Mary Thompson
birth: 9 September 1861 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois to Thomas Coke and Drusilla DeWolf Thompson
death: 25 February 1942 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona
burial: Burstrom Cemetery, Porter, Indiana
marriage: 11 May 1882 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Andrew Cook
birth: 27 July 1859 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois to John and Mary O’Brien Cook
death: 3 February 1944 in Chesterton, Porter, Indiana
burial: Burstrom Cemetery, Porter, Indiana
Children of Mary Thompson and Andrew Cook:
- Lulu May Cook (1883-1968) m. Gustaf “Gust” Teodor Samuelson
- Grace Gertrude Cook (1886-1962) m. John Henry Honaker
- John Thompson “Jack” Cook (1887-1967) m. Hilda Albertina “Snooky” Gustafson
- William DeWolf Cook (1890-1945) m. Helen Anna Curran
- James Andrew Cook (1893-1906)
- Drucilla E. Cook (1897-1897)
- Whitney Calvin Cook (1902-1924)
Ancestor here lived in:
- Chesterton, Porter, Indiana
Other Information:
Mary Thompson, born 9 September 1861 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois was the daughter of Thomas Coke and Drusilla Williams DeWolf Thompson. Both of Mary’s parents had been married previously. Thomas Coke, whose first wife’s name may have been Elizabeth, had six sons, four who died as infants and one within weeks after mustering out of the Civil War. Drusilla had one son, John Calvin DeWolf, from her first marriage to Calvin DeWolf. It is likely that both of Mary’s parents knew each other in Lansingburgh, Troy, New York where their first marriages occurred. Thomas and Drusilla married in Chicago on 15 July 1857; Mary was the third of possibly four children born to that union. Mary’s birth was recorded in the family Bible. Her birth date and location were confirmed when she was an adult and became a member of the Augsburg Lutheran Church in Porter County, Indiana. In 1870, Mary is found with her parents and two older brothers attending school in Chicago’s Ward 10. She continued to reside with her parents in Maywood, Illinois in 1880 but had completed her education, having attended school for 8 years. On 10 May 1882 at 261 Forquier Street in Chicago, Mary married Andrew Cook. The couple had three daughters and four sons. Youngest daughter Drucilla, likely named after Mary’s mother, died as an infant. Son James was killed as an 11 year old by a train on his way home from school. Youngest child Whitney, died at age 22 of hemmoraghe from a tantric ulcer. It is not known for certain when the family relocated to Porter County, Indiana, but Mary can be found there with the children in 1900. Andrew remained in Chicago as a boarder working as a blacksmith. Several records have been found that show Andrew selling lots in the Cook Waverly subdivision so it is possible that Mary maintained a household in Porter County to oversee the land purchases. There is no record of Mary being employed outside of the home. In 1910, the family is found reunited in Westchester, Porter, Indiana. By 1920, the family had moved closer to Andrew’s job in Gary, Lake, Indiana. The couple did not stay long in Gary; shortly after Whitney’s death there Andrew and Mary are found in Valparaiso, Indiana. By 1930 the couple had returned to live in Chesterton, Porter County. They remained in Westchester through 1940. After selling their home they traveled to Illinois and Ohio to visit relatives and to winter in Florida where they reported that they saw the president and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. In December 1941, Mary and Andrew traveled to Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona to visit their son John who had relocated there. She became ill from the flu and died of broncho pneumonia on 25 February 1942. Mary’s body was returned to Indiana for burial in Burstrom Cemetery in Porter County.
Submitted by:
Lori Samuelson
Email: genealogyatheart@gmail.com