Mary COOK (also known as Mary COOKE), daughter of Robert COOKE (c. 1781- ) and Margaret POGUE (c. 1783- ), was born circa 1811 in Gortermone, Carrigallen, Leitrim, Ireland. She died October 13, 1887 in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. She married Robert STRETTON.
Birth place and parents assumed from 1821 Census in Gortermone, Carrigallen, Leitrim, Ireland. Birth year also confirmed from Death Record. The Burial Record (typed) states that her parents are Robert and Mary, however this could have been transcribed incorrectly from "Marg" to "Mary".
Robert STRETTON was born circa December 25, 1806 in Leitrim, Ireland. He died on October 12, 1888 in Whitchurch, York, Ontario, Canada. He was buried in Newmarket. Birth date calculated from Death Record, which states age at death as "81 years, 9 months, 17 days". Burial Record states that Robert was born in Leitrim, Ireland, however no records on Robert or his family have been found to date. It is possible that he had a number of siblings as there are numerous Strettons and Strattons in Ontario.
Family lore says that Robert had an inn and farm in Ireland. He was "outspoken", and was threatened by his neighbours and his cattle were poisoned, so he emigrated to Canada abt 1845. Per the land abstract, the Stretton farm in Reach Township, Ontario was purchased on October 30, 1845 from Christopher Elliott. Family lore also said that Robert was from Cavan, but the Burial Record is specific that he was born in Leitrim. The townland where Mary is from is only 10km from Cavan, so it is possible that there was a little movement that put the family into the next county.
Mary and Robert's first 8 children (of 13) were born in Ireland and are listed below. The first of their children born in Canada (Robert) was born on October 16, 1845 in Ontario, just 2 weeks before they purchased the family farm.
Mary's two brothers -- Jacob and Abraham (1819-1902) -- both also emigrated to Ontario, Canada. Jacob (1806-1885) had married Margaret Beaty (1804-1851) in Ireland, had 4 Irish-born children, and their first Canadian-born child was James Beaty Cook, born 1842. Abraham had one child, Jacob Cook, born in 1854 in Canada to Jacob and his wife, Mary Jane Copeland, so Mary Jane could have been Canadian.
It is unknown whether Mary's two sisters -- Frances (1815-) and Catherine (1816-) -- remained in Ireland. They were likely married by the time Mary Cook and Robert Stretton left Ireland in 1845.
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| Additional Information | ||
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| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1811 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 13th Oct 1887 | |
| Father (First Name/s and Surname) | Robert Cook(e) | |
| Mother (First Name/s and Maiden) | Margaret Pogue | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | Robert Stretton | |
| Names of Children | James STRETTON 1827-1910 Margaret STRETTON 1828-1903 Mary Ann STRETTON 1831-1919 Isabella STRETTON 1833-1877 Frances STRETTON 1835-1919 John Cook STRETTON 1838- Jane Ann STRETTON 1842-1919 Catherine STRETTON 1844-1906 | |
| Number of Children | 13 | |
