CORP COOK PART 3
The year is 1935, and the Hudson family of Scott, Elizabeth, Frederick and Thomasine are about to make a permanent move from California to Gregg County, Texas.
Looking back, it was quite a pivotal year in history! There was the Dust Bowl, the great depression, and the start of World War II with Nazi Germany. Other historical events happening that year were as follows:
On January 11 Amelia Earhart flies from Honolulu to Oakland, California (non-stop, of course).
Bob Hope launched his major career breakthrough by making his network radio debut on January 4th.
The first parking meters were installed in Oklahoma City.
Aviation Records: Howard Hughes set a new air speed record (352 mph), and the China Clipper began trans-Pacific mail service.
Babe Ruth Retires: His final appearance was in the game with the Boston Braves.
Top movies of that year were, Mutiny On The Bounty, Bride Of Frankenstein and Top Hat.
Below are two family photos of Scott and Thomasine.
(Courtesy of cousin Sandra of Texas)
Descendants Of The Cook and Hudson Families
I believe that both Madeline and her sister Anita grew up in the Bay Area most likely living with their father and new stepmother Elizabeth.
Yet, I wonder how tragically sad it must have been for these two sisters to not only watch their (biological) mother Florence and Frederick divorce, but then to lose their mother a year later and then their father only six years after that!
The trail runs cold as to what happened to the girls during the formative years, but here are the results from my research thus far.
Madeline & Anita Cook
Born on October 4 in 1895 in Maryland, Ferdinand was the youngest of two children born to Sebastian and Catherine (Hayes) Stromer in Maryland . His older sister Annie was born on August 11, 1883.
Their father Sebastian Stromer was born in August 1855 in Maryland. He was one six boys born to John and Margaretta (Enker) Stromer . Their mother Catherine was born September 1872 in Maryland. At this time, very little has been found on her family.
On October 3, 1935 Madeline married a Mr. Ferdinand Frederick Stromer
18 years prior to meeting Madeline, WW1 had begun in Europe. Ferdinand signed up with the navy in 1917. He began his service aboard the USS Apache Ship as a coal heaver.
As described by the US Naval Institute website- This was a very physically demanding job. It meant you were responsible for transporting coal from the ship's bunkers to the boiler furnaces. A passenger list describes Ferdinand as standing 5' 6 in height, weighing approx 154 with tattoo marks.
This description is about as close as we will get in learning what Ferdinand looks like. For the past 13 years I have searched high and low to find images of both him and Madeline. If Irish luck is on my side, sometimes I find them or encounter another ancestry member who is willing to share. You know that someone has them somewhere, perhaps in an album, a desk drawer or in a box found in the closet.
At the end of WW1, Ferdinand returned to civilian life. His new job was that of a conductor for one of the several cable cars in San Francisco.
Madeline's career was with the Pacific Telephone company-a job she worked at most of her adult life until it was time to retire.
Sadly, just four years into the marriage, Madeline and Ferdinand divorced in 1939. They had no children and died within a year of each other.
Madeline died of cancer on December 14, 1945. Her ashes are in a urn located at the Olivet Gardens Of Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma.
Ferdinand passed on June 23, 1946. He is possibly buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery located in Trinchera, California.
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Anita Florence Cook
Fortunately I do have a photo of the younger sister Anita. A census taken in the early 1930's indicates that both she and Madeline were living in the Los Angeles Area at the same time. Anita worked as a stenographer for a rubber company.
In 1933 Anita would marry Roy Rarick Haney of Pontiac, Livingston, IL
Born on August 2, 1898. Roy was the oldest of two boys born in the family of Charles Jory and Emma Pearl (Rarick) Haney. His younger brother was Victor was born two years later in 1900.
Their father Charles was born on March 17, 1871 in Illinois. He was one of five children in the family of William Jory and Mary Ann (Lamb) Haney. Charles first job was that of a teamster then later worked for the local fire department. On March 27. 1897 he married Emma Pearl Rarick. Born on August 17. 1875 Emma was one of two children in the family of Isaac and Margaret Cassandra Cover. Her older brother was named Frank and born four years prior.
After serving in the Army during WW1, Roy began working as a technician for the phone company.
Below is the only photo I have of Anita taken with Roy and his brother Victor.
Roy and Anita never had children and lived in the Beverly Hills area all their life. Roy passed away at age 74 on August 24, 1972. Anita passed away at age 87 on December 14, 1987. Both are buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale CA
The year is 1939 and WW2 has began in Europe with Germany invading Poland. Two years later, Japan would bomb Pearl Harbor. Uncle Sam put out the call for all men to enlist.
Young Frederick Holmes Cook Jr, did just that and on October 16 1940 registered for selective service in the Army. It was also around this time that Frederick would meet Mary Louise Lord of Pelican, De Soto Parish, Louisiana.
Mary who went by her middle name of Louise, was born on April 25, 1917. She was one of ten children in the family of William Thomas and Lou Etta (Smith) Lord Jr.
