First Generation

1. Francis COOKE (<) (-) (`) (~) was born on 27 October 1577 in Gidea Hall, Essex County, England.^1,2 (This is a painting of a replica of the Mayflower.) About 1620 he was a woolcomber in Leiden, Zuid (South) Holland, The Netherlands.³ He emigrated in 1620 from Harwich, England.^1,4 on the Mayflower. He and his son John originally embarked on the Speedwell, but were transferred to the Mayflower. He was the 17th of the 41 signers of the Mayflower Compact.

From MayflowerFamilies.com: "Leading an apparently exemplary life, Francis Cooke was among the signers of the Mayflower Compact, a purchaser in the rights of the London 'Adventurers,' a freeman, and in general a good citizen frequently called upon and appointed to various committees to perform various duties. He and his wife Hester toiled in this new land for some 40-plus years before leaving their legacy to others that would follow."

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Francis died on 7 April 1663 at the age of 85 in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.^2,5

Francis COOKE (<) (-) (`) (~) and Hester MAHIEU were married on 4 July 1603 in Leiden, Zuid (South) Holland, The Netherlands.^1,2,3,6 Hester MAHIEU, daughter of Jaque "Jan" MAHIEU and Jennie LAMAN, was born in 1585 in Leiden, Zuid (South) Holland, The Netherlands.^1,3,5,7 She died on 18 June 1666 at the age of 81 in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.⁷

Francis COOKE (<) (-) (`) (~) and Hester MAHIEU had the following children: