John Cooke – Rifleman ©
By : Bruce H. Decker, Sr.
A book on the life and times of John Cooke
John Cooke was the first white settler of what is today Oceana, West Virginia. This single fact is true, but John Cooke was much more than just a “first settler”.
John Cooke - Rifleman © presents the life story of this noteworthy American pioneer in detail. From his early days in London, to his arrival in Virginia and on through his later years in Oceana. Importantly, it also carefully documents his Revolutionary War service and the many battles he participated in.
John served a total of three (3) years from 1776 to 1779 and saw action in some of the toughest engagements of the Revolutionary War. He was a member of the American Army’s very first light infantry organization and repeatedly did battled with the British.
From the Virginia defense in 1777 through the Battle of Stoney Point in 1779, John saw more action than most. His 1778 NY deployment, alone, where he repeatedly came so close to death and was twice nearly captured, proves he was a true warrior.
Detailed maps allow the reader to follow John's war time footsteps as he left Virginia, traveled all through Pennsylvania and New Jersey and eventual helped lead the way in the storming of Stoney Point on the Hudson River. Even his physical description, at the time of his enlistment, has been found.
After following John through his military career the book organizes the known facts of John’s civilian life and fleshes out the historical events that defined his later years. It also explains the 1,150 acres of land John purchased between 1793 and 1812.
The journey that led to John Cooke - Rifleman © began when the author’s daughter married John Cooke’s 5th Great Grandson. When the Cooke family spoke about their famous ancestor, Mr. Decker, an experienced historian and writer, sensed there was more to John Cooke’s story and began to investigate.
Working from John’s 1822 Bounty Warrant Application and his 1830 & 1832 Revolutionary War Pension Applications, Mr. Decker undertook exhaustive research through the National Archives and a wide range of period military and historical records to create this fascinating look at John Cooke’s life and Revolutionary War service.
Working from John’s 1822 Bounty Warrant Application and his 1830 & 1832 Revolutionary War Pension Applications, Mr. Decker undertook exhaustive research through the National Archives and a wide range of period military and historical records to create this fascinating look at John Cooke’s life and Revolutionary War service.
What began as an effort to capture the John Cooke story for Mr. Decker's grandsons has become a detailed, 200-page historical compilation that reads like a novel. The link between John Cooke's pension applications and the revealed military history is uncanny.
This is a “must read” for all John Cooke descendants and any American history buff interested in the very real journey of an American fighting-man during the American Revolutionary War.
This is a “must read” for all John Cooke descendants and any American history buff interested in the very real journey of an American fighting-man during the American Revolutionary War.
John Cooke - Rifleman © is being provided, by the author, as a self-published work.
Paperback Book Cost ………………………………. $ 36. --
Shipping & Handling …………........................…. + $ 6. --
Total ………........................…. $ 42. --
Shipping & Handling …………........................…. + $ 6. --
Total ………........................…. $ 42. --
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Henniker, NH 03242
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Henniker, NH 03242
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