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Mahieu, Hester
d. AFT. 18 JUN 1666
Parents:

Mother: Jenne
Family:

Marriage:30 JUN 1603 Leiden, Holland
Spouse: Cooke, Francis
b. 1583
d. 7 APR 1663 Dartmouth, MA (age 86)

Family History:

"Couk, Franchoys of England, Wool-comber, acc. by Phillipe de Veau and Raphael Roelandt his acq. betr. 30 June 1603 to Hester Mahieu of Canterbury in England, acc. by Jenne Mahieu her mother and Jenne mahieu her sister..." Although Hester is listed as "of Canterbury," she was actually Walloon, French-speaking Belgian, and not English. There were many Walloons who lived in Canterbury and engaged in the textile trade. In 1603 Esther de Mahieu was accepted as a member of the French Reformed Church of Leyden. On August 8, 1606 Francois and Hester were given letters of transfer from the Norwich church. On May 20, 1608 Franchoys Couck, who lived on the Levendaal canal on the southeast side of Leyden, buried a child in Pieterskerk. "On New Year's Day, 1608, among those admitted to communion by letter of transfer from another Walloon congregation were Francois Cooke et Esther sa femme, de Norwich." "The names of those which came over first, in the year 1620, and were by the blessing of God the first beginners and in a sort the foundation of all the Plantations and Colonies in New England; and their families ... "Francis Cooke and his son John; but his wife and other children came afterwards." The Pilgrims hastily laid out a town and the Cookes built their house . On February 16, 1621: "Friday, the 16th, was a fair day; but the northly wind continued, which continued the frost. This day, after noon, one of our people being a fowling, and having taken a stand by a creek side in the reeds, about a mile and a half from our plantation, there by him twelve Indians, marching towards our plantation, and in the woods he heard the noise of many more. He lay close till they passed, and then with what speed he could he went home and gave the alarm. So the people abroad in the woods returned and armed themselves, but saw none of them; only, toward the evening, they made a great fire about the place where they were first discovered. Captain Miles Standish and Francis Cooke being at work in the woods, coming home left their tools behind them; but before they returned, their tools were taken away by the savages. This coming of the savages gave us occasion to keep more strict watch, and to make our pieces and furniture ready, which by moisture and rain were out of temper." Hester Mahieu Cooke and her children arrived in Plymouth in 1623 on the Anne. 1623 Division of Land. 1627 Division of Cattle. On January 7, 1633 "Whereas there were divers accounts between Samuell Fuller, the elder, & Peter Browne, wherein they differ, the said Samuell being plaintiffe, upon thexamining of things, they agreed to refer their cause to Robt Heeks & Francis Cooke, & to haue the hearing of their recconings, and according as they shall thinke meete & just to make even & sett streight the same at or before the last of this prnt moneth ..." On March 25, 1633 "According to an order in Court held the 2d of January, in the seaventh yeare of the raigne of o'r soveraigne lord, Charles, by the grace of God King of Engl., Scotl., France, & Irel., defendor of the faith, &c, the psons heere under menconed were rated for publike use by the Gov'r, Mr Will Bradford ...to be brought in by each pson as they are heere under written, rated in corne at vi s p bushell, at or before the last of November next ensuing... Francis Cooke (taxed) 00 18 [shillings] 00." October 28, 1633 "A true Inventory of the goods & Chattels of Martha Harding deceased as they were prised by James Hurst ffr Cooke & John Coke & presented upon Oath at a Court..." On November 25, 1633 "An Inventory of the goods & Chattels of ffr Eaton Carpenter of Plymouth as it was taken by James Hurst, ffranc Cooke & Phineas Prat..." In March 1634, Francis Cooke was "rated" only 9 shillings. On July 23, 1634 "Apoynted for laying out of highwayes ... For Plimouth, John Jeney, Fra Cooke, Manaseh Kempton, Ed. Bangs, Nicolas Snow, John Winsloe, James Hurst." On December 24, 1636 "Joh. Harmon, the son of Edm. Harmon, of London, tayler, acknowledged himselfe to be the apprentise of Francis Cooke, of New Plymouth, for seaven yeares, viz, from the first of Octob'r, 1636, to the expiracon of the said terme, and then to be dowble apprelled by the said Francis, who is also to giue him twelue bushels of