Augustine Cook: Mahala's Brother?
Midge found a newspaper clipping of an obituary with "Mahala
Davis' brother" written on the side. It is dated 10 Jun 1911
from the Fredonia Herald [KS] or Lafontaine Banner:
"Augustine
Cook b 6 Feb 1832 in Greene Co., IN. Married Nancy Ferguson 1 Mar 1854.
They had several children: Oliver, Frank, Sallie and Mrs. Ruth Drybread
who live in the vicinity of Fredonia. Mrs. Ruth Means of Iowa, Mrs.
Amanda Deeton and Tom Cook who reside in the state of Washington.
(According to another cousin, they also had a daughter named Sarah born
in 1858.)
Mr. Cook served in the 31st
Indiana Infantry. The G.A.R. of this place was in charge of the services
at the cemetery. Mr. Cook came to Wilson Co. [KS] and located on a farm near
LaFontaine 32 years ago but for the past 15 he has been a resident of
Fredonia. Mrs. Cook preceded her husband 3 years ago to the better
world."
The Medal he is wearing is for the Grand
Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) for which he was a member. The
following information is from the Indiana Adjutant General's
Report 1861- 1865:
31st Indiana, Company "H"
Name: Cook, Augustine
Rank: Private
Residence: Owensburg
Date of Muster: Sept. 20, 1861
Remarks: Mustered out Sept. 15, 1864.
Augustine Cook, was a private in
Capt. Beaty's Company which later became Co. H, 31st Reg. Indiana
Infantry. Augustine enlisted Sept.
5, 1861 at Terre Haute, Indiana. He was a 29 year old farmer, born in Greene Co., Indiana, 5
feet 9 inches tall with dark hair and eyes.
Except for a few bouts with sickness, which was very common, he was
present on all company muster rolls. He
was accidentally wounded in the hand Jan. 4, 1863. His military record doesn't state the nature of this wound.
Perhaps there is a pension file
that will yield more information. On
Sept. 19, 1863 he was detailed as a nurse at the General Field Hospital at
Bridgeport, Alabama. He remained
there as a nurse until he was mustered out Sept. 15, 1864 at Chattanooga,
Tennessee. As was customary, he
received $100.00 bounty for completing his service.
After
the war, Augustine moved his family to Wilson County, Kansas where he became
active in the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) a patriotic
organization, composed of Union veterans of the Civil War. It was founded in
Decatur, Illinois, in April 1866 for the commemoration of dead comrades and the
practice of fraternity and mutual assistance.
The GAR instituted the observance of Memorial Day in 1868.
One of the things they are most remembered for is helping out the widows
and orphans of Civil War soldiers.
