Thomas Cooke alias Butcher

     Thomas Cooke alias Butcher was baptized on 13 April 1600 at St Mary's parish, Netherbury, Dorset, England. He married Mary (?). Thomas Cooke alias Butcher married Mary Shearman? after 1672. Thomas Cooke alias Butcher died in May 1677 at Portsmouth, Newport Co, Rhode Island, at age 77.
     Thomas Cooke, his wife, and three children sailed on the ship 'Speedwell, Mr. Robert Corbin, Master, from Weymouth, Dorset, probably shortly after 22 April 1637. He settled in Taunton and in 1643 Thomas Cooke took the freeman oath there. Both he and his son, Thomas Cooke, Jr. were on the list of men between the ages of 16 and 60 who were considered able to bear arms (Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Editor., "Records of Plymouth Colony" [rep. 1976], 195). Later that year the family removed to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where on 28 November Thomas was received as an inhabitant and granted land.