corne." On November 15, 1636 a law was passed by the Colony Court “That every mans marke of his Cattle be brought to the towne book where he lives ... ffrancis Cooke a hole in the left eare and a slit in the right eare downe the middest of the eare." On the March 1637 "The Names of the Freeman ... Francis Cooke." On March 7, 1637 "Frauncis Cooke complains against Thomas Lettis, James Walter, John Browne the yeonger, & Thomas Teley, and against Mr John Browne thelder & Thomas Willet, vpon an action of the case, to the damnag of s, for that they, the said Thomas Lettis, James Walter, John Browne the yeonger, & Thomas Teley, in the service of the said John Browne thelder, & Thomas Willet, did, about the six'th day of November last, vnreasonably abuse the cattle of the said Francis Cooke, insomuch that therevpon one cowe cast her calf, & hath lost her milk, & is in danger to be lost herself. The jury found for the pltiff against John Browne thelder, and doe assesse him three pounds damnage, and the cost of the suite." On May 2, 1637 "It was ordered by this Court, that a jury should be empanelled to set forth the heigh wayes about Plymouth, Ducksborrow, and the Eele River... The Names of the Jury ... Francis Cooke" On June 7, 1637 "Execuson is graunted against Mr John Browne, at the suite of Frauncis Cooke, vpon the verdict recoued against him." On January 2, 1638 "Franc Cooke" served on several trial juries Michaell Turner against John Davis for damage to a boat, Edward Dotey against John Holmes in a case of transpass, and John and Elisabeth Willis against William Bradford, Edward Winslow and Thomas Prince in a dispute about land. On June 5, 1638 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. On December 3, 1638 "A pcell or tongue of land about an acre & a half broad at Smilt Riuer, lying betwixt the riuer & the lands of Mr Thomas Prince, is graunted vnto Mr Thomas Prince. It was graunted before to Francis Cooke." On February 4, 1639 "A parcell of vpland lying at th end of Goodman Shawes land at Smilt Riuer is graunted to Francis Cooke, puided it doe not pjudice the graunts formly made to Mr Thomas Prince, Mrs Fuller, and others, w'ch lands are to be viewed and layd forth for him." "twenty acrees of lands lying on that side towards ffrancis Cooks land w'ch came by his wyfe ..." On September 3, 1639 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. On December 3, 1639 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. On March 3, 1640 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. On May 5, 1640 "Mr John Jenney, Mr John Atwood, Francis Cooke, John Barnes, Richard Sparrow, John Cooke, & Josuah Pratt, are appoynted to view the meddows about Edward Doteys, & to computate the number of acrees, & make report thereof to the next Court." On October 5, 1640 "The Court doth graunt vnto Francis Cooke & John Cooke, Jun'r, the pcell of vpland lying betwixt Leiftennant Holmes lands at the North Riuer, and the lands graunted to John Rogers, Constant Southwood, &c, puided it doe not exceede two hundred acres of vplands, and the meddow before yt, or so much as shalbe thought competent when the same is viewed & layd forth by Capt Standish & Mr John Alden. There is a pcell of vpland moore there found, containing about 10 or 12 acrees, be it moore or lesse, w'ch the court hath likewise graunted vnto then, the sd Francis & John ... The Court doth order, that Mr John Howland, Francis Cooke, Josuah Pratt, and Thom Cushman shall range the bounds of the lands betwixt Mr Thom Prence & Clement Briggs at Joanes Riuer, and to set them forth according to the auncient bounds & markes formly made betwixt them…The foresaid graunt of two hundred acrees of vpland were layd forth by Captaine Standish and Mr Alden, according to the order of the Court, to the said Francis Cooke & John Cooke, in manner following, viz, all that pcell of vpland lying betwixt the lands of Willm Holmes and the lands of John Rogers containeing 212 acres, be it more or lesse, w'th the meddow lying before the said vpland, w'th the one half of the meddow lying before, or any way bounding vpon the vpland of John Rogers ; and whereas Willm Holmes hath pt of his meddow lands lying before part of the said vpland so graunted to Francis & John, we haue also layd vnto them, the said Francis & John, the meddow or marsh lying betweene the said Willm Holmes his meddow or marsh ground and the said North River." On June 2, 1640 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. On