William Harry Cooke was born February 21, 1851, at Plymouth, England. At a very early age
  he joined the British Navy. He came to the United States at the age of twenty-six.
     He married Lillian Idella Hartman, born in 1860 at Independence, Missouri. Kittie (Lockert)
  and Frank Samuel were born in Missouri.
     They came to Barber County in 1886. They lived on the Carter place east of Lake City. R.L.
  Carter, also of Independence, Missouri, had bought this place from Wm. Carl in 1884. The two
  east rooms of this house were made of native logs with a stone fireplace. The addition was
  probably lumber cut on this place by A.F. Belmany. He had moved his saw mill to the Carl
  timber in 1880. Wm. Carl had held the first gradded cattle from Missouri in the spring of
  1873. Pattie, Winnie, and Maude (Jackie) were born east of Lake City. Several babies died
  at birth. Jackie died at about two years of age.
     Harry's early life in England had been very strict, highly disciplined at home, school,
  and in the Navy. He was a quiet, serious man, dry wit and not much for foolishness or waste.
  Lily was a friendly, jolly person and a very good cook. Lots of parties and good food were
  enjoyed with them. She died in March, 1899.
     Harry then married Helen Howe Burton in 1901. She was a teacher. Also, with her sister
  she had run a millinery store in Medicine Lodge. She was a widow with one son, Earnest
  Burton. They had two sons, Ralph and Jasper.
     They bought a small farm north of Deerhead. He farmed, raised hogs, garden, chickens,
  and milked cows. He brought the cream to be shipped from Lake City, driving in with a team
  and light spring wagon.
     Grandma Cooke moved to Medicine Lodge to send the boys to school. Later she moved to
  Lynn Haven, Florida, where she is buried.
     Grandpa Cooke read a great deal. He would awaken around two or three o'clock, light a
  little coal-oil lamp, and read till day light. He worked hard and farmed till just before
  his death January 2, 1926.
     Every grandchild will always remember the special days spent at Grandpa Cooke's farm.
  Easter egg hunts, ice cream on the Fourth of July, a decorated big native red cedar tree
  and Plum Pudding (a special recipe brought from England) at Christmas.
  
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg.  
     Submitted by: Lillian (Cooke) Lake.