George was murdered and never found. The following story was told by by George M. Cook's niece, Ruth Edna(Cook) Jacobs, in 1930.

"George M. Cook, my eldest uncle, milled at Cook's mill near Bendersville, Admms County, Pennsylvania during 1863, later moving to a farm near Fort Littleton, Fulton County, Pennsylvania, where he farmed and raised cattle. One night while returning from having sold his cattle he was murdered and robbed."

According to George M. Cook's Military Pension File (Co. D, 49th Pennsylvania), his wife Amanda Jane, tried for 50 years (1871-1921) to collect his pension without success. Since his body was never found, his death was never proven. The government maintained George could have simply run away.

I found the following in Albert Cook Myers handwriting dated July 9, 1924, from his collection held at the Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, Pa.:

"George M. Cook disappeared June 17, 1871."

"About 1912 Joseph Snyder confessed that he and Ephraim Kisne had murdered George Cook (G. C.) and buried him between Burnt Cabins and Shade Gap (in Huntington Co., Pa.) about six miles from Fort Littleton. Snyder then went out and shot himself. E.K. disappeared."

WAR DEPARTMENT, Record and Pension Division.

(Stamped and Dated, US Pension Office, August 28, 1893)

Respectfully returned to the Commissioner of Pensions.

George M. Cook Co. D 49 Reg't Pa. Inf. was enrolled June 3, 1864 and M.O. June 29, 1865

From 'Enrollment' to M.O. he held the rank of Pvt. and during that period the rolls show him present except as follows:

August 31, 1864 absent taken prisoner during the march July 20, 1864. October 31 & December 31, 1864 absent dropped on August rolls as missing in action. Absent sick in Great Hospital February 28, 1865; absent sick since August 7, 1864. April 20, 1865 absent sick at Annapolis, Maryland.

Prisoner of War records show him captured at Leesburg, Va., July 21, 1864, 'confined' at *Richmond, Va. July 29, 1864. Paroled at "Akius Lodge," Va. August 22, 1864.

-- Civil War Pension File, George M. Cook, Co. D. 49th Pa. Vol. Inf. National Archives *probably Libby Prison

Following is the complete passage and source Jim Wierman quoted above by Ruth Edna (Cook) Jacobs:

George M. Cook, my eldest uncle, milled at Cook's mill during 1863, later moving to a farm near Fort Littleton, Fulton Co., Pa. where he farmed and raised cattle. One night while returning from having sold his cattle he was murdered and robbed. My cousins still reside on this farm. While my father (Albert Jacob Cook) was on his way through the South Mountains to assist plowing after his brother's death he lost his way and inquired at a log cabin the way to Fort Littleton. The colored lady, noting something familiar in his speech, his manner and his stature, inquired his name, when to the lad's surprise the colored lady fell upon her knees, clasped her hands and said, "Lord bless and save the son of Jesse Cook, as he saved me from slavery." Cook's Mill was a station of the underground railroad.

-- The Cook Family of Menallen Meeting, Ruth Edna (Cook) Jacobs, October 12, 1930 "... in commemoration of the 150th year of the Menallen Meeting, Flora Dale, Adams County, Pa."