The Death of Abraham Mastin Cook!

Abraham Mastin Cook was born 26 April 1812, a son of Daniel Cook, Sr and Ruth Moultrie of Chesterfield County, South Carolina. He died at age 55 in 1868 at his home. 

Transcription:

March 25 1868 

Probate of Will

Estate of}

A. M Cook D'cd } This day having been regularly appointed for hearing the application of John Miller, which was heretofore filed in this Court, for the probate of an instrument of writing purporting to be the last Will and testament of A. M. Cook deceased. Now comes the said applicant and also comes R. T. Simpson Esqr. who was heretofore duly appointed by the order of this Court, and who now consents to act of the guardian ad litem for Albert, Elizabeth Knox, Jane and Mary Carolina Cook who are minors and children and heirs of said deceased; And it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that the notice of the said application and of the time appointed for hearing the same has been given in pursuance of law and in strict accordance with the former order of this Court made and entered in the premises on the 10th day of March 1868 by citations served upon the parties as directed in said former order now on motion of said John Miller, the Court proceeds to her said application. And it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court from the testimony of E. S. McDaniel and F. A. Delany that they respectively signed the said instrument of writing purporting to be the last Will & testament of the said decedent and which writing is now shown to them, or the day of  the date thereof, in the presence of said testator and at 1 his request , as subscribing witnesses to the same the said testator then declaring that said instrument constituted his last Will, And it being shown by proof which is satisfactory to the Court that said testator was of the full age of twenty - one years & upwards at the time of making said Will,  and that heirs of sound mind and fully capable of making his said will, it seems to the Court that said application should be granted; It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Court that said Will of said A. M Cook, deceased be received, and the same is hereby declared to be March 25 1868 duly proven as the last Will and testament of said decedent and as such admitted to probate and ordered to be recorded together with the proof thereof.

It is further ordered that said petition filed in this proceeding be recorded, and the same is in words and figures as follows, to wit:

 

State of Alabama} To the Hon J. H. Burdick Judge of the Court of 

Wilcox County} Probate of said County, 

The petition of John Miller respectfully represents unto your Honor that the late A.M. Cook who was an inhabitant of this County at the time of his death departed this life on the day of January 1868 at his residence in this County, leaving a last Will and testament duly signed and published by him, and attested by E. D. McDaniel, Jos W Prefsley and F. A. Delany who reside in this County, in which your petitioner as he verely believes is named as Executor thereof, together with Eliza Cook as Executrix, which said Will is herewith produced to your Honor and propounded for probate and record in this Court. Your petitioner further states that the widow of said decedent is Mrs. Eliza Cook who resides in this County, and that the next of Kin of said decedent are his children, Albert Cook who is twenty years of age, Elizabeth Knox Cook who is eighteen years of age, Tabitha Jane Cook who is fifteen year of age and Mary Caroline Cook who is ten years of age all of whom reside with and are in the custody of their mother the said Eliza Cook. In consideration of all which your petitioner prays that a day may be set for the hearing of the matter of this petition that subpoenas may be issued to bring in said subscribing witnesses to testify on such appointed day, that due notice of this application may be given to the said widow and next of Kin of  said deceased and that such other proceedings, orders and decrees may be had and made in the premises as may be requisite and proper to effect the due probate and record of said Will according to law. And as in duty bound &c 

Subscribed and sworn to on this the}                   Jno Miller

10 day of March 1868. A. H. Burdick}

Judge of Probate for Wilcox Co., Ala}

No tombstone photo is attached to the FindAGrave Memeorial for Abraham Mastin Cook! Yet, his Memeorial contains the following information: 

Inscription

═════════════
In memory of
A. M. Cook
Born April 26, 1812
Died Jan. 16, 1868
═════════════

I don't know the exact date that Abraham Mastin Cook died; but the probate document above place that date in January 1868. 

"the late A.M. Cook who was an inhabitant of this County at the time of his death departed this life on the day of January 1868 at his residence in this County..." 

_____________________________

1. Citation:

 "Wilcox, Alabama, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://

 www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C95W-42L2?view=fullText : Jan 13, 2025), 

image 58 of 839;

2. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com: accessed 2 December 2018); Memorial page for Abraham Mastin Cook; (26 April 1812–16 January 1868); Find a Grave memorial #107456540, Citing Hamburg Cemetery; Hamburg, Wilcox County, Alabama.

