Episode 6 of the Family‑Line Series – Shaping Social and Political Worlds

“English officers, Cree matriarchs, Orkney labourers, and the Métis dynasties that shaped the northern fur trade.”

THE COOK–COCKING LINE

From Yorkshire craftsmen to Red River families — an English name rooted in a Métis homeland.

A lineage of explorers, interpreters, Cree matriarchs, and northern Métis families who defined the inland world.

The Cook–Cocking line is one of the most historically significant branches of this ancestry. It connects:

• early English HBC officers
• Cree matriarchs
• Orkney labourers
• inland interpreters
• northern Métis community leaders

This line is not a single family but a network — a web of kinship that shaped the social and political world of the northern fur trade.

I. William Hemmings Cook (1768–1846) — English Officer and Inland Master

William Hemmings Cook was baptized on 30 May 1768 at St. Andrew, Holborn, London¹. He entered Hudson’s Bay Company service in 1786 as a young Writer at York Factory², part of the generation of English officers who expanded the Company’s inland presence during the late 18th century.

Cook spent decades in the interior, serving at posts along the Nelson River and contributing to the development of inland transportation routes. His long service placed him at the centre of the Company’s northern operations, where he worked closely with Indigenous families and relied on their knowledge to sustain remote posts.

By the 1810s, Cook had risen to senior rank and played a role in the early years of the Red River Settlement. After retiring from active service, he settled permanently at Red River, where he became a farmer, community leader, and Councillor of Assiniboia. His household, shaped by multiple marriages and a large blended family, became one of the most influential kinship centres in the region.

Cook died in 1846 and was buried at St. John’s Anglican Cemetery¹⁰. His descendants carried forward a legacy that blended English, Cree, and Métis traditions.

II. The Cocking Daughters — Cree Matriarchs of the Northern Interior

The Cook–Cocking connection is rooted in the marriages between William Hemmings Cook and the daughters of Matthew Cocking, an English HBC officer whose long service at York Factory and inland posts shaped the early fur‑trade world.

1. Le‑lo‑es‑com → Elizabeth “Betsy” Cocking (Ke‑che‑cow‑e‑com‑e‑coot)

Born around 1775, Betsy later married Thomas Staynor and then John Pocock Holmes¹¹.
Through her daughter Ke‑che‑cow‑e‑com‑e‑coot, she is the Cocking ancestor in the direct line, linking Matthew Cocking to Jeremiah “Jerry” Cook and, through him, to Helen (Eleanor) Cook.

2. Ke‑che‑cho‑wick → Wash‑e‑soo‑e’squew (Agathas) Cocking

Born around 1780, Agathas first married a Muskego Cree man named Budd. After his death, she entered a long-term union with William Hemmings Cook, becoming a central figure in the Cook household¹².

3. A‑pis‑ta‑squa‑shish → Mith‑coo‑coo‑man‑e’squew (Mary) Cocking

Born around 1782, Mary also became a wife of William Hemmings Cook¹³.

These unions created a large blended family that included:

• the Budd step‑children
• the Cook children by Kahnapawanakan
• the Cook children by the Cocking daughters

Through these marriages, the Cook household became a nexus of Cree, English, and Métis kinship — a family that anchored the inland world and later the Red River Settlement.

III. Matthew Cocking (1743–1799) — Explorer, Interpreter, and Patriarch

Matthew Cocking was born around 1743 in York, England¹⁴. He entered HBC service in 1765 and spent most of the next seventeen years at York Factory, with two major inland expeditions to the Saskatchewan country¹⁵. His work supported the Company’s early inland expansion and helped establish the network of posts that would define the northern interior.

Cocking served as second in command at York and later as Acting Chief Factor during the smallpox epidemic of 1781–82¹⁶. His leadership during this crisis, and his long service in the region, made him a key figure in the early fur‑trade world.

He retired to England in 1782 and died in 1799¹⁷. His will provided for his three mixed‑blood daughters and their mothers, ensuring their support in the years after his departure.

Through his daughters — Betsy, Agathas, and Mary — Cocking became the patriarch of a lineage that shaped the social and political landscape of the northern interior.

IV. Jeremiah “Jerry” Cook (1804–1872) & Eleanor “Ellen” Spence (1807–1882)

Jeremiah “Jerry” Cook was born around 1804 at Split Lake, son of William Hemmings Cook and Ke‑che‑cow‑e‑com‑e‑coot, daughter of Elizabeth “Betsy” Cocking¹⁸. He grew up in the inland world of the Nelson River posts and moved to Red River with his family in 1819.

On 7 April 1823, Jerry married Eleanor “Ellen” Spence, daughter of James Spence and Mary (Cree)¹⁹. Their marriage united the Cook, Cocking, Spence, Hourie, and Cromartie lines — forming one of the most interconnected kinship clusters in the northern interior.

