Ralph Walter COOK
Biography

Ralph Walter Cook, Sr. "Pa"

Ralph was born on December 10, 1896, at his grandfather's house, Samuel, at 601 East Central St., Franklin, MA. His parents were living there at the time. He was the oldest son of Walter and Caroline Cook. He was a Congregationalist, however, he rarely attended church. He had a brother Colin Kendall and a sister Eva Mae (Cook) Braun. They were all raised on the farm at 664 East Central Street.

On July 10, 1920, Ralph, Sr. married Hazel May Washburn from North Attleboro, MA. and brought her to live in the farm house owned by his father, Walter. Hazel was the daughter of Edwin Washburn and Mary Cameron. She was born in South Attleboro, MA. They lived down stairs and Walter and Caroline lived upstairs. At this time the house had running water, an old cast iron sink, which was cracked, and a telephone. The house was still heated by wood and wood was used to cook with. Shortly after they moved in, electricity was installed in the house. They still did not have an indoor toilet and the food was still refrigerated by an ice box.

Ralph Sr. and Hazel had three children:

a. Ralph Walter Cook, Jr., b. March 12, 1921 in North Attleboro

b. Ronald Cameron Cook, b. November 20, 1922 in Attleboro

c. Carolyn Louise (Cook) Fox, b. March 20, 1925 in Attleboro

Ralph Sr. lived in this house all his life until he died at 61 of a heart-attack. He died on Labor Day on Sept. 1, 1957. Most of his family were present when he died on the porch of the farm house. He is buried in the Union Street Cemetery in the lower part, not in the Samuel Cook Plot. Eva (Cook) Braun, his sister, is also buried there.

Prior to WWI Ralph Sr. worked with his father at Winter Bros. in Wrentham as a machinist. He then entered the service and fought in WWI. During the war, he was seriously injured. Out of his whole regiment, he was one of 6 who were still alive after the war. He lost all of his hair because he was mustard gassed. He had diphtheria, and was badly wounded. He had shrapnel in his leg and still had a a piece in his neck till the day he died. For this, he received the Purple Heart, and suffered severe health problems the rest of his life. Because he could no longer work inside after the war, he decided to try and make a living off his father's farm.

After Ralph married Hazel and moved her int the farm house, he left and went to the University of Mass in Stockbridge. This was the farming part of the U. of Mass. He went there for two years and received an Associates Degree in Agriculture. While he was there his oldest son Ralph Jr. was born. Hazel went home to her mother's house in North Attleboro to have Ralph.

Ralph Sr. bought the farm from his father, Walter, around 1923, with the understanding that he would provide for Walter and Caroline till they died. At this time the farm was 8.75 acres and only a few chickens, animals, and there was only a garden for family use. There were also several fruit trees of various kinds around the yard.

Ralph Sr. was the first to actually earn a living from the farm. He bought 2.5 acres along East Central St. where Uncle Ronald's house is now from Uncle Ed Cook and a little alter he bought 45 more acres outback from Uncle Ed Cook. Ralph Sr. sold the produce on some buckets and boards in front of the farm house. Strawberries was one of the first crops to be sold. He later built a small store next to the farm house which increased his business. This is the store that was later moved down in front of Ralph Jr.'s house with a larger parking lot. Many of the products what were not sold were preserved and used during the winter or sold to customers as preserves.

Ralph Sr. also expanded the chicken house and built a larger chicken house that later became Ralph Jr.'s home. The chickens were laying hens till about 1946. They then converted to broilers. He had several turkey houses and pens for 1,000 turkeys. The use to be ranged by the river that runs through the original 8.75 acre farm, but later they were ranged across the street in the property owned by the Aimone's. He also had pigs, cows and horses.

The Town Report of 1921 lists Ralph Sr. as 24, a farmer, Walter as 50, a machinist, Eva, his sister as 21, a stenographer, Colin as 22, a machinist, and Caroline as 50 and at home.

