Smyrna times., 1896-10-14
ELIZABETH COOK CHAPTER,


old furniture old houses, old blood and old deeds
of heroes dead and gone-loving to look back down
the musy line of departed forefathers and to set up
in the heart and household, images of kindred who
have made their lives sublime, and have had their
works chronicled by the historian among the golden
deeds of men,
1t becomes us to-day to think about the old Revo-
lutionary lady after whom you have named your
chapter-ELIzABETH CooK-and of this old house,
under whose shadows you are now organizing this
Chapter. We will say word about the old house
first of all.
OLD BELMONT HALL as you may readily see, bears
the Empress of antiquity It is supposed to have
been built about 1885, the bricks in its walls hav-
ing been brought from England. After
remaining in the Collins family for a generation it
was sold by DIR. William Collins, the Governors son.
to John Cloak JAN Sd 1897 the father of the present
owner, Mrs Caroline Elizabeth Cloak Peterson-Speak
man. 1t is of the oldest and handsomest houses
in the County, also of the most interesting being
eloquent with memories of Revolutionary days In
the observatory the top of the mansion, Gov Col
lins placed a seminal to watch the British who
swarmed in the neghborhood; but night the poor
fellow shot to death by hostile scout In try
ing to reach the room below in which he died the
wounded sentinel left the stains of his life blood in
several places where they remain to be to this day
In the where that soldier breathed his last there
hung for long time autograph letter of George
Washington to General Collins ordering him to report
with his brigade at Morrstown for service Unfortu-
nately this valuable document was either burned or
stolen during fire which broke out in the house of
relative where the letter had been transferred for
time.
In the parlOr you will find the Old World fire
place. with the blue and white tiles of the time of
William and Mary, regiously preserved as it was
when in front of it Governor Collins wrote his mes
sages and planned with his officers the campaigns
against the British Here the small group of patriots
nightly, compared notes before old time log fire.
while the female portion of the families who gathered
there would knit and spin and discuss the latest war
news OF one of that group I will speak more at
length in a few moments
Here again in this old Hall the Legislature of the
State met at time during the year of 1777 Hence
we see Belmont in addition to its other mem
Ores, posing of the captos of the State; and
here you will find interesting relic of this event in
the shape of two oldfashoned chairs which were
presented to the present many years ago the
great grandson of Governor Thomas Collins, as a
souvenir of that memorable occasion. In these two
chairs you can easily imagine of the COnscript
Fathers of the State, lazy seated, century mere
ago. looking out over this beautiful park enjoying
the good cheer avshly spread before them by their
hospitable host
What pleasant memories crowd upon us when we
begin to study the shadows dropped by time about
old mansion like this memories that make each
piece of furniture, every room the scars gath
cred out OF the past speak varied language to those
who hold the keys to their secrets shadows that like
phOnOgraph, have caught and recorded and now
reproduce for the joys the struggles the SORROWS
the tragedies which filled the lives of those who lie
sleeping now with silent lips and marble faces and
hearts at rest in the great Metropolis of the silent
land. But space forbids me to linger here, since 1
have yet to speak of her whose name you have seen
tit to revive as the patron saint to speak, of the
Chapter which you about to establish.
ELIZABETH COOK
In times of war, when most of the work to be done
is mans work. the best and gentlest women must of
necessity draw the greater part of their civic virtues
and their fame from husband, father,
brother) to whom she is indissoluby bound by ties
of blood or law who has immortaized himself and
all those related to him. This being so, if we are
to do full justice to ELIZABETH CooK must study
her life, partly by the works and fame of her father
and husband.
Her father JOHN Cook, who was one of the
men who played an important part among the galaxy
of heroes who shaped the policy and the cause of
independence for the State of Delaware more than a
hundred years ago. His hand and mind and name
may be found at of the principle points in the
Legislative and military history of that period In
1772 he elected Sheriff of Kent County and at the
first election of the General Assembly, October 25th
1776, see his name a member of that body from
Kent county. October 28th of the same year he was
one of a Committee, consisting of Mexican, Cook,
and Robinson from the House of Assembly Sykes
and Vandyke from the Council, appointed to devise
the Great Seal for the State At this session of
the Legislature he chosen of the Justices
of the Supreme Court of the State, resigning June
Goth, 1878. In 1777 his again appears as a pri-
vate in Company under Captain Peter Jacket Dec
92, 1770, the Legislature appointed him to the new
.nfffo anfI Irrol H.
Speaker of the Legislative Council and such it was
into his hands that President (or as we would say
now, Governor), Dickinson, having resigned as
Executive of Delaware, Nov. 4th, handed over the
affairs of that high Office.
The husband of ELIZABETH Cook was Ebenezer
Cloak, who did his own part in the cause of
American Independence. In his zeal for the good
cause he fitted out privateer at his own expense to
cruise against the British but he was captured and
consigned to the hold of British prison ship Here
overtures daily made to him and the other pris-
of release provided they would take sides with
Great Britain against the Colonies; but he resisted
this bribe of dishonorable freedom and with liberty
In reach, did he but choose to grasp it, he languished
and died of ship fever worthy patriot to the last
The above historical records richly entitle ELIZA
BETH Cook to place in the affections of the Daughters
OF the American Revolution of these modern times.
But, IN addition to these altruistic deeds for
which we honor her to-day, her birthday, she can
justly claim place which she has for herself by
reason Of the fact that she sat by the old fireplace in
the parlor at Belmont Hall, many night, moulding
bullets with which her patriotic relatives defended
their fre-sides and country have read fable of
trumpeter who captured and killed because while
he did not slay any of the enemy with his hand,
yet encouraged others to do so. II ELIZABETH Cook
had been captured in Revolutionary days, no doubt
her head would have swung from the bough of one of
the trees above us, along with Collins, Rodney and
Reed not because she shed blood herself but because
she encouraged others to make many British soldier
bite the dust
GEORGE WASHINGTON DAME.