and Mary A. Simmons became members of the Lutheran Church in Pendleton County, Va. in the year 1800, and remained members of the same until they emigrated to Indiana. They then remained out of the church until 1840, at which time the U. B. Church held an annual conference at Andersonville, Franklin County, Indiana, where Mr. Cook and wife and several of their children united with that church and he remained a member until he was discharged from labor and taken to his reward, his aged companion left a while to linger on the shore. Father Cook departed this life Dec. 6th, 1867 at the residence of his son, Harrison Cook, in Dublin, Wayne County, Indiana. For a few months previous to his death, he suffered very much, but patiently waited for his Heavenly Father to call him home; being often interrogated on the subject of death, he would say, " I am ready, just waiting the Lord's will to be done." On Friday night December 6th, he closed his eyes at 12 o'clock going far out on the Jordan of death, he looked not back to earth or weeping friends, but lay gently breathing until two, when without a struggle or a groan, the spirit left the body until Resurrection Morn, when Gabriel's trump shall sound and bid the sleeping duet arise and come forth, then soul and body shall be united again to live with God forever. On Sunday Dec. 8th at 10 o'clock A. M. Rev. A. Hanway preached a funeral discourse, from Hebrews 6:12, to a large congregation at the U. B. Church after which neighbors and citizens passed by the coffin to take their last look at the lifeless form. the relatives then present, thirty three in number, congregated around the lifeless body of the loved husband, father and friend, to take the last look at him. The remains were deposited in the graveyard at Dublin, Wayne County Indiana, to sleep until the sleeping dead shall come forth. OBITUARY Mary Ann Simmons was born in Pendleton County Virginia, March 8th, 1783; was married to John M. Cook in the year 1799, with whom she lived until his death, December 5th 1867, which was in Dublin, Indiana. She went on a visit last June among her children in Illinois, and died at the home of her son Eli, in Clark County, Ill., May 1st 1879. Aged 96 years, 1 month and 22 days. She was the mother of 15 children, 3 of whom died in infancy. Twelve lived to be married and 10 are still living; the oldest child, a daughter, is 76 years old; the youngest, a son, is 49 years old. The daughter was present at the funeral. Her posterity, consisting of children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren now number over 200 souls. In the year 1838 Mother Cook, with her husband and most of her children, joined the church of the U. B. in Christ. Two of her sons are ministers of the gospel. She remained a faithful, exemplary, praying Christian in the church until her death. Her Christian life was an apt illustration of the sentiment "Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, the Christian's native air, his watchword at the gate of death; he enters heaven with prayer." She was remarkable for her much praying and for her calm and even temper. She was a good wife, a good mother and a good kind neighbor. Friends have lost, but heaven has gained a saint whose death was, doubtless, precious in the sight of the Lord. She died of congestive chill. By means of the telegraph and fast railroad train some three or four of her children from Indiana reached her bedside before she died. They then brought her body to her old home in Dublin, and after the funeral services in her old church, she was laid in her grave by the side of her husband in the U. B. Cemetery of Dublin. C. W. Witt