Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 249 - 250 & 551-552

ANDREW J. COOK, one of the honored pioneers of Sedgwick County, came to this State in 1870, and pre-empted 160 acres of land on section 14 in Wichita Township. He has been particularly fortunate in his investments, and sold all his land but thirty-seven acres at a very high price, investing the proceeds in dwelling-houses in the center of the city. He carried on agriculture for a few years, but is now retired from active labor, and confines his attention to the investment of his capital and the collection of rents.

      Our subject, a genuine New Englander, was born among the hills of Berkshire County, Mass., on the 17th of October, 1819. His parents, James and Lucy (Tolman) Cook, were also natives of the Bay State, the father a marble-cutter, and one of the finest workmen in the State at that time. He accumulated a fine property, and then took a partner into his business, whose rascality involved the entire loss of the property of Mr. Cook. His last years were spent in Massachusetts. His death, however, took place in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1827. The mother survived her husband a few years, when she too passed away, dying in Erie County, N. Y. She was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church. The parental household included nine children, namely: Franklin, George, Aretia Emeline, Lewis, Eliza A., Henry, Andrew J., our subject, and Perry(twins), and Charles. Andrew, in common with his brothers, lived on the farm and attended the common school, completing his studies in an institution near the city of Buffalo, N. Y. When eighteen years of age he emigrated to Ohio, in company with an elder brother, locating in Clarke County, where he learned the carpenter's trade, and followed this for some years. Later he invented the first grain harvester ever brought to the notice of the public, and which was known as the Atlantic Grain Raker. This patent was issued Nov. 20, 1846. He was, however, swindled out of his letters patent through the rascality of one Morgan, of New York State, who is probably now enjoying the fruits of his ingenuity. Some time after he invented the first harvester to carry the binders. Mr. Cook also invented the Ledger Plates or Mower Guards. This he also parted with for the insignificant sum of $1,000. He also invented the patent Dredge and Freight Boat, and the Electric Telegraph to run on railroad trains, with results similar to those before mentioned, and which is a story too often repeated in the annals of invention--other men having, in the majority of cases, reaped the profits of the brain which brought to the world its most useful machinery.

      Mr. Cook, while a resident of Ohio and when about twenty-seven years of age, was united in marriage, Nov. 24, 1846, with Mrs. Ann E. Stephens, who was born in Greene County, Ohio, and is the daughter of Dr. Robert E. Stephens, of Harrisburg, Pa., a man of fine education and a graduate of one of the Philadelphia colleges. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1796, and after completing his medical studies emigrated to Greene County, Ohio, where he practiced for a number of years, and where he died when thirty-nine years of age. His mother was a descendant of the famous Elder family, well known throughout Pennsylvania as among its earliest settlers. The mother of Mrs. Cook was in her girlhood Miss Rhoda W. Cory, who was born April 11, 1806, in Clarke County, Ohio, and was the daughter of Elnathan and Hannah (Jennings) Cory, who were of English and German ancestry respectively. She was married to Dr. Stephens Oct. 15, 1824, and they became the parents of three children - Elnathan M., Ann E. and Hannah M.

       Mrs. Stephens, after the death of her husband, was married, in 1833, to Mr. David Cross, a millwright by trade, who was born in Eastern Ohio in 1807, and died in February, 1883. Of this union there were eight children born, three of whom died in infancy. Harry C. is a resident of Emporia, this State; Samuel K. and James B. (twins) served as soldiers in the Union army during the late war; the latter was killed at the battle of Resaca, and Samuel is now in Topeka. The other two brothers, Stephen and Thomas, also served in the Civil War, the latter having been a member of the 44th Ohio Infantry; they are now in Topeka. Mary P. died at the age of twelve years. Mrs. Cross is still living, and has now arrived at the advanced age of eighty-two years. She makes her home with her daughter in Topeka. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Cook, David J. Cory by name, was the son of the founder of the town of Finley, Ohio, where David J. spent his last years, and died there at the age of eighty-six.

      To our subject and his wife there have been born the following children: Helen E., Robert S., Emma, William, Elnathan C. and Samuel E.

      As one of the highly respected and useful citizens of this county, we take pleasure in presenting the portrait of Mr. Cook in this volume. As a fitting companion picture we give by its side that of his estimable wife.

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