Two Cool families settled in Clear Creek Township in the 1850s, and the 1912 county history never says they were related. John Cool, born in New Jersey, and his wife Catherine Ann Elizabeth (Kline) Cool, born in Maryland, came from Illinois in October 1853 with their sons William H. and Peter J.; Peter became a carpenter, insurance agent and town marshal at Baxter and raised six daughters. Abraham and Sarah (Robbins) Cool, both born in Pennsylvania, arrived in 1855; Abraham died in 1869 and Sarah in 1883. Their sons Melville J. Cool, who kept a hotel at Baxter, and Frank Curtis Cool, who farmed 140 acres in Independence Township and raised short-horn cattle, both have sketches in the book. Every fact below is cited to the public-domain 1912 county history.
Earliest in the record
John Cool and Catherine Ann Elizabeth (Kline) Coolborn 1850Most recent in our records
Jessie (Allan) Coolborn 1885Each number matches a section below. Tap a name to jump to that person.
Pioneers of Clear Creek Township, 1853
Carpenter, insurance agent and town officer, Baxter
PETER J. COOL.
The gentleman to a review of whose honorable career we now call the attention of the reader is one of the representative citizens of Independence township, one of Baxter's substantial men, having maintained his home in this locality for a period of fifty-eight years or practically all his life, consequently he has been a witness of the wonderful growth of the same from the wild plains, having come here with his parents when the period of wolves and Indians was still on. He has worked hard and his efforts have been rewarded with a large measure of success all along the line.
Peter J. Cool was born in Freeport, Illinois, July 1, 1852, the son of John and Catherine Ann Elizabeth (Kline) Cool, the father born in New Jersey and the mother in Maryland. They grew up in the East and were married there, and after living for some time in Illinois, came to Jasper county, Iowa, in October, 1853, locating in Clear Creek township, spending the rest of their lives on a farm here, both being now deceased. They were the parents of two children, William H., born January 6, 1850, died at Mt. Pleasant in 1886; and Peter J., of this sketch.
Peter J. Cool grew up on his father's farm and assisted with the general work during his boyhood, attending the pioneer schools in the winter-time. He has met with success in a business way and has secured a competency, and today he is the owner of a number of valuable and desirable residence properties in Baxter besides two hundred and twenty-six acres of good land in North Dakota. At present he represents two fire and lightning insurance companies, the Iowa State, of Keokuk, and the Fidelity Phoenix, of Brooklyn, New York. For thirty-five years he followed carpentering.
Mr. Cool was married on March 27, 1878, to Lusina B. Stone, who was born in Wisconsin, on June 16, 1860, the daughter of R. N. and Emma (Carpenter) Stone, the father born in Pennsylvania and the mother in Ohio.
They came to Iowa in an early day and both died in Maxwell, having attained an advanced age, and they passed from earthly scenes only a few hours apart, being buried in one grave at Collins, their funerals having been held at the same time. Mrs. Cool has two half-sisters, Mrs. Emma Scott and Mrs. Alice J. Kline. The eldest of the second family was Mrs. Cool, of this sketch; Lysander died in infancy; Mrs. Nettie E. Thompson; Charles is deceased; Mrs. Catherine Stevens; Mrs. Audra Ferguson, deceased.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cool have been born six children, all living, named as follows: Mrs. Agnes Workman, born December 15, 1878, is residing in Baxter; Mrs. Leola Allen, born August 2, 1880, is living near Baxter; Mrs. Jennie Goodwin, born January 27, 1882, is living in Independence township, this county; Mrs. Winnifred Curyea, born December 16, 1883, lives at Parker, South Dakota; Mrs. Alphonse Gallager, born August 2, 1887, lives at home; Mrs. Ethel Dodd, born November 30, 1891, is living in Eden township, Marshall county. These children were all born and reared in Jasper county.
Politically, Mr. Cool is a Democrat, and he has been active in local affairs, and has been signally honored by his fellow men. He has been treasurer of the independent school district of Baxter for twelve years; he has been township clerk for six years, also constable for six years, and he was marshal of Baxter for four years. Fraternally, he is a member of Unit Lodge No. 520, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Baxter, and he belongs to Baxter Lodge No. 168, Knights of Pythias. He and four of his daughters belong to the Pythian Sisters of Baxter.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Daughter of Peter J. Cool
Daughter of Peter J. Cool
Pioneers of Clear Creek Township, 1855
Farmer and hotel keeper, Baxter
MELVILLE J. COOL.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Mr. Cnol was born in Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania. August 2, 1854, but the major part of his life has been spent in Iowa, his parents having brought him to Clear Creek township. Jasper county when he was six months old and here he has continued to reside devoting his attention to farming, lie is the son of Abraham and Sarah ( Robbins) Cool, both born in Pennsylvania, and there they grew to maturity, were educated and married, emigrating to Clear Creek township in the early history of Jasper county and they endured the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, developed a good farm, reared their children and died in Clear Creek township, the father on January 9, I (869, and the mother on July 16. 1883, having lived there since 1855. There were five children in their family, namely: Mrs. Hulda Thompson, of Hebron, Nebraska; Mrs. Almeda Dee died in 1906: William, born in 185 1. is residing in Reno. Nevada; Melville J., of this sketch; Frank Curtis is living in Independence township, this county; Josephus and Josephine, twin sisters, died when six months old; Charles Woodward is living in Melbourne, Iowa. The four younger children were born in Clear Creek township in which the subject resided about forty years.
Melville J. Cool was married on November 25. 1877. to Maggie J. Kintz. who was born in Clear Creek township, this county, on July 10, 1864. and here she grew to womanhood, was educated and has always resided. She is the daughter of Commodore P. Kintz and wife, he a native of Summit county.
Ohio, this family being one of the earliest in Clear Creek township. The reader is respectfully referred to the sketch of Commodore P. Kintz, appearing on another page of this work.
Mr. Cool and wife conduct a popular and excellent hotel at Baxter.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Melville J. Cool, named as follows: Ole died when seven months old; Mack G., born on the same farm as was his mother, at Clyde, March 29, 1882, is assisting in the implement business at Baxter; Fred C. was born in Clear Creek township, June 28, 1885, and is working at the barber trade at England, North Dakota; Scott was born in Collins, Story county, March 7, 1888, is residing in Baxter. These children were reared in Jasper county and educated in the local schools.
Politically, Mr. Cool is a Democrat and he and his sons are members of Baxter Camp Xo. 5248. Modern \\3odmen of America, at Baxter.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Farmer and short-horn breeder, Independence Township
FRANK CURTIS COOL,
One of the substantial native sons of Jasper county who has been content to spend his life in his native community is Frank Curtis Cool, a worthy representative of one of our best pioneer families. By close application he established those habits of industry when a boy which insured his success in later years, being able to extend, from time to time, the area of cultivable land and in due time has found his feet firmly planted upon the highway of a fair measure of material success, with a good farm in his possession and many of the comforts and conveniences of life surrounding him. He has always, like his worthy father before him, been deeply interested in whatever tends to promote the prosperity of his township and county and to him as much as any of the men in his community are we indebted for the excellent improvements for which this section has long been noted. He has also, like his progenitors, used his influence in behalf of all moral and benevolent enterprises, being a friend and liberal patron of the church, believing, as do most fair-minded men, that it is the most potential factor for substantial good the world has ever known or ever will know.
Mr. Cool was born in Adamson's Grove, Jasper county, Iowa, On May 16. 1862, and here he grew to manhood, worked on the home farm during his boyhood and received a meager education in the common schools.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops in the early 1900s. We pick up from there and trace your line down to you and back as far as the records go, into a written book with every source cited.
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