Their children included Mary, Helen (Eleanor), Joseph, Charlotte, William, Emma, David, George Dominique, Robert, Margaret, Harriet, and Letitia²⁰.

From this generation, Jeremiah “Jerry” Cook carries the direct line forward.

Jerry appears in the 1870 census at Headingly and died in 1872. In 1875, Ellen Cook claimed scrip on behalf of herself and their surviving children²¹. She died in 1882.

V. Helen (Eleanor) Cook (1826–1872) — The Matriarch Who Unites Four Lines

Helen (Eleanor) Cook was born in 1826, daughter of Jeremiah “Jerry” Cook and Eleanor Spence. Through her father, she inherited the intertwined Cook and Cocking legacies — English officer heritage, Cree matrilineal authority, and deep roots in the inland world. Through her mother, she carried the Spence and Orkney traditions that shaped the early Red River community.

In 1845, Helen married George Hourie, son of Margaret Bird and John Hourie. Their marriage united four major fur‑trade dynasties:

• the Cook line
• the Cocking line
• the Spence line
• the Hourie line

This union created one of the most interconnected Métis kinship clusters in the northern interior. Helen became the matriarch of the branch that carries the direct line forward, linking the inland world of the Nelson River posts to the prairie homesteads of the later 19th century.

Her life stands at the crossroads of cultures, languages, and histories — a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the families who shaped the northern fur trade.

VI. A Métis Network That Shaped the Northern Interior

The Cook–Cocking network was not a single family but a regional system. Through their marriages and movements, these families:

• staffed remote HBC posts
• acted as interpreters and guides
• maintained inland transportation routes
• mediated between Indigenous nations and Company officers
• raised multilingual, multi‑cultural children
• formed the backbone of northern Métis communities

Their influence stretched from:

• Cumberland House
• York Factory
• Fort Severn
• Norway House
• the Nelson River district
• the Red River Settlement
• and later into Saskatchewan and Alberta

This was a Métis world built on kinship, mobility, and deep knowledge of the land.

VII. Why the Cook–Cocking Line Matters

This lineage is historically significant because it represents:

• The English officer presence in the interior
  Through William Hemmings Cook.
• The Cree matrilineal foundation of Métis identity
  Through the Cocking daughters.
• The exploration and diplomacy of the early HBC era
  Through Matthew Cocking.
• The Orkney–Cree fusion that shaped the northern fur trade
  Through the Spence and Hourie connections.
• The creation of a powerful Métis kinship network
  Linking the Cook, Cocking, Spence, Batt, Hourie, and Cromartie lines.
• The movement from northern posts into prairie homesteads
  A major demographic shift in the 19th century.

VIII. A Lineage of Leadership, Resilience, and Cultural Fusion

The Cook–Cocking line stands at the crossroads of cultures, languages, and histories. It embodies:

• the endurance of Orkney labourers
• the authority of Cree matriarchs
• the mobility of Métis families
• the administrative world of English HBC officers
• the diplomacy of inland interpreters
• the adaptability of northern communities

This lineage shaped the social and political worlds of the northern fur trade and left a lasting legacy across the prairies.

Endnotes

1. Baptism of William Hemmings Cook in 1768 (see Appendix D, item D1).
2. Arrival of William Hemmings Cook at York Factory in 1786 (see Appendix A, item A1).
3. Establishment of Chatham House in 1791 (see Appendix A, item A2).
4. Service at Split Lake, 1797–1809 (see Appendix A, item A3).
5. Appointment as Chief Factor in 1810 (see Appendix A, item A4).
6. Withdrawal from York and retirement inland, 1812–13 (see Appendix D, item D2).
7. Resignation and settlement at Red River in 1819 (see Appendix B, item B1).
8. Red River census entries, 1827–1843 (see Appendix B, item B2).
9. Marriage of William Hemmings Cook and Mary (Agathas) Cocking in 1838 (see Appendix A, item A5).
10. Burial of William Hemmings Cook in 1846 (see Appendix D, item D3).
11. Marriage of Elizabeth “Betsy” Cocking (see Appendix D, item D4).
12. Marriage of Agathas Cocking to Budd and later to Cook (see Appendix D, item D5).
13. Marriage of Mary Cocking to Cook (see Appendix D, item D6).
14. Birth of Matthew Cocking around 1743 (see Appendix D, item D7).
15. Inland voyages of Matthew Cocking (see Appendix A, item A6).
16. Acting Chief Factor at York Factory, 1781–82 (see Appendix A, item A7).
17. Death of Matthew Cocking in 1799 (see Appendix D, item D8).
18. Birth of Jeremiah Cook at Split Lake (see Appendix D, item D9).
19. Marriage of Jeremiah Cook and Eleanor Spence in 1823 (see Appendix A, item A8).
20. Baptisms of the Cook children (see Appendix A, item A9).
21. Scrip application of Ellen Cook in 1875 (see Appendix C, item C1).

