Person:Ruth Cook (9)

Ruth Clara Cook was a hard working and dedicated family woman. Known to be hard on drinking. She did not allow a bottle in the house. She was reported to have poured many a bottle down the drain when found in the house. She loved to cook and gravy and biscuits were her specialty. Her homemade biscuits were usually made daily and best when ett fresh. They would just melted in your mouth and boy did they taste good. She loved to sew and knit and made many many pieces of clothing for her children.

I went to visit my grandmother when I was ten. She used to say I was her favorite grandchild at least she treated me like her favorite grandchild. I flew alone to Huntington Airport. I visited for a week or so. This was right after grandpa died in 1967. She and Joyce were living at their place on Highland Drive, Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia. The house was nice then. I have since visited several times and it has since been left in disrepair. Joyce's husband Jack Mahone had died in a car accident a few years before and was living with grandma. Jack had a son from a previous marriage named Michael. He has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for many years now. Anyhow this is not a good story. Mike and I were playing with a 22 rifle in Joyce's closet. For some unknown reason we were loading and unloading a shell. Well I decided to pull the Trigger at some point and guess what Mike had his hand in front of the muzzle. The bullet went through his hand twice . He must of had his hand folded in some way in front of t he barrel. He ran across the street to the neighbors while I tried to call an emergency number. This was long before 911. I left the phone terribly frustrated and somehow guilty of not notifying the rescue squad. Anyhow the neighbors notified them and the ambulance came. I did not see Mike for 15 years after that.

I did not admit having pulled the trigger at the time, but I have since acknowledged having done the dirty deed. We should not have been playing with loading and unloading a weapon at our early age. Mike and I were both ten. Mike ended up restricted in the use of his middle finger. He joined the Air Force later in years so it did not permanently disable him. In fact in the two times I have visited him in Arizona it did not affect his fishing skills in the least. I think he forgave me along time ago, but I sure felt guilty for a long long time.

Well this was supposed to be about grandma Hager. For some unknown reason the Cook women used to talk about being part Indian. This story has been told by many of the Cook women. I have found no proof of this. I suspect it was a story to keep the kids in line. As several of our Cook ancestors had been killed by Indians and in one case burned at the stake by Indians I suspect our ancestors did not have any affinity for Indians in fact it is written that they in fact killed Indians against the treaty of the late 1790's. Captain Ralph Stewart in fact ran to the hills of western Virginia for a few years to avoid prosecution for just killing Indians. In any event I doubt any Cooks married Indians. Think about it, what better scare tactic than the threat of being scalped or burned at the stake for misbehaving. Tell me you do not think grandma Hager was above scare tactics. Having said that I do believe grandma Hager's grandmother the daughter of Juliana Cook who married Joseph Mangus did have distinct native American features and the Mangus families of West Virginia are reported to have had native American ancestry.

As my father Billie left West Virginia after marrying my mother I only have a few memories of my grand parents. But I do recall driving from Pennsylvania to West Virginia on several occasions and they visited us several times in Levittown, PA. The last time was shortly before grandpa Hager's death in 1964 from black lung disease, at least that is what I remember. He did retire from the coal mines and my grandmother received black lung benefits. He drove a brand new Buick LeSabre. Not sure how it happened but my father inherited that 63 Buick LeSabre. I am sure his surviving brothers questioned that bequeathal. It was a nice car until my father traded it in for a 1971 Chevy Impala. I know he hated to part with that car.

I only know from stories told by others about my grandmother's ruff side. I only knew her as a very sincere and loving person. She was stubborn and strict in her discipline and nature though. In later years she became blind and out of touch for several years before her death in 1989 at the age of 89. Joyce took care of her through those years after grandpa died.