Searching for Charles Cook

[crslener]

Hello I'm new to this site and this is my first time posting so I hope I'm doing this right.
I'm trying to find more information on my 4th Great-Grandfather Charles Cook born between 1828-1830. The first Census I found him on was the 1850 Census living in Quincy,Franklin, Pennsylvania. In the 1860 Census he was Married to Martha Mary Gauger / Galger ( Found her last name spelled both ways) and they were living in Taylor, Blair, Pennsylvania. In the 1870 Census he was living in Moundville, Vernon, Missouri ( this census states he came from Saxony, Germany). 1880 and 1900 Census they were living in Somervell County, Texas. I have not been able to locate a marriage certificate (I have tried but told they may not have records). The last census I found him on was the 1900 I can't find a death certificate etc. So I don't know his exact year of death but do know it has to be after 1900's. I'm trying to find him before the 1850 census and when he passed, any ideas how I could find this information. Any information would greatly be appreciated.

[kiterunner]

Welcome to the forum, and yes, you did it just right!

I realise you already have these, but for reference while we're trying to trace him, some links (from a public tree on ancestry):
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/8054/4204725_00312/137120?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/12349807/person/-282473322/facts
1850 US Census Quincy, Franklin, PA
Frederick Berkel 33 Laborer Germany
Rachael " 49 Maryland
Charles Cook 23 Carpenter Germany

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/7667/4288511_00505/1645572?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/12349807/person/-282473322/facts
1860 US Census - Taylor, Blair, PA
Everyone on the whole page is shown as being born in Pennsylvania.
Charles Cook 32 Carpenter
Martha " 30
George " 7
Alexander " 4
Frederic " 1.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/7163/4273881_00463/3096464?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/12349807/person/-282473322/facts
1870 US Census - Moundville, Vernon, MO
Cook Charles 42 Saxony, US Citizen
- Mary 40 Keeping House Pa
- Geo W 17 Pa
- Alex J 15 Pa
- Fred C 11 Pa
- Ella W 9 Pa
- Christopher 6 Ill
- Lydia H 3 Ill
- Samuel B 1 Mo. (i.e. born Missouri, not 1 month!)

Will do the other censuses in the next post as this one is getting a bit long!

[kiterunner]

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/6742/4244799-00051/7269162?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/12349807/person/-282473322/facts
1880 US Census - Precinct 1, Somervell, TX
Cook Chas 52 Farmer, Germany, parents born Germany
- Mary 49 Wife Keeping House, Pa, parents born Pa
- Andrew 16 Son Works on farm, Ills, parents born Germany and Pa
- Littie A 13 Daughter At school, Ills, parents born Germany and Pa
- Samuel 10 Son At school, Ills, parents born Germany and Pa

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/8667/TXM123_102-0263/17138?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/12349807/person/-282473322/facts
1890 Veterans Schedules - Precinct 1, Somervell, TX
Chas Cook, Private, I (or J?) Company, 56th Ill. Inf., enlisted Apr 20 1861, discharged Jun 1865.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/7602/4118558_00403/71046736?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/12349807/person/-282473322/facts
1900 US Census - Precinct 1, Somervell, TX
Cook Charles Head born Apr 1830, age 70, married 35 yrs, born Pennsylvania, parents born Germany, Farmer.
- Mary Wife born Jun 1835, age 65, married 35 yrs, 8 children, 7 living, born Pennsylvania, parents born Pennsylvania.
The immigration / naturalisation columns are not filled in for Charles, I suppose because it says he was born in PA instead of Germany. Also they seem to have miscalculated how long they've been married.

It's pretty late here now, so I will have to look at this tomorrow.

[crslener]

Thanks for looking at it. That link you have is actually a DNA match to me and he is stuck as well. I appreciate your help.

[crslener]

Yes the 1900 Census are not filled in and that is really the only one claiming Pa. besides the one the whole page says Pa. which we know isn't right. I have a few of his kids death certificates that also say Charles Cook was from Germany but doesn't give a place. So I haven't been able to find when he came to the states, I know before 1850 since he appeared on the first Census at that time. I don't know when he passed and location, I know his last census states Somervell, Tx. but they have no record, I can't seem to find a newspaper clipping.

[kiterunner]

Have you already requested a copy of his Civil War Pension case file? There is information on this link telling you how to order it (scroll down to the bottom):
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=4654

This is his index card with the numbers etc that you need:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/4654/32959_032759-04302/220825?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk% 2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dcivilwarpension%26gss%3dsfs28 _ms_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3 d1%26gsfn%3dcha*%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dcook*%26gsl n_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dTexas%252C%2520USA%26msrpn% 3d46%26msrpn_PInfo%3d5-%257C0%257C1652393%257C0%257C2%257C0%257C46%257C0% 257C0%257C0%257C0%257C0%257C%26msrpn_x%3d1%26msrpn __ftp_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

[kiterunner]

I found this family in the passenger lists, arriving at Philadelphia 1 May 1849 from Bremen on the "Louise Marie":
Catharina Koch 57
Carl Gottfried Koch 22
Auguste Koch (female) 17
Caroline Koch 13
All from Körner, which was in Saxony.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/8769/PAM425_68-0210/10561630?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Unfortunately it doesn't show Carl's occupation. They are with a Johann Gottfried Brückner, a farmer, 39 and Friederieke, 28, also both from Körner.

These look to be their baptisms, all at Körner:
Carl Gottfried Koch born 10 Apr 1827, baptised 22 Apr 1827
Friederieke Auguste Charlotte Koch 4 Mar 1832
Margarethe Friederieke Caroline Koch 21 Feb 1836.
Parents' names are Adam Christoph Koch and Anna / Johanna Christine. I'm not sure whether she is the same person as Catharina or not.

Other children of the same couple:
Anna Sabina 1818
Johanna Friederieke 1820
Margarethe Charlotte 1822 - died young
Friedrich Christoph Wilhelm 1824
Johann Christoph 1829.

Johanna Friederieke 1820 could be the wife of Johann Gottfried Bruckner on the passenger list.

Now we need to find something to rule them out or in. I've been looking for them on the 1850 US census but no luck so far. Your Charles Cook gives his date of birth as Apr 1830 on the 1900 census, but the earlier records suggest he was born a couple of years before that, so a date of birth of 10 Apr 1827 for Carl Gottfried Koch looks promising.

[crslener]

Thank you so much for your help. I'm thinking he was born about 1828 but that's speculation on my part. I do appreciate everything you have found. He has been a brick wall for a long time.

[kiterunner]

I was wondering whether his Civil War Pension file might give his date of death.

[crslener]

It did not. I also called a place in Somervell County, Texas and they told me they don't have his information either. I just filled out a form to get information from Dixson, IL. so hopefully something will come of that. His son's death certificate has him listed as Charles Frederick Cook.

I can't think you enough for the searching you have done.

[crslener]

Sorry misread. His pension file might and I had requested to get that this morning so waiting to see what they find. I am also having them check because was told his daughter's birth certificate might hold information and she was born in Dixson, Lee so they are checking on that as well

[crslener]

I did get his Military records and it didn't give a Town's name in Germany, just stated Charles Cook was from Germany. I have to say getting my hands on his records has been interesting because everything we found on Charles Cook states he desertion, his records state otherwise , in his military records it states he was following orders so he should not be charged with desertion which was eye opening.
So I stilll have more research to do but did get his date of birth as 4 Mar 1827.

So thank you for recommending steps to take.

[kiterunner]

Oh, so his date of birth doesn't quite match with Carl Gottfried Koch. That's a shame.