1878 Land Deed~Samuel P. Short & wife & others To Andrew J. Brooks

 Samuel P. Short & wife & others To Andrew J. Brooks 

Transcription:

This Indenture made and entered into this the 14th day of February A.D. 1878 and between Samuel Short and wife Sarah Short, Henry Haynie and wife Margaret Haynie, John Vaughn and wife Eliza Vaughn, of the County of Anson, State of North Carolina, and Seabron H. Gulledge and wife Eady Gulledge of the County of Chesterfield, State of South Carolina, parties of the first part, and Andrew J. Brooks of the County of Anson, State of North Carolina, party of the second part. Witnesseth: That for and in consideration of the sum of Four Hundred ($400.00) Dollars, to the parties of the first part in hand paid by the said Andrew J. Brooks, party of the second part, the receipt and payment of which is hereby acknowledged, the said Samuel P. Short, and wife Sarah Short, Henry Haynie and wife Margaret Haynie John Vaughn and wife Eliza Vaughn and Seabron H. Gulledge and wife Eady Gulledge have bargained and sold, and by these presents do bargain sell, release, assign, convey and confirm unto the said Andrew L. Brooks, his Heirs and assigns, the following property to wit: A tract or parcel of land, situate in the County of Anson, State of North Carolina it being Lot No. 3 in the Partition of the lands of the late William Pratt, and bounded as follows: Beginning at the bank of Jones Creek under the East end of the Bridge near Baucum's Mill and runs with the Road towards Morven 45.20 chs. to Some Rocks in said Road 5 pines pointers, which point is also a corner of Lots No. 2, No. 4 & No. 6, Then with Lot No. 2 S 85 W. 32.50 chs. to a Small Sweet gum on the bank of the Creek a little below the mouth of a small branch, Then down the various courses of the Creek to the Cook to the Beginning containing 83 Acres. To have and to hold the above described tract of land, with all the improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto belonging to him the said Andrew J. Brooks his Heirs and assigns forever, And the said parties of the first part, for the consideration aforesaid do hereby covenant and agree to warrant the title to the said premises to the said Andrew J. Brooks his Heirs and assigns against the claim of any and all persons whomsoever, and they do covenant that they are seized of said premises in fee simple and have power to convey such an Estate, and have done the same by these presents, to the said Andrew J. Brooks, his Heirs and assigns. In Witness whereof the said parties of the first part have hereunto set their hands and Seals the day and year first above written.                                                                          Samuel P. Short {seal}  

Witness as to S. H. Gulledge                                   Sarah E. Short {seal} 

W. F. Henry                                                            Henry Haynes {seal}  

                                                                               Margaret X Hayne {seal}  

                                                                               John X Vaughn {seal}  

                                                                               Eliza X Vaughn {seal}  

                                                                               S. H. Gulledge {seal}  

                                                                               Eady X Gulledge {seal}  

This partition of the lands of William Pratt named four of the seven children of Daniel Short and his wife Nancy Pratt. The four named are:

1. Margaret J. Short and her husband Henry Haynie
2. Samuel P. Short and his wife Sarah E. Gardner
3. Eady Short and her husband Sebren Harrison Gulledge
4. Eliza Short and her husband John Vaughn

 Not named are:

1. Pvt. Alexander P. Short, b. 1839; died 1862 in Civil War.
2.  William Short, b. 1847
3. John Short, b. 1848

No additional information found for William & John Short after 1850 and 1860 Censuses.

Comments from the Deed!

"four Creek? under the East end of the Bridge near Baucum's Mill and runs with the Road towards Morven"

If anyone knows the creek named in this document I would like to hear from you. I read it as Four creek, but I grew up in Anson County and I don't think there is a Four Creek in the County. Jones Creek come to mind as the correct location.

Updated to read Jones Creek

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1. Land Deed > https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99DH-J9ZD-C?view=fullText&keywords=Samuel%2CShort%2CNorth%20Carolina%2CCarolina%2CAnson&groupId=TH-1961-38057-5715-44