Major Richard Fielding Cooke, Tennessee senator from Jackson County,
introduced the measure to reestablish Putnam County which successfully
passed the General Assembly. Cookeville was named for him. Pictured
from the book Putnam County, Tennessee, 1850-1970 by Mary Jean DeLozier, pg. 22.
Major Richard Fielding Cooke
b. 8 July 1787, Culpepper Co., VA
d. 15 October 1870, Putnam Co., TN
Wife: Margaret Cox md 31 March 1813, SC
Father: Robert Fielding Cooke (1752-1841)
Mother: Susannah Burch Watson (1760-1823)
Buried: Cooke Cemetery, Putnam Co., TN
Raised in Greenville Dist. South Georgia, removed to Tenn. in 1810.
Maj Batt 3 (Woodfolk's)
Tenn Militia
War of 1812
Major Richard Fielding Cooke was one of the most prominent pioneer citizens of Putnam County.
As a member of the General Assembly in it's 1853-54 session, he was untiring in his efforts to
secure the re-establishment of Putnam County on February 11, 1854. His colleagues in the General Assembly,
in recognition of his valiant services to re-establish the county, amended his bill to provide that the
county seat when located by the commissioners, should be named Cookeville in honor of Major Richard Cooke.
This monument was erected by the Cookeville City Council on June 3, 1985 in honor of him.
Cooke Cemetery, Putnam Co., TN
Cooke Cemetery, Putnam Co., TN located on Buffalo Valley Road.