Caroline Bradby Cook (born circa 1839 – died January 15 1913) was a Pamunkey leader and Union sympathizer who championed the rights of Virginia's Native Americans and their cultural heritage.[1]
Caroline Bradby Cook | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Caroline Bradby c. 1839 |
| Died | January 15 1913 |
| Spouse | Major Cook |
| Children | George Major Cook |
Biography
editCaroline Bradby Cook was born around 1839 and lived on the Pamunkey Indian Reservation in King William County.[2]
She was married to Major Cook, and in 1861, she had her only child, George Major Cook.[3] Her husband died in the same year. Her son, George Major Cook, became the chief of the Pamunkey in 1902 and served until he died in 1930.[4]
During the American Civil War, Caroline was loyal to the United States and supported their cause.[2] When Union army units camped on the reservation, she washed and cooked for the soldiers, despite them dismantling her house and fence and burning it for wood for their campfires.[1]
After the Civil War, she filed a claim with the Southern Claims Commission for compensation from the government for her ruined property.[5] She received $100 in compensation in 1879.[1]
In 1865, Caroline was a founding member of the Pamunkey Indian Baptist Church.[1]
Legacy and honors
editIn 2009, Caroline was honored as a Virginia Women in History inductee.[1]
Pipe bowls owned by Caroline and a 1919 photograph of her (apparently mis-dated) are in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e “Caroline Bradby Cook,” Virginia Changemakers, accessed November 1, 2022, https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/items/show/212.
- ^ a b Tarter, Brent (2020-05-26). Virginians and Their Histories. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 978-0-8139-4393-0.
- ^ "George Major Cook is born to Major Cook and Caroline Bradby Cook". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
- ^ Watkinson, Patricia Ferguson. "George Major Cook (1860–1930)". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
- ^ Kierner, Cynthia A.; Loux, Jennifer Renee; Shockley, Megan Taylor (2013). Changing History: Virginia Women Through Four Centuries. Library of Virginia. ISBN 978-0-88490-212-6.
- ^ "Pipe bowl". Smithsonian Music. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
- ^ "Portrait of Caroline Bradby Cook | National Museum of the American Indian". americanindian.si.edu. Retrieved 2022-11-01.