Hello,
I am descended from the Cooke family of Hacketstown, Co. Carlow.
I transcribed the Cooke grave you mentioned in Hacketstown. It is a ledger style grave and the moss made it quite difficult to read:
Erected by William Cooke
In memory of his wife Elizabeth Cooke
Who departed this life the 7th March 1818
Aged 36 Years.
xxxx
xxxx crucified saviour.
Also xxxx of William Cooke here?
xx departed this life January 185x
his son Robert Disney Cooke who
departed this life January 6th 1881 aged 66 years
I also have the Landed Estate Court Rentals document for the sale of the estate of William Cooke of Griffinstown from 1854. The following lease information is given which gives some details on the family:
"The Lands above-mentioned are held by virtue of a Lease, bearing date the 6th June 1787, from Morely Saunders to William Cooke, from the 1st May, then last, for lives renewable for ever; Rent reserved, £90 late currency, and payment of the sum of £20 late currency, renewal fine. The last renewal is dated the 30th January, 1840, from Robert Francis Saunders to the Owner, William Cooke, for the lives of William Johnston Cooke, now aged about 20 years, Ruth Barker, now aged about 81 years and John Cooke, since deceased. The present owner, on the death of said life, paid to Mr. Saunders the fine for the renewal but neglected to take out the renewal...
These lands will be sold, subject to a contingent jointure or rentcharge of £50, present currency, a-year, created by an Indenture, dated 13th September, 1828, for the life of Anne, the wife of the owner, Wm. Cooke, now aged about 54 years, in the event of the said Anne surviving her husband (the owner is now aged about 49 years) and also to a perpetual rentcharge of £50 a-year, for Michael Cooke, brother of the owner and his issue."
I'd love to find out the connection of William Cooke of Griffinstown to the Hacketstown Cookes. My own ancestors were named William and Robert so it seems likely that the families were related.
Do you know anything about the Cooke family going further back?
Shane