Short Biography of Thomas Cooke

Thomas Cooke came to Guilford with Rev. Henry Whitfiled and was one of the signers of the plantation covenant of June 1, 1639, made on the passage from the county of Kent, England, to Guilford.

Source: "The Halls of New England :. Genealogical and biographical" ³⁶³⁸

Thomas Cooke was one of the original immigrant settlers of Guilford, who sailed from London about May 25, 1639 and entered New Haven harbor sometime near the begining of July. After landing at New Haven, they soon, under the friendly direction of Mr. Davenport and Mr. Eaton, selected Menuncatuc as the place of their plantation and soon named the new town Guilford, after an English city. Many of them were persons of distinction and influence in England. While yet on shipboard the company organized as a separate community and entered into relations expressed in the following covenant.

"We, whose names are hereunder written, intending by God's gracious permission, to plant ourselves in New England, and if it may be, in the southerly part, about Quinnipiac, we do faithfully promise, each to each, for ourselves and families and those that belong to us, that we will, the Lord assisting us, sit down and join ourselves together in one intire plantation, and to be helpful each to the other in every common work, according to every man's ability, and as need shall require; and we promise not to desert or leave each other or the plantation, but with the consent of the rest, or the greater part of the company who have entered into this agreement. As for our gathering together in a church way and the choice of officers and members to be joined together in that way, we do refer ourselves until such time as it shall please God to settle us in our plantation. In witness whereof we subscribe our hands the 1st day of June 1639." Their leader, the Rev. Henry Whitfield, was a man of wealth. The famous old stone house at Guilford was built for him in 1639-40. The house was also used by the settlers as a sort of fort to protect themselves against the Indians. Tradition says the stones used in building it, were brought in hand barrows and leathern aprons, from a ledge not far distant.

"Thomas Cook was the last of the signers of the plantation covenant except Mr. Whitfield. He was quite a young man when he came to Guilford and lived to be the last survivor of the twenty-five original signers. He died at Guilford Dec. 1, 1692. He was representative to the General Court at Hartford May 1666, was usually the Juror from Guilford after the county courts were established in 1666, and held many other honorable offices." (Steiner's Guilford.)

He married 1st, Elizabeth (???), 2nd, Hannah Landon, in Guilford, March 13, 1668. She died July 7, 1676

Source: "Memoranda Relating to the Ancestry and Family of Sophia Fidelia Hall" ⁶⁰¹⁴

Thomas Cooke, Sr., was one of the original signers of the plantation covenant of Guildfodd, and the latest survivor of the signers. His name is the one immediately preceding that of Mr. Whitfield, and is the last but one on the list. He evidently was quite a young man when he came to Guilford, probably from 21 to 25 years of age, and was born about 1615 to 1618. He was representative of Guilford to the General Assembly at Hartford, May session, 1666. He died Dec. 1, 1692. His nuncupative will, proved June 13, 1693, mentions his son Thomas Cooke, Jr., and his daughter Elizabeth Hall and her children Thomas Hall and Samuel Hall. He is called on the records Thomas Cooke, Juror. In 1690 he was taxed 31 pounds 15 shillings, and gave his 4th division land to his grandson Thomas Hall. His home-lot contained 2 acres, and in addition thereto he owned a parcel of upland containing 6 1/4 acres. The home-lot was sold by his son to the town in 1695, that it might be used as a settlement for the new pastor, Rev. Thomas Ruggles. He married first, Elizabeth; and married second, Mar. 13, 1668, widow Hannah Lindon, who died July 7, 1676.

Source: "The New England Historical and Genealogical Registe" ⁶⁰¹⁹