John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 1231

Recently, a question was raised about (Rhoda) Ann Cook who had married a John Batten, or Battern. For many weeks I have been transcribing the communion lists at the Hebron Church, and I remembered that the name Battern occurred once in the index. This stood out because my first impression was that Battern was not a German name. (Lots of names in the communion lists are not Germanic though.)

What we have in the communion lists is Anna Battern, who took communion on 11 September 1791. This was exactly four months after she married John Batten, or Battern. The names on each side of Anna Battern were:

Margaret Fleshman
Barbara Cook
Anna Battern
Magdalena Hirsch
Joseph Schneider

Ann would seem to be from the family of Adam Cook, who married Barbara Fleshman, but whether she was a daughter or granddaughter is not as clear. The family of Adam's brother, George Cook, has no males old enough to be Ann's father, nor were there any daughters named Ann in the George Cook family. An Anna Cook was confirmed in September of 1790, which could be the present Anna Cook.

If we try the idea that Ann was a daughter of Adam Cook, she would have to be one of the last children of Adam and Barbara. Under that assumption, which may be a bit difficult to uphold, that Ann is a daughter of Adam and Barbara, then the names above take on the following significance:

Barbara Cook is either Ann's mother, or her sister;
Joseph Schneider is her first cousin;
Margaret Fleshman (Fleshman is a common name in this family, since two of Adam and Barbara Cook's children married Fleshmans, and Barbara's maiden name was Fleshman).

Looking at these possible relationships, one is tempted to say that Anna was the daughter of Adam and Barbara.

Looking at the years when the sons of Adam Cook and wife Barbara had their children baptized, it would seem to be difficult for Anna to be a granddaughter of Adam and Barbara. Though Anna is not usually given as a daughter of Adam and Barbara, I would give serious consideration to this idea.
(09 Aug 01)

We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.