Jasper Marvin Cook

Jasper Marvin Cook was born Nov 13, 1893, Ballard Co, Kentucky and died Oct.16, 1955 in Granite City, Ill. He was a watchman at Reilly Tar & Chemical. Jasper was the youngest of five children born to Jefferson Davis Cook and Mary Emma Roach Cook. Only three survived long enough to be recorded on census records. It is interesting to note that in a book, "Ballard County Births and Deaths", I found an entry for Great Grandpa Jasper's birth and it states that while he was born in Ballard County - his family lived in Tennessee. Birth records for David Iley Cook, his brother, is also Ballard County. I have not found an entry for William. I do not know the names of the other two.

Jasper Marvin Cook Family Group Sheet

Husband: JASPER MARVIN COOK
Birth: 13 Nov 1893 Place: WICKLIFFE, Ballard, Kentucky, USA
Death: 16 Oct 1955 Place: GRANITE CITY, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Burial: Oct 1955 Place: Sunset Hills Cemetery, EDWARDSVILLE, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Father: JEFFERSON DAVIS COOK (1860-1916)
Mother: MARY EMMA ROACH (1865- prior to 1916)

Marriage: 1917 Place: Kentucky, USA

Wife: CORA MAYHUE LONG
Birth: Aug 1893 Place: Kentucky, USA
Death: 16 Oct 1969 Place: GRANITE CITY, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Burial: Oct 1969 Place: Sunset Hills, EDWARDSVILLE, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Father: CHARLES EDMON LONG (1856-1943)
Mother: MELVINA WHITLOW (1856-1927)

Children...

EMMA MELVINA COOK
Birth: 6 Mar 1918 Place: Cunningham, Kentucky, USA
Death: Dec 1968 Place: GRANITE CITY, MADISON, ILLINOIS
Burial: Dec 1968 Place: EDWARDSVILLE, MADISON, ILLINOIS
1st Spouse: Lew Wade Ray Marriage: 1937 Place: Mounds, ILLINOIS
2nd Spouse: Annulled (may have been Delbert Coy)
3rd Spouse: Annulled
4th Spouse: Harry A. Mann

Child: DATHA MAYHUE COOK
Birth: 13 Oct 1920 Place: Kentucky, USA
Death: 1991 Place: ILLINOIS, USA
Burial: 1991 Place: Sunset Hills Cemetery, EDWARDSVILLE, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Spouse: PAUL ELY (divorced)

Child: HAZEL CULLEN COOK
Birth: 24 Mar 1923 Place: Kentucky, USA
Death: Place: GRANITE CITY, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Burial: Place: EDWARDSVILLE, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
1st Spouse:
2nd Spouse:

Child: HASKELL MARVIN COOK
Birth: 19 Oct 1925 Place: Kentucky, USA
Death: 15 Oct 1993 Place: GRANITE CITY, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Burial: 18 Oct 1993 Place: Sunset Hills Cemetery, EDWARDSVILLE, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Spouse: JEANETTE (last name unknown)

Child: Living (twin)
Birth: Place: Kentucky
Spouse: Joe Lesko

Child: BILLY JEAN COOK (twin)
Birth: Place: Kentucky
Death: Place: GRANITE CITY, MADISON, ILLINOIS, USA
Spouse: Living

Jasper Marvin Cook

A tall thin man with a distinctive appearance. Jasper's parents died when he was young. In 1900, the census records for Carlisle County, Ky shows him living with his mother and 2 brothers: Ollie (Iley) and Willie. His mother, Emma Cook is identified as a widow. The record shows that she had 5 children, 3 living, 2 dead.

I believe that Jasper worked on the Cora's brother's farm - John Long. It was while he was at John Long's farm that someone came to tell him he was needed that one of his parents was ill. This information was provided by Frances Long Dodson, John's daughter.

Jasper was a watchman for Reilly Tar and Chemical in Granite City, Illinois when he passed away but may have worked for the railroad when his children were young. I am not sure exactly when Jasper, Cora and their family moved from Kentucky to Granite City, Illinois.

I know of 2 photos of Jasper as a child. In the first photo, Jasper is a baby on his mother's lap. He is dressed in a sort of Christening gown. His brothers Iley and Willie are also in the photo, but, not his father. A second photo of Jasper at 3-6 years old, with his father, mother and 2 brothers also exists. These belong to my great aunt Betty Jo Lesko.

One photo has the photographer's address on it: M.I.K. Studio, 213 1/2 Sixth Street, Cairo, Illinois - this is the eariler photo. One the back is written Emma Matilda Cook, Iley Cook, Will Cook, Jasper Marvin Cook. It would appear that this was written by my grandmother, Emma Cook. But in pencil in a different handwritting is what appears to be Ii or Li Cook in script. The second photo of the older Jasper was taken by J. B. Allbritton, Photo. On the back is written: Emma Matilda O'Rache. I believe that her name was actually - Mary Emma Roach Cook. And again the Li or Ii Cook in script. David Cook, Emma Matilda Cook, Iley Cook, Will Cook, Jasper Marvin Cook.

Cora Mayhue Long Cook Notes...

I remember my Great Grandmother Cora Cook very well. She lived on Madison Ave, Granite City, Illinois. She always seemed very patient and kind and there was always a lot of good food at her house. No matter when you came to visit, she had goodies! I can recall recieving Cracker Jacks at Halloween and someone's summer birthday party when Uncle Haskell brought over a lot of ice cream. In addition to the cake and ice cream, either Aunt Betty or Aunt Billie was giving kids haircuts. They just sort of lined up the boys and off with the hair.

One Mother's Day while Grandma Emma, her daughter, still lived in Edwardsville, Illinois; Grandma Emma explained to me how important it was to do something special for your mother on Mother's Day. She had carnations from the florist for the two of them to wear to church and insisted that they had their photo taken in the yard together.

Everyone called Great Grandma Cora, Moma Cook. I can understand why, seemed that she always had kids at her house. My dad went to school from her house with his aunts and it must have been the place for the other grandkids as well.

I can vividly remember being about 7 years old, sitting on Moma Cook's scratchy sofa, and as impatient kids will do, sort of kicking my legs in the air. Dad fussed at me to sit still, but he no sooner told me to stop than I kicked over Moma Cook's baby food jar located under the sofa that she used as a spiton for her tobacco. Her house was impecably clean, well except when I kicked over the tobacco juice jar!