Charles Cook

As printed in 1890

Charles Cook is an old resident of the town of Cambridge, and, although he was formerly engaged in harness and saddle-making, he is now giving his attention to the livery business. He is a native of New York, his birth occurring in Lewis County in 1839, and he was the seventh of eight children born to Robert and Catharine Cook, who were natives of Europe, and of Scotch-Irish descent. The father was a farmer by calling, and died in Story County, Iowa, at the age of seventy-nine years, his wife also dying there, aged about seventy years. The names of their children are as follows: Sarah (who died in New York, aged about sixty years), William (who married Miss Rosetta Steele, and was engaged in harness and saddle making in New York for many years), Marie (who is the wife of John De Lawyer, a farmer of Polk County, Iowa), John (who is married to Miss Lucy Sayers, and is following the occupation of a farmer in Story County, Iowa), James (who was a miner in California, and died at about the age of forty-five years), Robert E. (who is married to Miss Nancy Marie Ferris, and is engaged in farming and carpentering in Benton County, Iowa), Charles (the subject of this sketch) and Mary (the wife of A. C. White, a farmer of Kansas). Charles Cook obtained his early training in the common schools, and also took a short course in a select school in New York; and from the time he attained his majority he has always supported and upheld educational interests. He was married in North Carolina, in 1867, to Miss Henrietta Watson, and unto them have been born a family of nine children, six of whom are living: Katie (married to M. M. Keller, a lawyer, of Missouri), Tabitha M. (who died at the age of four years), Charles W. (who lives with his parents in Cambridge, and is engaged in the livery business with his father), John L. (who died at the untimely age of seventeen years, May 13, 1890), Anna Sweet, George Maxwell, Harry M. (who died in infancy), Addah V., and Lizzie May (the baby). Mr. Cook was mustered into the Union service in the fall of 1861, becoming a member of Company D, Ninety-fourth New York Infantry Volunteers, and after fourteen months' service he was transferred to Company M, Fifth United States Cavalry, and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. His regiment took an active part in seventeen engagements, the principal ones being the second battle of Bull Run, Beverly Ford, Falling Waters, Ashby's Gap, Manassas Gap, Front Royal, Gettysburg and Winchester (and witnessed Gen. Phil Sheridan, after his famous ride, rallying his men to victory), Culpeper Court House and Lynchburg, Va. Mr. Cook, with about 900 men, was captured and paroled on the field at Manassas, he being under the command of Gen. Pope at that time. He was present at the Grand Review at Washington, D. C, and returned home with the consciousness of having served "Uncle Sam" faithfully and well. After his three years of enlistment had expired he became connected with the construction party, and remained steadily in the Government employ until the final surrender. He received honorable discharge in the fall of 1864, at Middletown, Va. He received a severe injury, while in the service, by his horse falling upon him but he has never drawn any relief from the Government as yet. At the early age of fourteen years he commenced doing for himself, and was reared to the trade of a harness-maker and saddler, in Jefferson County, N. Y. He emigrated to Story County, Iowa, direct from Raleigh, N. C, in 1870, and although this county at that time offered few inducements to settlers, he located here, and here has since resided, being now the owner of a comfortable home and business. He has always been identified with the Republican party, and his first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. He belongs to Ersland Post No 231, G. A. R., at Cambridge, Iowa, and also belongs to the Masonic fraternity of Cambridge. He and his wife have always been liberal contributors to worthy enterprises, and are highly respected in this community.

As printed in Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa (1890). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.