Tent Institution

Susanna's History

Susanna Ross Cook was born in 1807 in Stonycreek Township, the daughter of Michael Ross and Susanna Good. In 1837, at age 20, she married James Cook, A stage coach driver from eastern PA.

Susanna was a farmer's wife and probably never left Somerset County. She and James lived in Stonycreek Township on a farm near Buckstown until their final years, when they went to live in Shade Township with their youngest son, Levi.

Susanna and her husband James are buried at Shade Church Cemetery along with Levi and his wife, Mary. According to the barely readable inscriptions on their tablet shaped tombstones, James died in 1877 at 75 years old, and Susanna died in 1886 at 79 years old.

Susanna is exceptional as she was the mother of five sons who served as Union soldiers from Somerset County. All of the sons were born and are buried in Somerset County with the exception of one, Edward, who was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in 1864. Every year, and almost every month from 1861 to 1865, Susanna and her husband James could only watch and wait as one, or the other, or all of their five sons left their peaceful farm in Stonycreek to fight in this horrific war.

James A Cook
Edward Cook
Pirls Cook
John Cook
Levi Cook

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