Family

I can't quite explain
what started me to look
for historical information
on our Family Cooke

But I asked many questions
of my dad, that very day
"Who are my relatives,
what's the Family Bible say?"

With eager pen and paper
I started to write down
All the names of ancestors
that we had just found.

So one hot day in August
I turned on my PC
to see what I could find
on this Carolina family.

Much to my surprise
I found alot of Cookes
all looking for their lineage
in web pages and in books
 
"Are you my cousin?
Will you exchange with me?
I think you are connected
to the same family tree!"

So I started posting
on newsgroups and email
and that is what lead me
to find my cousin Dale

Of all the things I've learned
of my Cooke family line
He is without a doubt 
my most treasured find.

I never knew about him
or he about me
But now we search together
and trace our genealogy

We have found our ancestors
on records and in graves
And it makes us wonder
How their life was in those days

Their lives mean more to us
than just a record of names
Their memory is alive
Their blood is in our veins

We are happy to know them
in this strange and distant way
For without them ever living
we would not be here today.

These next two poems were written about our great great grandparents, 
Mary Caroline Hildebrand Cook, and her husband Aaron E. Cook.

Caroline

Such a sadness it seems that is in her eyes
She was so strong a woman, not given to surprise
Perhaps somehow she knew her life would be cut short
But to hear her complain, she was not that sort

Her life was hard then, for it was a hard time
But she raised two sons that turned out just fine
She worked from sunup till well into the night
And to Aaron, she was a beautiful sight

She would never quit when the times were tough
And when Aaron left for war she knew it would be rough
She kissed him and watched as he walked away
And told him she loved him, what else could she say?

With tears in her eyes she watched her man
As he walked down the road would she see him again?
Every once and a while a letter she would receive
She would hang on each word and then she would grieve

For the friends he would tell her that died that day
And for their families that were so far away
It would tear her apart to sit there alone
And wonder if her man would ever come home

So she tried to stay busy and think of other things
But that is the terror that a war often brings
She prayed for it to be over, this awful war
And her husband to come home for he was so far

Then she got the news on, that horrible day
He was wounded and captured, where they did not say
All they could tell her is that he was not dead
But what she feared is what the letter had not said

How long would they hold him? Till after the war?
And where would they hold him? Was it near or far?
Could she go to see him? Was that allowed?
And whom could she ask this she cried out loud

She tried to stay strong, while her world fell apart
Would he die in this prison? It burned in her heart
Friends and family gathered for support
As she waited patiently for any report

When finally the word came, the war was done!
The fighting was over, the North had won.
She watched every day for him to come home
Days turned to weeks it seemed so long

Then one day as she watched, along he came
So tired and so frail, not looking the same
She ran to meet him and to hold him so tight
To her, in this world, was not a more beautiful sight

Through the years their love blossomed, as a flower it grew
They were hardly apart and she always knew
That no matter what happened, he would never leave again
She gave him two sons that helped him work the land

And this woman she was a good wife and good mother
They all worked and they played and they loved each other
But the sickness that took her to an early grave
Would rob them of time but the memories, they would save

And they knew that one day they would see her again
And kiss her and hug her and hold to her hand
For this woman she loved God, family and friends
And for this woman they all loved, their love never ends

For such a strong woman, mother and wife
She lived as God wanted a prosperous life
But her story, for me, is still frozen in time
This Great Great Grandmother I know as our Caroline

By Dale Cook

                                     The Battle

                                                                    Yesterday I left to go to war
                                                                     My bride I did leave behind
                                                            This war that everyone was proud to fight
                                                                Yet it still was not clear in my mind

                                                            If today's fight would resolve the problems
                                                        That were between the North and the South
                                                             The blood that would have to be spilt
                                                             Could not be settled by word of mouth

                                                         But I am prepared to do my duty today
                                                                    Whatever that it may be
                                                             This war between brothers and kin
                                                             Will surely go down in history

                                                      As we prepare for the battle that is ahead
                                                               We prepare for the battle within
                                                                Lord be with all of us this day
                                                                Please do not let me face a friend

                                                               I walk around and as I do
                                                             I look at the faces of my friends
                                                 Will I see them tomorrow at the end of the day?
                                                          In a war it seems that no one wins

                                                        And what of my wife, home all alone
                                                           Will ever I see her sweet face again?
                                                       And look into the eyes that melt my heart
                                                           Or be able to hold to her gentle hand

                                                            As the bugler sounds and we arise
                                                                To greet this brand new day
                                                              Will it be the last that we have?
                                                           Have we said all we have to say?

