William Benton Cook

William Benton Cook was born in Cass County on 19 Jan 1865, son of William Cook and Elizabeth Catherine Mitchell Cook. On 04 .Tun 1885, he married Callie Fornie Wray, born in Metropolis, Massac County. Illinois on 04 Jul 1863, daughter of John Booker Woodson Wray and Caroline Matilda Dyson Wray. Callie died on 30 Sep 1921 and Benton died on 16 Dec 1937. Both died in their home in the Mill Creek Community in Cass County. Texas, both buried in the Union Hill Cemetery. Benton was a farmer and land owner in Cass County. They had eleven children, most of whom married and raised their families in Cass County.

1. William Benton Cook, Jr., called “Will”, was born on 07 Aug 1886 in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, died 25 May 1972 in Morris County, Texas. He married Fannie Lee Humphrey Smith, a widow, and had three sons: Leonard Cook; Herman Cook; and Otis Cook. Fannie had four children by a previous marriage to William L. Smith, deceased: Mattie Belle Smith (Faulkner); Madie Smith (Tidwell - Murphy); Fred Smith; and Willie Smith. Will married twice more after Fannie died. He and Fannie are both buried in the Avinger Cemetery.

2. Lula Viola Cook was born on 07 Nov 1888 in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, and died in Indian Territory (present-day Pontotoc County, Oklahoma) on 09 Aug 1889.

3. John Robert Cook, called “Bob”, was born on 21 Jul 1890 in Polk County, Arkansas and died 19 Sep 1985 in Linden, Cass County, Texas, buried in Jefferson, Marion County. Texas. He married Minnie Lee Humphrey on 21 Jan 1912 in Cass County, Texas. They lived and farmed in Cass County until 1945 when they moved to Jefferson to work for Blackburn Syrup Works until retirement. Their seven children were all born in Cass County: Herschel Cook; Russell Cook; Odera Cook (Nichols); Olean Cook (McCain); Audrey Cook (Rankin): Edward Cook: Terry Cook.

4. Ada Jane Cook, called “Ada”, was born 24 Dec 1892 in Indian Territory (Oklahoma), and died on 24 Aug 1977 in the Dallas, Texas area. She and her husband both are buried in Texarkana, Texas. Ada married Roy Steven Maxwell and they had six daughters: Jewel Maxwell (Shew - Reed); Lillie Maxwell (Jones); Opal Maxwell (Hammers); Lerlene Maxwell (Patrick); Pearline Maxwell, twin to Lerlene; and Winnie Maxwell.

5. Jody Cook, called “Joe”, was born 09 Jul 1894 in Cass County, and died on 09 Aug 1973 in Mt. Pleasant Titus County, Texas, buried in New Colony Cemetery in Cass County. He married Gladys Delila Williams Foster, a widow, and they had five children: Ruby Cook (Hall); Charles Evelyn “Lucky” Cook (Yancy); Betty Jo Cook (Adams); Bemelle Cook (Dotson); and Donald Benjamin Cook. Delila had two sons by a previous marriage: Orbus Paul Foster and Onille George Foster.

6. Minnie Beulah Cook, called “Minnie”, was born 10 Aug 1896 in Indian Territory (Oklaho ma). She died on 22 Apr 1953 in Galveston, Texas. She and her husband had lived and raised their children in Cass County and are buried in the Union Hill Cemetery in Cass County. Minnie married William Charles “Charlie” McKinney and they had three children: Harvey Dee McKinney; Beatrice McKinney (Latham), called “Bea”; and Ira Taylor McKinney, called “Mutt”.

7. Nora Belle Cook, called “Nora”, was born 25 Jan 1898 in Cass County, died on 11 Dec 1981 in Dallas. She and her husband lived in Cass County and raised their family here. She married Daniel Burl Burleson and they had seven children: Christine Burleson (Fitts); Marvin Burleson; Lela Mae Burleson (Whitlock); Lena Burleson (King); Viola Burleson (Richardson); William Edward Burleson; and Dorothy Lea Burleson.

8. James Fletcher Cook, called “Jack”, was born 08 Jun 1900 in the Almira Community in Cass County, Texas. He died on 14 Jun 1974 in Linden, Texas, buried in the Mill Creek Cemetery in Cass County. He married Susie Shew, lived, and raised his family in Cass County. They had seven children: Bessie Pearl Cook (Surratt); Minnie Merle Cook (Mitchell); James Wright Cook; Mildred Marie Cook (McDuffie); Glenn Taylor Cook; J. T. Cook; and Donald Cook.

9. Roxie Mae Cook, called “Roxie”, was born 12 Oct 1902 in Cass County, and died on 22 Jul 1982 in Cleveland, Texas. She married Ernest Jackson Jones in Cass County. They lived in Cass County until the late 1940s or early 1950s. He followed sawmill work and they finally moved out of the county. They had nine children: Orval Jones; Elwood Jones; Rena Jones (Grimes); Reba Jones (Greeson); Lester Jones; Gertie Jones (Smith - Wheeler); Waylon Jones; Billy Jones; Bobby Jones.

10. Elmer Lee Cook, called “Elmer”, was born 07 Oct 1905 in Cass County, died on 31 Jul 1987 in Lubbock, Texas. He married Faye Nichols and they had six children: William Elmer “Bill” Cook; Morris Efvin “Mossie” Cook; James Herbert “Hub” Cook; Kenneth Weldon Cook; Betty Nell Cook (Yates - Vandergriff); Peggy Cook (Mitchell).

11. Velmer T. Cook (twin to Elmer Lee), called “Dock”, was born 07 Oct 1905 in Cass County. Texas and died on 03 Nov 1986 in Lubbock, Texas. He married (1) Vida Burleson and they had three children: Infant who died; James Edward Cook; and Catherine Cook (Griffin). Dock married (2) Lorene Farmer Hancock. They had no children.

Submitted by Audrey Cook Rankin May 2001