February 1, 1641"A jury was impannelled and sworne to lay forth certaine heigh wayes now in differrence, and to set forth the bounds and land markes betwixt John Shawe, Kenelme Winslowe, and Mr John Atwood, at Playne Dealeinge, and the heigh wayes from the towne of Plymouth to Wellingsley, and through Georg Bowers ground, and a heigh way for John Dunhame and Willam Pontus, from their meddows at the waterside, and a heighway for Nothaniell Sowther, from his field to the towne. "The names of the Jury ... ... Francis Cooke, sworn." On June 7, 1642 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. On June 7, 1642 "Surveyors ... Frances Cooke." On October 17, 1642 "These seuall psons following are graunted these seuall pporcons of meddow at the North Meddow by Joanes Riuer, of that w'ch remaynes - ... Francis Cooke, to eich of them six acrees a peece, if it be there to be had ...” On September 7, 1642 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. On March 7, 1643 Francis Cooke served on the jury at a grand inquest. Francis also appears on the August 1643 list of "The names of all the Males that are able to beare Armes from xvj Yeares old to 60 Yeares, w'thin the seu'rall Towneshipps" On May 25, 1644 "A true inventory of all the goods chattells and cattells w'ch were mr John Jenneys lately Deceased ... Debts oweing by the Testator ... It To ffrancis Cooke 01 [pounds] 10 [shillings] ..." On June 22, 1644 "In case of alarume in tyme of warr or danger these division of the Towneship are to be observed and these companys to repaire together…At Joanes River - Mr Bradford famyly one, Mr Prences one, Mr Hanbury one, Mr Howland one, ffrancis Cooke one, Phineas Pratt, Gregory Armestrong, John Winslow, Mr Lee." Francis Cooke was appointed as one of the "Surveyors of the Heighwayes" for Plymouth in 1645. "This 10th of June 1646 the condicions of the marriage between Jacob Cooke and Damarise hopkins "Know all men by these presents that upon a conclusion of a marriage between Jacob Cooke of Plymouth and Damarise hopkins of the same It is promised by ffrancis Cooke of Plym aforsaid and father of the said Jacob Cooke upon the conclusion of the said marriage That hee Doth give unto the said Jacob his sonne one hundred acres of land with meddow or therabouts bee It more or lesse Lying att the north River ; "2condly The said ffrancis giveth to his said sonne Jacob halfe the Land that att any time shall fall to him the said ffrancis by any Devision of the Purchase Land or Due to the first commers "3dly The said ffrancis given upon the conclusion aforsaid to his said sonne Jacob one oxe one cow and one calfe and the next fole that the said ffrancis his mare bringeth "4ly It is promised by the sd ffrancis that att any time that the said Jacob shall see most conducable to his condicon that the said Jacob at his said fathers appointment in such place as shalbee considered convenient by the said ffrancis and Jacob build an house upon the Land wherof the said ffrancis is now possessed of att Rockynooke and if the said Jacob shall think it convenient att any time in the time of his fathers life or after his Decease to Remove himselfe or shalbee enforced to Remove ; that then the said ffrancis Doth promise that the said Jacob Removeing or being Removed the said Jacob shall at the Judgment of honest and Judiciall men shall have satisfaction for any building or buildings fence or fences which otherwise might prove Damage to the said Jacob ; "5ly It is mutually promised by the said ffrancis Cooke and Hester Cook his wife ; the parents of the aforsaid Jacob Cooke that att the Decease of the Longer surviver of the said ffrancis and hester that then and att such time the said Jacob or his heires shall have the teame with all the furniture belonging therunto "And to concluding of all these prmises aforsaid wee the said ffrancis and hester Doe by these prsents bind ourselves our heires adminestrators or assignes "Witnesse our hands the Day and yeare above written ; In prsence of these Witnesses ffrancis Cooke the marke of hester Cooke Miles Standish James Hurst John Howland" On August 1, 1648 investigative panel "These sheweth, that on July the 22cond, 1648, wee, whose names are vnderwritten, were sworne by Mr Bradford, Gouerner, to make inquiry of the death of the child of Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishope. "Wee declare, yt coming into the house of the said Richard Bishope, we saw at the foot of a ladder wh leadeth into an vpper