Frances Augusta Cook, 1859-1946

Frances Cook Clement with son Bertram

Thanks to James Sloan for permission to use these photos of Frankie.

 
One of Mary Elva Stilwell's correspondents was a girl named Frankie Cook.  A little research helped me identify her as Frances Augusta Cook.  While I haven't thoroughly researched Frankie, I thought I'd do a brief bio of her to fill out what we learn from her letters.  As she turns up in future letters, I will add to this post.

I reviewed the Hankinson photos I have, but did not find one identified as Frankie.

Frankie was born 30 December 1859 in Wisconsin.  It may have been Fond du Lac County or Columbia County; I have not verified which.  Her parents were William B. Cook and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Munn.  Elizabeth Munn was the sister of Frank Munn who married Celia Blanche Stilwell, Mary Elva's older sister.  So Frankie was the niece of Frank and Blanche.

The 1870 census shows Frances Cook, age 10, living with her parents and siblings in Metomen, Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin.

On 30 July 1872, Frankie was mentioned in a letter written to Minnie (Mary Elva) Stilwell by a mutual friend, Cora E.D.

On 11 August 1872, Frankie was mentioned in a letter written to Minnie by her mother, Mary K. (White) Stilwell.

On 5 November 1873, Frankie was in Windom, Cottonwood Co., Minnesota, when she wrote a letter to Minnie.

Frankie wrote Minnie Stilwell a letter dated 6 Feb. 1874.

On 18 September 1874, Frankie was in Windom, Cottonwood Co., Minnesota when she wrote a letter to Minnie.

On 12 August 1877, Frankie was in Windom, Cottonwood Co., Minnesota when she wrote a letter to Minnie.  She had been teaching school about 12 miles from her home.

On 5 June 1878, Frankie married Bertram F. Clement.

The 1880 census shows Francis A. Clements (age 22), her husband Bertram (age 31), and their son, Pearl (age 3 months), living in Great Bend, Cottonwood Co., Minnesota, with Frankie's parents and several of her siblings.

By the 1900 census, Frankie (age 39) and Bertram (age 50) had three children living with them in St. Paul, Minnesota:  Anna W. (born Aug. 1882), Berton S. (born Dec. 1887), and Florence M. (born June 1889). 

The 1910 census shows them in St. James, Watonwan, Minnesota.  She was 50 and her husband was 62.  The census shows that she had given birth to four children, but only two were still living.  One of them, Florence M. Clement (age 21), was living with Frankie and Bertram.  The other was apparently their daughter Anna, who married William Dooley.

The 1920 census shows them still in St. James, Minnesota.  By this time, it was just Frankie and Bertram in the household.  She was 59 and he was 70.


On 21 May 1928, her husband, Bertram, died in Minnesota.  He was 79 years old.  I have not found his grave.

Frances is still in St. James, Minnesota on the 1930 census.  She was 69 years old and living alone.

By the 1940 census, Frances was 80 years old and living with her daughter, Anna W. Dooley and Anna's husband (William Dooley) and granddaughter, Florence Dooley, in Estherville, Emmett Co., Iowa. 

In July 1944, France's daughter, Anna W. Dooley, died.  There is an obit posted on FindaGrave that states that Frances had broken her hip and was confined to Holy Family Hospital.

Frances Augusta (Cook) Clement died 21 April 1946 in Iowa.  She was 86 years old.  I have not found her burial place.