Margin Notes: The Strange Adventures of Captain Cook

An inside look at my approach and processes, and some of the challenges faced

| Margin Notes| Start from the Beginning |

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Release date: August 19, 2025

Hi, and welcome to the Margin Notes on The Strange Adventures of Captain Cook, a special feature for paid subscribers here at The Lost & Found Story Box. If that’s you, thanks so much for your support! Your generosity makes it possible for me to do what I do.

Today, I’ll be sharing a little about where I found this lost & found story, my over all approach to it, some of the challenges I faced in piecing the story together, and a bit of historical context that didn’t make it into the finished story.

So let’s, see what we find!

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A story with so many questions

The story of Thomas R. Cook was filled with questions from the moment I found this article in the September 6, 1895 edition of the Journal & Courier out of Lafayette, IN.

He disappeared? While attending a grand lodge meeting?

And then there’s the whole “guardian of heirs”, “short in his accounts” and “conviction for embezzlement” bit — not to mention the pardon! How could I not take a second look at this curious lost & found story?

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Let the research begin

The piece suggested Thomas Cook was living in Green County, and my guess was Indiana, so that’s where I started. And, sure enough, that’s where I found him — Thomas Ringland Cook, born December 9, 1821 in Washington County, PA. and living in Solsberry, IN, in the 1870, 1880, and 1900 census records.

Working backwards, I was able to find Thomas in every federal census beginning in 1830, though he wasn’t mentioned by name until 1850. By then he was married with two small children and living in Senecaville, OH. Thomas and his wife, Harriet ,had seven kids before 1860, and two more after the Civil War – all but one of their children survived to adulthood.

In 1861, the family moved to Solsberry, IN, and it was where Thomas remained for most of his life. It was his home when he enlisted in the Union army and when he was discharged. It’s where he served as Justice of the Peace, was convicted of embezzlement and returned to after he’d received his pardon.

And, it was where, the next year, he was elected as commander of the local G. A. R. and continued to serve his community. I’m still not sure if that says more about Thomas or the people of Solsberry.

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Putting the puzzle together

I chose to tell just one small episode of Thomas’ life — from his “disappearance” during a Grand Lodge meeting in Indianapolis to his attendance at the G.A. R. encampment in Louisville — which meant it was going to be a stand alone story.

I found most of what I needed in Indiana newspaper archives rather quickly. Thomas’ disappearance was just sensational enough — his status as the oldest Mason in Indiana, his community status, the suddenness of it all, made for great copy.

And then I came across that crazy letter thought to be from a “spiritualist”! What a great addition to an already odd story, right?

When it came to the court case against Thomas and then his imprisonment, there sadly wasn't a lot of material to work with. Court records weren’t easily available and there wasn’t a ton about the prison that moved the story I was telling forward. But then again, if I’d chosen to tell the bigger story of Thomas’ life, I would have made more effort to get those records and spent more time on his months there.

The question of Captain Cook

So, let’s talk a bit about the Civil War. Thomas’ identity as veteran of that war was apparently a big part of who he was, and he was referred to as “Captain” in various documents. Military records indicate he enrolled in Solsberry, IN on August 20, 1862, joining Company A of 97^th Regiment Indiana Infantry as a 1^st Sergeant, and was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant on December 10, 1862.

There’s no indication he was ever promoted to Captain.

Thomas’ regiment served in Grant’s Vicksburg Campaign (December 26, 1862, to July 4, 1863), the Chattanooga Campaign, and was engaged across Tennessee and Alabama, including operations on Memphis & Charleston Railroad in Alabama, the Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign and march to relief of Knoxville. In December 1863, the regiment arrived at the Union winter encampment in Scottsboro, AL, where they remained for much of the next six months.

As I was researching the regiment, I came across this little story from Thomas’ time in camp in the History of the Ninety-seventh Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry, by J. D. Alexander.

When the regiment returned to Scottsboro (early March 1864) our camp was enlivened by the presence of Mrs. Col. Cavins, of Bloomfield; Mrs. Capt. Fields of Owensboro, and Mrs. Capt. Meck and Mrs. Capt. White of Spencer. This was the second t visit for Mrs. Cavins and Mrs. Meek, as both had visited the regiment when at Moscow, Tenn., in April and May, 1863, both of whom while there were unremitting in their attention to the sick, nothing their hands and faces in the morning, preparing delicacies with their own hands and seeing that everyone was made as comfortable as possible. Mr. Cavins brought with her both times her baby girl Jodie, and Mrs. Meeks brought her baby girl Sallie. While in camp Mrs. Cavin’s colored boy Lindsey carried Jodie around and was very jealous of his precious burden, so much so that he didn’t want the men in the regiment to take her in their arms, as so many wished to do, and some would say, “Lindsey, Lindsey…you bring that baby here.” …as they were the only girl babies brought to the regiment, I have taken the liberty of calling them “the daughters of the regiment.”

It's not hard to imagine how bittersweet it was for husbands and fathers like Thomas to have women and little ones in camp with them.

On March 30, 1864, while the 97^th was still in Scottsboro — and coincidentally while “the daughter of the regiment” were still there, as well — Thomas was discharged.

Yes discharged, not mustered out. A note on his U. S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles document indicates the discharge was “per Special Order #578”.