chamber, much blood; and going vp all of us into the chamber, wee found a woman child, of about foure yeares of age, lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her throat cut ... and the said Allis hath confessed to fiue of vs att one time, yt shee murdered the child with the said knife….John Howland, James Hurst, Robert Lee, John Shawe, Francis Cooke, John Cooke, James Cole, Gyells Rickard, Richard Sparrow, Thomas Pope, Francis Billington, William Nelson. On April 9, 1650 "That on the 9th of aprell 1650 ffrancis Cooke did com before the Goue'r and acknowlidge yt hee hath freely given & made ouer vnto his sonne Jacob Cook all his Right title and Enterest of & into a Certaine Tract of vpland & meadow being estemated att an hundred acars bee it more or lesse; lying att the North River accordingly as it was graunted vnto him the said ffrancis Cooke as appeers by the Record of the said graunt bearing date the fift of October i640 the said Tract of vpland & meadow with all & singulare the apurtenances & privilidges therunto belonging to haue & to hold to him the said Jacob Cooke his heaires & assignes for euer vnto the only proper vse & behoofe of him the said Jacob Cooke his heaires and assignes for euer." On June 10, 1650 "According to our order, wee haue found out and marked a new way from Joaneses Riuer to the Massachusetts Path through John Rogers his ground, and are all agreed the said way by vs marked out to bee most convenient and least preiuditiall…Wittnes our hands heere vnder written. John Howland, Francis Cooke, Joshua Pratt, John Wood, Samuell Sturtivant, Henery Howland, Tho Heward, Seni, John Washburne, Seni, Henery Sampson, Gorg Partridge, Tho Lettis, Willam Paybody. All Sworne." On October 2, 1650 "Ordered, that wheras Captaine Miles Standish and Mr John Alden were somtimes ordered by the Court to lay out sertaine lands and meddows att North Riuer vnto Francis Cook, and John Cook, and John Rogers, the Court doth therfore order the said Captaine Standish and Mr Alden to manifest what were theire intents about the bounds of the said lands and meddows when they formerly layed them forth, and to sett and establish the bounds of the said lands and meddowes soe as to continew for the futuer." In 1650 William Bradford wrote "Francis Cooke is still living, a very old man, and hath seen his children's children have children. After his wife came over with other of his children; he hath three still living by her, all married and have five children, so their increase is eight. And his son John which came over with him is married, and hath four children living." In March 1651 "The Names of those that have Interest and proprieties in the Townes land att Punckateesett over against Road Iland ... ffrancis Cooke." On December 25, 1655 "Wee graunt to frances Cooke 3 holes of meddow lying at the Hither end of the Greate meddow Caled Jons River." Francis appears on the list of the names of Freeman which was taken about the year 1658. On August 2, 1659 "Wheras there is a controuersy depending betwixt Thomas Pope and Willam Shirtlife, conserning the bounds of the lands of the said ptyes lying att Strawbery Hill, or the Reed Pond, in the township of Plymouth, the Court haueing heard what can bee said on both sides, and finding an issue can not bee put to it att this psent Court, doe order and request Mr John Howland, Francis Cooke, and John Dunham, Seni'r, to take a convenient time as soon as may bee to repaire to the said lands, and alsoe such of the ancient inhabitants as giue any testimony or light towards the clearing of the case, and that they, the said John Howland, Francis Cooke, and John Dunham, shall measure the said lands and sett the bound therof vnto the said pties according to the true and ancient bounds, as neare as may bee, and soe a finall end to bee put therby vnto the said controuersy ..." On September 15, 1659 "Wee whose Names are underwritten being Deputed by the Court have Ranged the grounds betwixt Willam Shirtliffe and henery Wood and Thomas Pope and have layed out the bounds of Willam Whirtlifs land begining att a Rocke which lyeth att the Corner of his outside ffence by the highway northward above and soe to a smale green oake that is marked by the hieghway in breadth above a path which is alsoe marked by a stone set up in the Range by the path a little northward of the hedgh or ffence now upon the land of Tho Pope ; and soe trending Downeward towards the swamp to a stake sett up by a smale green walnutt