"Sid" and Dave Cook, CSA
Captain "Sid" Cook
The scourge of northeastern Kentucky during the Civil War, Captain Sid Cook was born in Russell County, Virginia circa 1832.
The notorious guerrilla was in reality, Algernon Sidney
Lee, the son of Martin and Fanny Lee.
Changing his name to Cook, he married Nancy Fraley in Russell County on November 20, 1857. His 26 year old bride
was the daughter of Henry and Mary Fraley.
Cook later settled in eastern Kentucky and by 1860 was residing in Boyd County. In addition, a son, Fletcher, was born about 1857 and a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1859.
Cook's household also included two stepchildren, Rufus B. born circa 1849
and Louis born about 1854.
Following the out- break of the Civil War, Sid Cook
moved his family to Carter County.
Cook was killed in Castlewoods,Russell Co., Va, in January 1865 by Cleve Boyd, a fellow rebel.
Cook's widow continued to reside in Carter County after
the war where she earned a scandalous reputation in her own right.
Carter County court records reveal that she was charged with concealing stolen property by Charles Kitchen in 1868. Isom Davidson, the writer's ancestor was among many local men who testified in her defense. While they agreed
that she was a "lewd woman" who was "friendly with too many men" she was no
thief! She disappears from the records shortly afterwards, although her son
Rufus B. was still residing in Carter County in 1880.
Nancy Cook died April 16, 1895 at Newcastle, PA.
Dave Cook
Dave Cook was born in Russell Co., Va in 1845, as David Lee. Like his brother Sid he changed his last name to Cook.
Dave Cook resided in Bath Co., KY, before the war broke out.
He is said to have enlisted in Co. A, 2nd Mounted Rifles at age 17, and was a captain in Patton's Rangers at age 18.
He became a lieutenant in his brother's company, Co. G, 7th Confederate Cavalry.
On or about November 10, 1863 his brother "Sid" Cook shot Dave during an argument over a stolen horse. Dave Cook was captured on 11/18/1863 by a Federal patrol and died in prison.
In August of 1998, Grady K. Lee, Jr. visited the Lexington, Kentucky City
Cemetery. He found a Confederate Monument in Section P of the cemetery.
This
monument contained the names and numbers of 180 Confederate Soldiers who
died in the Lexington, Kentucky prison hospital.
The monument bears the name of David
Cook, # 94 Citizen Prisoner. About twenty feet from the monument was a 6" X
6" metal plate on the ground with the number 94 inscribed on it. Apparently
the Union Army planned to hang him as a spy. This is why he was classified
as a citizen prisoner.
# 1787 in Harlan, KY,
who so graciously provided me with the information on Sid and Dave Cook and "Sid Cook's Guerrillas".
LINKS
~ Sid Cook's Guerrillas ~
~7th Confederate Cavalry, Co. G, History
~
~ 7th Confederate Calvalry, Co. G, Roster ~
~ Lt. Col. Clarence Prentice's Cavalry ~
~ 7th Confederate Cavalry, CSA History ~
~ 7th Confederate Cavalry, CSA Roster ~