In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1825
From History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the Gove (1890)
ILLIAM COOK, a prominent farmer of 11 Lincoln Township, residing on section 27, ( is a native of Prussia, Germany, and was born in March, 1825. He is the son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Castrup) Cook, and remained in the land of his birth until the spring of 1850, when, following in the footsteps of many of his cunntrymen, he crossed the wide ocean, and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. After working there one summer, he went to West Virginia, and a year later to St. Louis, Mo., but not finding what he sought he removed to Grant County, Wis., and engaged in farming on leased land. Li the spring of 1865 he came to Monona County and purchased the place where he now lives, building a cabin on section 27, but was forced to remove it to section 8, by the movement in the current of the river, which cut away part of its bank. This being just at the close of the war, prices were very high, and although the house which he built was but twenty'-four feet square, it cost about 600. This latter he used for some years, after which he erected the new cottage in which he now resides. When he settled here the township was almost uninhabited, there only being one neighbor within a radius of five miles of his place.
In March, 1850, in his native land, Mr. Cook was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Ilillman, but immediately after their union, he started for the New World alone, not having money' enough to bring his bride with him. Three years later she crossed the ocean to rejoin her husband. They were the parents of nine children: Hannah, who died in infancy-; Charles, born March 4, 1854; Anna, May 28, 1856; Louisa, May 8, 1858; Carrie, April 11, 1860; Henry, March 25, 18G2; Willie. January 25, 1865; Ida M., November 21,1867; Lewis. October 11, 1870. Mrs. Cook died September 4. 1888.
As printed in History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the Gove (1890). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1890. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.