Jacob Cooke

Jacob married Damaris Hopkins about 1646. Damaris (daughter of Stephen Hopkins and Elizabeth Fisher) was born about 1619; died before 1670. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

William Bradford recorded his list of passengers that came over in the Mayflower: "Francis Cooke and his son John, but his wife
and other children came afterwards". Later in 1651, he writes "Francis Cooke is still living, a very old man, and hath seen his
children's children have children. After his wife came over with other of his children; he hath three still living by her, all married and
have five children, so their increase is eight. And his son John which came over with him is married, and hath four children living."

Francis and Hester (Mahieu) Cooke had lived in Leyden as early as 1603, about five years before the Pilgrims fled there from
England. In 1606, they left Leyden to live at Norwich, England where they joined a French Walloon church; however, they did not
stay long in England--probably because of religious persecution--and by 1607 were back in Leyden as members of the French
Walloon church there.

Francis Cooke came on the Mayflower with his eldest son John in 1620 and as such was one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact. His wife, Hester, soon followed on the Anne in 1623.
She brought with her three additional children: Jacob, Jane, and Hester. Another child, Mary, was born in 1626.

Freemen

Francis Cooke was also listed on the original list of freemen for Plymouth and was found on this list again in 1633, 1637 and 1658. As a freemen he had several duties which were thrust upon
him. He served twice on the Grand Inquest, once in 1638 and a second time in 1640. Cooke also served on numerous juries from the years 1638-48. His most notable case was that of Allis
Bishop. She admitted to murdering her four year old daughter by slashing her throat and windpipe with a knife. His major service to the community, however, seemed to come in the highway
realm. In 1937 he was appointed to the committee to lay out highways. He followed this appointment with the job of surveyor of the highways for Plymouth in 1641, 1642 and again in 1645. He
even served on a committee to find the best route for a new road.

Occupation

There is no record or what kind of work Cooke was engaged in. He did have and apprentice, John Harmon, for seven years starting in 1636. Francis Cooke was also on the 1643 Plymouth list of
those who were able to bear arms.

Estate

Francis Cooke was not as active in court as his jury duty. He won a judgment against John Browne, the elder, for abusing his cattle. Along with twelve others, he was given 4 black heifers and two
shee goats in the 1627 cattle division. Cooke appears to have been granted many different parcels of land in and around Plymouth. Some of this land he gave to his sons Jacob and John, which
they sold portions of. Francis even sold some land to William Bradford. His neighbors included Isaak Allerton, Edward Winslow, and Thomas Prence as well as his 2 sons John and Jacob.

The End

The will of Francis Cooke, dated 7 October 1659, leaves all his possessions to his wife Hester with Hester and his son John as joint executors of the will. John Aldin and John Howland were
witnesses to the will. Francis Cooke passed away on 7 April 1663 at the age of approximately 80. An inventory was taken of his possessions by Ephraim Tinkham and William Crow on 1 May
1663. His total net worth at that time was 86 pounds, 11 shillings, and 1 pence

Francis married Hester Mahieu on 4 Jul 1603 in Leyden, Hollard. Hester (daughter of Jacques Jan le Mahieu and Jeanne) was born about 1585 in Canterbury, England; died after 8 Jun 1666 in Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Stephen HOPKINS - He most likely was the Stephen Hopkins who sailed on the Seaventure to Virginia in 1609, but was shipwrecked in Bermuda, where he was almost hanged for mutiny. He spent two years in Jamestown, where he learned much of later use to the Plymouth colonists.

Hopkins arrived at Plymouth on the 1620 Mayflower accompanied by his wife, Elizabeth, and his sons Giles and Oceanus, and daughters Constance and Damaris, Oceanus having been born at sea on the Mayflower, plus two servants, Edward Doty and Edward Leister. Damaris died during the early years, and Hopkins and his wife later had a second daughter Damaris.

xxx He dated his will 6 June 1644, inventory 17 July 1644, and mentioned his deceased wife; sons Giles and Caleb; daughter Constance, wife of Nicholas Snow; daughters Deborah, Damaris, Ruth and Elizabeth; and grandson Stephen, son of his son Giles. Ralph D. Phillips,

Elizabeth, may have been Elizabeth Fisher, whom a Stephen Hopkins married at London 19 February 1617/18. If so, she would have been a second wife, for the births of some of his children would predate this marriage.

By his first wife he had Constance, who married Nicholas Snow, and Giles, who married Catherine Wheldon. By Elizabeth Fisher he had the Damaris, who died young; Oceanus, who died young; Caleb, who died at Barbados as an adult without issue; Deborah, who married Andrew Ring; the second Damaris, who married Jacob Cooke, son of Francis; Ruth, who died without issue; and Elizabeth, who
died without issue.

Stephen married Elizabeth Fisher after 1617. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jacques married Jeanne. was born in in Europe. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]