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Subject: [IAHENRY] Henry Co. Bio-Henry Cook
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 13:43:45 EST

>From "Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Iowa" Chicago: Acme
Publishing Company, 1888.

Page 207:

HENRY COOK, a farmer of Henry County, residing in Baltimore Township, was
born near Bealfeldt, Prussia, in 1836. His parents, Casper and Elizabeth Cook,
were both born, reared and married in that country, and there they reared a
family of five children, and the widows of two of the sons yet reside there.
Casper Cook was a shoemaker, and worked at the trade during his lifetime. His
children were Fred, Henry, Annie, William and Casper.

Our subject left Prussia when a lad of sixteen years, in company with his
Uncle Bremger, who settled in Burlington, Iowa, and lived and died there. Only a
few dollars were in the pockets of our subject when he landed in Burlington,
but he at once secured work on a farm at $4 per month. For seven years he
worked in that county, and when his marriage was celebrated in 1860 he was worth
all told $125. His wife was Mary A. Hand, a lady possessing an equal amount
of energy as Mr. Cook, so they concluded to rent a farm near the city, and from
the day they were married prosperity has been with them and has come to stay.
Who can say that it was not due to the good counsels and associations with a
good wife, for from the time they began their united efforts they have reared
a fine family of industrious children, and have become owners of a splendid
farm; all this, too, in a few years. After a residence in Des Moines County of
fourteen years Mr. Cook became a resident of Henry County, and purchased
eighty acres of land, on which he now resides, that had once been cleared, but had
gone back to brush. He built a small frame house and commenced work, and
from four in the morning until ten at night he could be found digging and
clearing. A few years later, having brought his first purchase to paying good
returns on the investment, he bought other lands, cleared them in the same way, and
now has 230 broad acres all in fine order, over 100 in cultivation. All his
money has been invested in improvements and land, and his fine house and barn
are the best between New London and Lowell. The nice orchard was planted and
the well planned arrangements of house and barn were perfected by him. Surely,
Mr. Cook and his good wife are entitled to much credit for such enterprise,
and as their children have grown to man and womanhood, they have been taught
the same convictions of right and honesty of purpose possessed by their parents.

The names of the children are: Olive L., wife of Charles Ranes; Edward H.,
Horace C., Lyman, Martha E. and Florence. The unmarried five children live in
a magnificent home with their beloved parents, who are regarded by their
neighbors as a model couple. Both are members of the Christian Church, and as a
family we learn of none who are more worthy and entitled to greater honor for
having, during a quarter of a century, achieved a competence. Their home is
supplied with all that makes life enjoyable. Flowers fill the room with
fragrance, and the neatest of housewives makes welcome her guests in that cordial
manner for which the family are noted. Mr. Cook is largely engaged in raising of
stock, and year by year his income becomes greater. With his indomitable
energy, ten years more of active labor will rank him among the wealthiest men of
his township, and his reward is and will be a fitting recompense for that
labor.

END
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pat Ryan White
Camarillo, CA

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