tree... "John Howland John Dunham ffrancis Cooke." The Last Will and Testament of ffrancis Cooke made this seaventh of the tenth month 1659 I being att prsent weake and Infeirme in body yett in prfect memory throw mercy Doe comitt my soule unto god that gave it and my body to the earthe ; which my will is should bee Intered in a Decent and comly manner; As for such goods and lands as I stand posessed of I Doe will and bequeath as followeth: 1 My will is that hester my Dear and loveing wife shall have all my moveable goods and all my Cattle of all kinds ; viz : neat Cattle horsekind sheep and swine to be att her Dispose 2 my will is that hester my wife shall have and Injoy my lands both upland and meddow lands which att prsent I posesse During her life 3 I doe ordaine and appoint my Deare wife and my son John Cooke Joynt exequitors of this my said will ffrancis Cooke Witnes John Alden John howland.In 1660 re the Purchasers of Dartmouth "Att a generall meeting of the Purchasers att Plymouth the seaventh of march 1652 It was ordered and fully agreed unto and Concluded by the whole that all that Tract and tracts of lands lying from the Purchassers bounds on the west side of Acoughcusse to a river called Accusshaneck and three miles to the Eastwards of the same ; with all Ilands meddows woods waters rivers creekes and all appurtenances therunto belonging Should bee given to those whose names are heerunder written Containing thirty four shares and was then given alloted Assigned and sett over to them by the whole to have and to hold to them and their heires and Assignes for ever ; to Devide and Dispose of the same as they should see good ; and they are to Satisfy the Indians for the Purchase therof and to beare all other Due Charges that shall any way arise about the same According to their severall proportions ... ffrancis Cooke…Wheras these Purchasers whoe by agreement of the whole had theire proportions of Purchase land falling unto them in the places above mencioned whoe by agreement had theire severall names entered into a list under the hand of the honored Gov'r late Deceased they Did Desire that the list of theire Names might bee recorded ; but the above written originall list of Names and the agreement Could not bee found in some yeares ; soe that it was Judged lost These purchasers notwithstanding still Desiring that what was theire right might bee recorded; wherupon order was given by the aforsaid Gov'r that it might bee Done ...The names of those whoe by order of the Purchasers mett att Plymouth the seaventh Day of march 1652 whoe by Joynt consent and agreement of the said purchasers are to have theire prtes shares or proportions att the place or places commonly called and knowne by the names of Acushena alias acquessent which entereth in att the westeren end of Neckatay and to Coaksett alias acoakius and places adjacent ; the bounds of which Tract fully to extend ... The said Tract or tract[s] of Land soe bounded as abovesaid which is purchased of the Indians which were the right propriators therof ; as appeers by a Deed under theire hands with all the mershes meddows rivers waters woods Timbers ; and all other profitts privilidges emunities comodities and appurtenances belonging to the said Tract or Tracts above expressed or any prte or prcell therof to belonge unto the prties whose names are underwritten (whoe are in number thirty four whole prtes or shares and noe more) to them and their heires and assignes for ever ... ffrancis Cooke one whole share." On June 3, 1662 "In reference to a petition prefered to the Court by sundry of the freemen, and in reference vnto a graunt made to some to looke out accomodations of land, as being the first borne children of this goument, and for the disposing of two seuerall tracts of land lately purchased, the one by Major Winslow and the other by Captaine Southworth, the Court, haueing viewed the seuerall lists of the names of those that desired to bee accomodated therin, haue settled it vpon those whose names follow - ... Francis Cooke ..." On March 22, 1663 "The owners names ... The severall lotes on Puncateesett Necke are as followeth ...Francis Cooke, John Cooke, [No.] 18, lott is on the north side of the 17th lott and att the east end is bounded with a blacke flatt stump by the water side and a great white-wood tree and att the west end with a walnutt stake and a Rid oake stake." "Francis Cooke died the seauenth of Aprill, 1663."

The inventory of the goods of Francis Cooke, deceased 1663