COOK, Washington E.
Washington
E. COOK, deceased, was for sixteen years county clerk of Marshall county, and, in due deference to all
others, he may be said to have been the democratic leader in the
county. Personally known by nearly every person having business
at the county seat, he exercised an influence that was felt and
acknowledged by all. He traced his ancestry back to one Elijah
COOK, who came with the Pilgrim fathers and afterward located in
Connecticut. One of the descendants of
Elijah COOK, Ebenezer, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war,
and in a very early day settled in Oneida county, New York, and
there reared a family of eleven sons and two daughters. The
neighborhood was known as “Cook’s corners.” One of his sons,
also named Ebenezer, married Leonora COMBS, and to them, on the
29th of December, 1809, was born the subject of this sketch.
Ebenezer COOK, Sr., was a soldier in the war of 1812, and until
her death his widow received a pension from the general
government.
When our subject was but eleven years of
age his father died, and soon after he commenced to learn the
hatter’s trade, but abandoned this and secured a position as
clerk in a general store, where he remained some years, going
from thence to New York city, where he served one year as
clerk in a hotel. Hen then went to
Honesdale,
Pennsylvania, where, on the 16th
of May, 1832, he was united in marriage with Miss Eunice
KELLOGG. Here purchasing a hotel, he continued in its management
for four years, when he removed to Dunkirk, New York, and
assisted in surveying the Buffalo
& Erie railroad. In June,
1838, he removed to
Birmingham,
Ohio, where for nine years he was
engaged in merchandising. He now determined to go still farther
west, and came to
Marshall
county, locating three miles west of Henry, where he purchased
three hundred and twenty acres of land for four dollars per
acre, and commenced a farmer’s life. This farm has since been
known as the Harney farm, Mr. COOK disposing of it after three
years’ ownership.
Mr. COOK was not long a resident of the
county before his abilities were known and recognized by his
fellow citizens. In the fall of 1849 he was nominated and
elected to the office of county clerk, and removed with his
family to Lacon, December 1, of that year. In that city he
continued to reside until his death. He was re-elected county
clerk three times, serving in all sixteen years. He also served
ten years as township supervisor, and in whatever position he
was called upon to fill he discharged its duties with fidelity
and to the satisfaction of his constituents.
In 1860 Mr. COOK was sent as a delegate to
the Charleston
convention and voted continuously for Stephen A. Douglas. With
the remainder of the
Illinois
delegation he withdrew from the convention when it was clearly
shown that their rights were not to be respected. In 1868 he was
a delegate to the national democratic convention, which met that
year at Philadelphia. His faith in the principles of
the democratic party as enunciated by Jefferson and Jackson
never wavered, and he died as he lived, a democrat.
Fraternally, Mr. COOK was a Mason and had
attained the thirty-second degree of that order. For some years
he was a member of Apollo commandery,
Chicago, and was a charter member of
Peoria
commandery. On his death, which occurred January 7, 1879, the
Masons took charge of his funeral, attending in large numbers
from Peoria and elsewhere. The circuit court, which
was then in session, adjourned out of respect to his memory.
Mr. COOK was a self-educated man, having
little opportunity to attend either public or private schools.
His father dying when he was so young necessitated his shifting
for himself in a great degree, but he was a great reader and
kept himself thoroughly informed on all the questions of the
day, as well as in general literature. Few men had a greater
knowledge of American history, especially its political aspect.
Physically he was large and strong, able to endure almost any
hardship. In Chicago, the great
metropolis of the west, he had unlimited faith, and there
invested nearly all his spare means. Some of the real estate
which he there purchased yet remains in the hands of his son,
George.
Notwithstanding she was almost a life-long
invalid, Mrs. COOK survived her husband some sixteen years,
dying March 25, 1895. Although her sufferings at times were very
great, she remained cheerful and bore it all with Christian
fortitude. For very many years she was a member of the
Congregational church, and used her every talent for the
advancement of the Master’s cause, dying in the full assurance
of faith.
Of the family of Mr. and Mrs. COOK, Helen
J. married D. W. WARNER, and now resides in Boulder, Montana;
Belle V. is now the widow of S. M. GARRETT, of Lacon, while
George W. E. still resides in Lacon, enjoying the respect and
esteem of all its citizens. He resides on the old homestead in
the north part of Lacon, which has been in possession of the
family since 1855, the brick part of the house having been
erected in 1837. To such men as Washington E. COOK much is due,
and the lesson of their lives must be an inspiration to all.
George W. E. COOK is a native of Bethany,
Pennsylvania, born June 23, 1834. Like
his father before him, he has been quite active as a democratic
politician and has served in various official positions to the
satisfaction of every one. He has been an alderman and mayor of
Lacon, a member of the school board for twelve years, seven of
which he acted as president of the board. In county and state
conventions he has represented his party as a delegate, and for
some years was president of the democratic club of Lacon. He has
been a delegate from his club to the national democratic club
conventions, and in every way has shown a knowledge of men and
measures, entitling him to deserved recognition.
Not only as a politician has Mr. COOK been
active and influential, but as a horticulturist he has taken
high rank, having given much attention and study to that
subject. About three acres of the home place he has set aside
for use in experimenting in horticultural products, especially
the strawberry. He is a member of the National Pomological
society, and is its vice-president for
Illinois. He has also been a member of
several farmer clubs, in which he has taken an active part. In
educational matters, also, he has given much time and attention,
and has ever been a true friend of the public school
contributing to educational journals and being consulted by
legislators on legislation pertaining to the public schools. For
some years he was a regular contributor to the Prairie Farmer,
and has contributed more or less to various horticultural
journals in the country. As has been stated, his mother was
almost a life long invalid, and to her he gave the love and
affection of a dutiful son, ministering unto her wants and doing
all in his power to alleviate her misery. To do this work he
remained under the parental roof until the mother was called to
the upper and better world.
Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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