                                                     As the day goes on and the enemy is spotted
                                                            And the sound of charge is given
                                                             We hear the firing of guns ahead
                                                                As onward we are driven

                                                            I watch as friends all around me
                                                         Fall and their last breath is drawn
                                                           And onward we go into the battle
                                                            We fight until the daylight is gone

                                                     When the darkness falls we gather our dead
                                                             For the enemy has pulled back
                                                          And those of us that are still alive
                                                           Cannot even remember the attack

                                            But we all are speechless at what we see
                                                      In the moonlight the dead lie all around
                                                     Soldiers from both sides lie motionless there
                                                            Upon this once peaceful ground

                                                    Many battles like this one I was going to see
                                                            Before this war was through
                                                I would be wounded and captured and sent to prison
                                                     Before returning to the land that I knew

                                                        There were many that did never return
                                                       In this war that was between the States
                                                   And I will never forget that first awful day
                                                     And of my friends and of their terrible fates

by Dale Cook

Reunion

As I awoke from a dream
at the start of this day
I thought of a special place
I had not seen since May

I remembered with fondness
blue Carolina skies
But today the thought of it
brought tears to my eyes

I realized what special occasion
I was missing today
And thought of all my Cook Cousins
so many miles away

As I sit on the sand
of this California beach
I feel quite alone
and so far out of reach

They have gone to celebrate
as one united family
in a place called Casar
to honor Edward's memory

They'll talk about the family tree
from which son they descend
and all I can think about
is that I could not attend

I can think of nothing else
for my cousins are so dear
I've already started making plans
to be with them next year 

Roberta Cooke Schmidt

Grandfathers

Have you ever wondered where our Grandfathers came from? 
And what their lives were like from day to day?
Have you ever wanted to go back in time?
And hear what they might have to say?

I long now to hear stories about them
And stories about their family
The struggles they went through, their trials
And triumphs, for this is our history

So we search together, my cousin and I she loves
The search as much as I do.
In books and libraries and courthouses we go
Looking for just one little clue

To find what we can on these Grandfathers of ours
And understand what their lives might be
A glimpse of  the past in these pages we find
A glimpse of what used to be

For no better time than the present we think
To look for things from the past 
We collect these things that we hold dear
And we hope that it all will last.

So those who come after us may be able to see
Our Grand fathers as we do
And then maybe some day descendants of ours
Will look for their grandfathers too.

by Dale Cook

Ancestors

Many years ago an ancestor of mine
Stood on a ship across the sea
As he stood and looked across the waters
He wondered at the great mystery
 
The mystery that lay ahead of him
In that land on the other shore
That new and exciting land
Where few had gone before
 
He pondered on what that land held for him
In the days that were to come
And he thought about his future there
While he watched the setting of the sun
 
And while the waves brushed the bow of the ship
And the ship set out to sea
He thought of his new home over there
And the beginning of his family
 
He would seek him a mate that loved as he did
The things that mattered most in life
Together they would build a family, a home
This man and his loving wife

He would raise his family in that land over there
To be brave, be strong and be true
To have faith in our Lord above
And always be willing to do
 
The task that be given them
No matter how difficult it be
And always be true to their word
And to their own history
 
And now as I sit here I can't help but wonder
What their stories just might be
The troubles and trials that they went through
And their battles to be free
 
I am thankful now for the heritage they left
And for the name we all are so proud
And for the life that they gave us
And for the time that we are allowed 
 
by Dale Cook

Brick Wall
 
Something stands before me
 it hinders my progress
I cannot go any further
it is causing me distress

My family tree is stunted
it's growth stopped suddenly
I'm stuck on this fine ancestor
and who his parents must be

I have looked through every cranny
every corner, every nook,
I've looked through all the records
in every courthouse, every book

The farther back I try to dig
the less I seem to find
Just one more date or record please
before I lose my mind!

There is no real proof to be found
no fine parents for this lad
just a lot of speculation
and assumption to be had

I cannot seem to jump or climb
this intimidating brick wall
How can I overcome it
when it stands so sure and tall?

There seems to be only one thing
that is left for me to do
I will dig a tunnel under the wall
that I can crawl right through

No stone is left unturned
as I dig with all my might
I use my shovel wisely
I do research day and night

So I keep my attitude positive
that soon will come the day
that needed piece of information
will surely come my way

Down the brick wall comes
it crumbles to pieces at last
I have found a precious piece
to the puzzle of my past!
But once I find that record
I've been searching earnestly
will I give up my research
on my growing family tree?

There goes another brick wall
where the other used to stand
but that is fine with me
I have my shovel in my hand!!!

by Roberta Schmidt

The Nameless

There is a deep curiosity
A strong desire to learn
Among genealogists like me
For untold stories we yearn

Who are the well-dressed people
In this collection of photographs?
Their faces are expressive
Yet no one smiles or even laughs

They are so quiet and somber
As they are sitting silently
To capture a moment in time
The photographer waits patiently

Photographs of the nameless
Someone's family unidentified
To solve the great unknown
For years we have tried

Their faces speak volumes
Of their lives and their fame
But so much is still hidden
What is their family name?

They are strangers on a tintype
With no history of their own
Just a moment in a lifetime
Their faces fixed like stone

We all ask the same questions
Who is this lady sitting there?
With a gentlemen at her side
And a bonnet in her hair

Who is the darling little child
Who sits on his father's knee?
His brother and his sister
Belong to someone's family tree

They are somebody's kinfolk
Once full of life and zest
Now forgotten and nameless
On faded photographs in a chest

We love to gaze at their faces
And maybe one day we will see
Their true stories revealed
Their names no longer a mystery

By Roberta Cooke Schmidt

Do you have any genealogy poetry you would like to share? 
I would love to hear from you. Please email me at    tps914@aol.com

Take a look at my Art and Poetry Page

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