The Cook Families of Berrien County, Michigan

FRED W. COOK, well known as editor of the Niles Daily Star, was born in the city of Niles, March 22, 1859. His father, Darius B. Cook, was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, and passed away at Niles at the age of eighty-six and a half years. He became a journeyman printer in New York city in early life and on removing to the west settled at Detroit, Michigan, where he was employed as a compositor in the office of the Detroit Free Press until 1838. He then started to Chicago with an ox-team and an old Washington hand press on his wagon, but he did not carry out his determination to become identified with the printing business in Chicago, for on arriving at Kalamazoo, Michigan, he determined to remain there and followed his trade, doing his printing on the hand press. He was thus engaged until the spring of 1842, when he came to Niles and established a weekly paper called the Niles Republican, and of which he was editor and proprietor for twenty-four years. It was one of the early journals of this part of the state and in connection with its publication Mr. Cook engaged in job printing. His son, Fred W. Cook, now has a file of all the papers published by his father. He also printed many campaign documents. Later the Niles Republican was merged into the Niles Democrat, and after selling out Mr. Cook established another weekly paper called the Niles Mirror. He also did job work until his death and for many years was a most prominent representative of the printing interests of Berrien county. He was conservative in his political belief but was an earnest champion of all measures and movements which he believed would promote public welfare and progress. Throughout the community where he made his home he was greatly esteemed. He married Miss Jane Wadhams, who was born in Connecticut and died in 1889 at the age of seventy-one years. In their family were three children, two sons and a daughter — Frank D., who is now living in New York city; Emma, the wife of Perry Griffin, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Fred W.

Reared in the city of his nativity Fred W. Cook attended the public schools eight years. When only five years old he could set type, for he always availed himself of every opportunity to go to his father's printing office and was deeply interested in the work. At a very early age he began learning the trade under the direction of his father and when a young man of only seventeen years he became the publisher of the Niles Mirror and after his father's death the owner, continuing the publication of the paper for some time, when he sold out. On the 24th of March, 1886, he issued the first copy of the Niles Daily Star, the first daily to be published in Berrien county. He has never missed an issue up to the present time, covering a period of twenty-two years. He has been very successful in conducting this publication and owns the building and all its contents, having a well equipped newspaper plant. The character of the paper is indicated by the liberal patronage accorded it. It has a good circulation and advertising patronage and from the beginning the enterprise has proven a profitable venture. On the 25th of September, 1878, Mr. Cook was married to Miss Mary Flaherty, who was born in Niles, Michigan. They have two sons, Fred D., who is conducting a job printing office, having a plant in connection with his father's newspaper establishment, and who married Martha Heiser of South Bend, and is living in Niles. Harry W., living in New York city, is engaged in the wholesale tea and coffee business. Both were born in Niles.

Mr. Cook is independent in politics but has no aspiration for public office. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, the order of Patricians and the Owls. He has always made his home in Niles and throughout his entire life has been connected with the newspaper business, in which connection as well as a private citizen, he has been the champion of progressive public measures.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM H. COOK is well known to the residents of Sodus township, Berrien county, which has been the family home for many years, and he has won an honored name for the many excellent qualities which he possesses. A native of the Empire state, he was born in Oswego county on the 25th of July, 1844. His father, William J. Cook, was born in Vermont, near Brattleboro, his people being originally from Massachusetts and of English descent. His mother was Lydia Thomas, while his wife bore the maiden name of Catharine Dunbar and was a native of Scotland, but was brought to Canada when young. The parents were there married, and the mother died at the early age of forty-four years, while the father reached the age of eighty-seven years. In an early day they came to Michigan, taking up their above in the woods of Hamilton township, Van Buren county, where they secured a small farm. There the mother died, and in the fall of 1861 the father removed to Bainbridge township, Berrien county. In their family were seven children, three sons and four daughters, namely: Lydia A. Whitten; Melissa J. Pierce; Cynthia M. Olds; William H.; Darius A., who was killed by lightning about 1884; Myron W., manager of the Clover Leaf Freight Department Depot at St. Louis, Missouri; and Alice Babcock, of Mishawaka, Indiana.

William H. Cook, whose name introduces this review, was ten years of age when he came with his parents to Hamilton township. Van Buren county, Michigan, which continued as his home until the fall of 1861.

In the following year, 1862, enlisted for service in the Civil war, becoming a member of Company G, Nineteenth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for three years, doing active service throughout the entire time, being mustered out on June 10, 1865, at Washington, D. C. He was taken prisoner in 1863 and incarcerated in Libby prison until May of the same year. He was with Sherman on his celebrated march to the sea, and took part in many of the historical battles of the war, among them being Resaca, Newhope Church, Burnt Hickory, Golgotha, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Bentonville and Averysboro. Mr. Cook was but eighteen years of age when he entered the service of his country, and weighed but ninety-five pounds. He served until the close of the war or for three years, and participated in the Grand Review in Washington, D. C. He was detailed at Savannah, Georgia, as forage through North and South Carolina, and was discharged at Washington June 10

After the close of his military career Mr. Cook returned to Bainbridge township, Berrien county, and engaged in farming. In 1894 he came to Sodus and retired from the active duties of a business life. He has taken an active part in the public affairs of his locality, and is a life-long Republican. In 1876 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace, holding that position continuously for sixteen years in Bainbridge township, and the following spring after his arrival in Sodus township he was again elected to the office and was its incumbent for twelve years, so that for the long period of twenty-eight years he was a justice of the peace in Berrien county. For nine years he was a school director in Bainbridge township. In 1874 he became a member of the Grange, in which he has served many times as master, and for twenty years has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Cook was first married on the 18th of August, 1866, to Nancy Roberts, and they had one child, Effie, the wife of Milton Park, of Dowagiac, Michigan. The wife and mother died in 1891, and on the 8th of October, 1894, Mr. Cook married Laura Kennedy, of Sodtis, and a daughter of William H. King. Mr. Cook has been identified with the interests of Van Buren and Berrien counties since 1854, and is well and favorably known to their residents.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM COOK, farmer, dairyman and fruit raiser of Bainbridge township, was born at Coldwater, Branch county, this State, October 24, 1854. When he was seventeen years old the family removed to Clyde, in Allegan county, and his father, George Cook, being a carpenter by trade, he followed that occupation as well as farming during early manhood. He also learned blacksmithing, and in his early years alternate between these different pursuits.

At the age of twenty-nine Mr. Cook married Miss Lucy L. Matrau, a daughter of Joseph Matrau and a sister of Morgan and E. N. Matrau. For the next eight years Mr. Cook rented land of Morgan Matrau and others and then bought the farm, which is a part of the old Joseph Matrau homestead. For this eighty acres he paid thirty-five hundred dollars, and he has since rebuilt the house and moved and remodeled the barn and made various improvements. General farming and considerable fruit raising are both secondary to the dairy business with Mr. Cook, who was one of the organizers of the Watervliet creamery and is one of its steady patrons.

Mr. and Mrs. Cook are the parents of three children, Mary A., Benjamin F. and Grace A., all at home. Mr. Cook and family are members of the Christian Church, in which he is an elder, and his political views are Republican.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.