Born on May 29 1880, her father William was one of ten children raised by William Thomas (Senior) and Elizabeth Rachel (Adams) Lord. He worked as farmer and blacksmith in De Soto Louisiana. On December 21 1902, He would marry Lou Etta Smith.
Lou Etta Smith was born on May 19, 1883, in De Soto, Louisiana. She was one of eight children raised by Benjamin Etheridge and Jane Ann (Robertson) Smith.
On October 22, 1933 Frederick and Louise were married in Upsur Texas.
They raised 3 children (2 Girls and a boy). One of the girls is my dear friend and distant cousin Sandra whom I first met in 2013 when I first began this ancestry adventure! To us younger cousins, Sandra would be considered a first cousin to our parents.
Frederick and Louise with their three children
Frederick and Louise with their nephew Scotty.
The Later Years Frederick & Louise
Frederick died on February 16, 1994, in Mansfield, Texas, at the age of 82.
Mary Louise died on March 23, 2014 in Cleburne Texas. Both are buried in the Rosedale Cemetary in Gladewater Texas.
Thomasine Marian Hudson
Lastly we come to the daughter of Scott and Elizabeth Hudson, named Thomasine Marian Hudson.
Born on October 8, 1926 in Hayward CA, Thomasine spent her first four year on the West Coast before the big move to her father's home state of Texas.
She attended Long View High School and her year book from 1944 shows her to be quite the busy student involved in no less than 5 clubs! On September 17, 1944 the society section of the Longview Journal reported the following:
Thomasine was married twice. Her first husband was James William Henderson.
James William Henderson.
Born on March 15, 1925, in Longview, Texas, James was one of four children in the family of George and Lou Frankie Ruth (Taylor) Henson.
George Henson
Lou Frankie Ruth Taylor
Born on August 6, 1882 in Atlanta GA, George was the only son of Jesse & Alice Loni (Wells). An early census shows George's employment as a peddler. Two online ancestry trees indicate that George was married twice. His first marriage to a Lou Calbert but for whatever reason the marriage ended. His second marriage was to Lou Frankie Ruth Taylor on March 28 1915.
Born on August 2, 1900 Lou was one of six children in the family of John Calvin and Flora Anne (Jones) Taylor.
John Calvin
Flora Ann Taylor
John Calvin was born August 21 1856 in Texas. He married Flora Ann of Indiana on September 10 1887
James and Thomasine were married on January 10 1947 in Shrevenort Louisana. Later that same year a new addition was welcomed to the family. On September 5, 1947 Thomasine gave birth to a son named William Scott Henson.
Sadly the marriage between James and Thomasine did not last and they filed for divorce in 1949.
A census taken the following year, shows Thomasine living at home with her parents and son. The census describes her as working but not in what field. As I continued my research, I came upon Thomasine's Obituary which described her as a retired teacher in Oklahoma who also remarried a second time to Howard Eugene "Buddy" Reneau
Howard Eugene "Buddy" Reneau
Born on September 4, 1911, in Olustee, Oklahoma, Howard was one of four children in the family of William Elbert and Cora Ellen (Speck) Reneau. His siblings (as shown below) were a baby brother named William "Willie" Ralph that lived only a few wee hours before dying and two sisters Mary Dean and Lou Ellen.
THEIR PARENTS
William Elbert Reneau & Cora Ellen Speck
Born on December 2, 1890, in Albany, Kentucky , William was one of eleven children all of whom were fathered by John Mulkey Reneau.
John Mulkey Reneau
John was first married to Eleanor Ann "Nellie" or "Nella" Means on January 10 1867. Nellie was born on July 2, 1844, in Clinton, Kentucky. She and John had three children, Alice, Susan and Azel Tipton. Sadly the young mother Nellie died at age 29 on August 18, 1873, in Albany, Kentucky.
The following year, John met a lady by the name of Mary Dillon Mullens.
Mary was born on February 20, 1850, in Fentress, Tennessee. She and John were married on July 12 , 1874. Like most families from the Kentucky and Tennessee states, both Mary and John came from large families. John was one of nine children and Mary one of seven children.
In addition to the three children John had from his previous marriage to Nellie Means, eight more would soon follow. Mary would give birth to the following children:
Mary Dillon Mullens.
Like many young men, Howard signed up for the Army in 1942. Prior to joining, Howard worked for a large drilling company known as Reading and Bates. During the war, Howard was a staff Sargent- these men served as squad leaders, platoon guides, or section leaders, guiding soldiers in combat and assisting officers.
According to three online ancestry trees, Howard was first married to a Daisy Blaine in/around 1955. The marriage ended in divorce. Although the exact date has not been confirmed, Howard and Thomasine were married and had one child a son named David born in 1956.
Howard lived to age 91 passing away on August 9 in 2003. Thomasine lived to age 90 passing away on January 30, 2017. He is buried in the Kermit Cemetery in Winkler County, Texas. Thomasine's burial plot is unknown at this time.
Thomasine lived to age 90 passing away on January 30, 2017. Her burial plot is unknown at this time.