APPENDIX A — HBCR & HBCA EXTRACTS

A1. Arrival of William Hemmings Cook (1786)
Entry noting his arrival at York Factory as a Writer.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: William Hemmings Cook; HBCR Anglican Registers.

A2. Establishment of Chatham House (1791)
Entry describing inland travel and construction of the post.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: William Hemmings Cook.

A3. Service at Split Lake (1797–1809)
Entries documenting Cook’s role in the Nelson River District.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: William Hemmings Cook.

A4. Appointment as Chief Factor (1810)
Entry confirming his senior administrative role.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: William Hemmings Cook.

A5. Marriage of William Hemmings Cook & Mary (Agathas) Cocking (1838)
HBCR entry for their church marriage at Red River.
Primary; HBCR Anglican Marriages.

A6. Inland Voyages of Matthew Cocking (1772–75)
Entries documenting his travels to Saskatchewan and Cumberland House.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: Matthew Cocking.

A7. Acting Chief Factor at York Factory (1781–82)
Entry describing his command during the smallpox epidemic.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: Matthew Cocking.

A8. Marriage of Jeremiah Cook & Eleanor Spence (1823)
HBCR entry for their marriage at St. John’s.
Primary; HBCR Anglican Marriages.

A9. Baptisms of the Cook Children
Entries for the baptisms of Jerry, Samuel, and others.
Primary; HBCR Anglican Baptisms.

APPENDIX B — RED RIVER CENSUS EXTRACTS

B1. Settlement of William Hemmings Cook (1819)
Entry noting his arrival as a settler in the Red River Settlement.
Primary; HBCA E5/1–E5/11 Red River Settlement Censuses.

B2. Red River Censuses (1827–1843)
Summaries of household composition, livestock, acreage, and equipment for the Cook household.
Primary; HBCA E5/1–E5/11 Red River Settlement Censuses.

APPENDIX C — SCRIP EXTRACTS

C1. Scrip Application of Ellen Cook (1875)
Application confirming the heirs of Jeremiah Cook and establishing Métis identity.
Primary; NWHBSI North‑West Halfbreed Scrip Applications RG15‑20; MBS Manitoba Scrip Applications RG15‑19.

APPENDIX D — BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

D1. Baptism of William Hemmings Cook (1768)
Recorded at St. Andrew, Holborn.
Primary; HBCR Anglican Baptisms; HBCA Biographical Sheet: William Hemmings Cook.

D2. Retirement Inland (1812–13)
Notes on Cook’s withdrawal from York Factory and relocation inland.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: William Hemmings Cook.

D3. Burial of William Hemmings Cook (1846)
Recorded in St. John’s Anglican Cemetery.
Primary; HBCR Anglican Burials.

D4. Elizabeth “Betsy” Cocking
Marriages to Staynor and Holmes recorded in parish and genealogical sources.
Genealogical; Denney Papers; Red River genealogical compilations.

D5. Wash‑e‑soo‑e’squew (Agathas) Cocking
Marriages to Budd and later to Cook.
Genealogical; Denney Papers; Red River genealogical compilations.

D6. Mith‑coo‑coo‑man‑e’squew (Mary) Cocking
Marriage to Cook.
Genealogical; Denney Papers; Red River genealogical compilations.

D7. Birth of Matthew Cocking (1743)
Recorded at York, England.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: Matthew Cocking.

D8. Death of Matthew Cocking (1799)
Recorded at Easingwold, England.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: Matthew Cocking.

D9. Birth of Jeremiah Cook (1804)
Recorded at Split Lake.
Primary; HBCA Biographical Sheet: Jeremiah Cook.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

• HBCR, Hudson’s Bay Company Register of Anglican Church Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials for the Red River Settlement, 1821–1841, Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, Winnipeg.
• HBCA, Biographical Sheets: Matthew Cocking; William Hemmings Cook; Jeremiah Cook.
• HBCA E5/1–E5/11, Red River Settlement Censuses, 1827–1843.

Genealogical and Archival Compilations

• Denney Papers, Charles D. Denney, Glenbow Archives, Calgary.
• MBS, Scrip Applications, Original White Settlers & Halfbreeds Residing in Manitoba on 15 July 1870, RG15‑19, National Archives of Canada.
• NWHBSI, North‑West Halfbreed Scrip Applications, RG15‑20, National Archives of Canada.

Scholarly Works (Informing Narrative Context)

• Brenda Snider Research (Cocking, Cook, and Budd materials).