The 1922 Town Report lists Ralph Sr. as 25, a farmer, Walter, his father as 51, a machinist, Colin 23, a machinist, Caroline as 51 at home, and Hazel 21 and at home.

The 1924 Town Report shows Ralph Sr. as owning 1 horse $25, 1 cow $25, 400 foul $400, all other animals $65, house $1400, outbuildings $1600, house lot East Central St. 8.75 acres $500, total value of #3,915 and paid $103.70 taxes.

The 1929 Town Report shows Ralph Sr. owning a house $1800, outbuilding $1400, 8.75 acres of East Central St. $700, a total value of $3,900 and the taxes were not listed.

In his later life, Ralph Sr. enjoyed greenhouse work. Thus, Ralph Jr. added a greenhouse to his home and later built a much larger greenhouse which Ralph Sr. died before he ever got to really use it. Ralph St. was very faithful in taking care of the Cook Plots in the Union St. Cemetery. He used to cut the grass around the stones and also that it was decorated at Memorial Day and Christmas. This is still carried out by the Cook family.

Ralph Sr. also owned a cottage on Lake Archer where many summers were spent by his wife, Hazel, and the families. This cottage was sold a couple of years after Ralph Sr. died. Ralph Sr. loved to fish. He and Ralph III would fish a lot in a boat out in Lake Archer, mostly in the evenings. They would catch lots of hornpout. Gramma, Hazel, would cook them after Grampa would clean them. They were delicious. Gramma, Hazel, and I would play cards while they fished. I always got bored fishing unless they were really biting.

I can remember when I was about 7 or 8 years old, my brother and I use to get Gramma, Hazel, in the boat and row around the the lake. We would get her to stop at Jones' Beach and buy us some candy, and then she would row in coves so we could catch sun turtles. Grandma, Hazel, had a lot of patience with us when we were young. She use to spend hours untangling our fish lines when we would get them all tangled up. She also had a "remember to" basket. This basket was used to remember things we needed to take to and from camp.

Haze has lived alone in the old farm house for many years since both Walter and Ralph St. died. She keeps herself busy knitting, crocheting, watching her special TV programs, helping to get meals, cleaning her house, etc. At 80 she sill gets herself off to the hairdressers every Tuesday.

The 1938 hurricane flattened all the building on the farm except the original farm house. It was a very destructive hurricane.

Plowing in those days was done by horse. They didn't own a tractor to do the plowing until about 1947. Uncle Ronald lent the farm money to buy the tractor after he came home from the war.

Th heat Grandma's house, she converted from wood to gas about the time Ralph Sr. died.

In the early 40's while Ralph Sr. still owned the farm, he bought 17 more acres from Uncle Ed. He bought the land in Ralph Jr.'s name and paid for it from money he won playing cards. (From what I heard).

Additional Information

From 1934 to 1946 Ralph W. Cook Sr. owned a house valued at $2,000; land valued at $700; 29430 sq. ft. of land; hen house, outbuildings, and garage valued at $1,000. However, he added a new building in 1942 thus, the value of the outbuildings and hen houses increased to $2,300.

On August 29, 1946 all of Ralph Cook Sr's land and buildings were in joint ownership with himself and Ralph W Cook Jr. (his son). However there is some confusion here because records show that in 1941 Ralph Cook Sr. bought 21,780 sq. ft. of land from Ed Cook, but it is deeded to Ralph W. Cook Jr. This land is adjacent to the Franklin Country Club. Records also show this land deeded to Ralph Cook Jr. on April 26, 1944. In August 29, 1946 this land was under joint ownership of Ralph Cook Sr. and Ralph Cook Jr.

On June 4, 1947 all of the land and buildings owned by Ralph Cook Sr. and Ralph Cook Jr. were deeded to Ralph Cook Jr. and Ronald Cook (his brother).

Several new buildings were added in the later 40's and 50's. Everything in 1947 was valued at $8,000 for the buildings and $3,600 for the land.

Thanks to Harland Cook