Sarah Cook 1820 - 1905

WILSON, COOK, MILLS, LINEBECK, HOLLINGSWORTH

Posted By: A.M.W. (email)
Date: 3/3/2006 at 22:56:03

Salem Weekly News - January 5, 1905

Sarah Wilson Cook was born May 24th, 1820, in the state of Indiana, and died December 30th, 1904, aged 84 years, 7 months and 6 days. With her parents, the Hon. Paton Wilson and wife Hannah, she emigrated to Iowa in 1836 and settled on Big Cedar near Salem. This country at that early date was an uncultivated region known as the territory of Wisconsin. The untamed savages had not then taken up their journey toward the setting sun and their wigwams might still be seen on Big Cedar and Skunk river. Her father treated them kindly and was their friend and often acted as mediator between them and white settlers thus settling their difficulties and preserving peace. His motto was, 'Treat the Indians kindly and they would not molest the white settlers.' Her father was quite a prominent man in the different places where he resided and was in the Indiana legislature from Park Co., IN., before coming west, and was twice elected to the Iowa legislature from Henry Co., when that body held its sessions at Iowa City. Here amid primeval surroundings she grew into womanhood and was possessed of a vigorous and robust constitution.

April 29th, 1841, she was united in marriage according to the impressive ceremonies of the Quaker or Friends church, to John Cook, son of Eli and Elizabeth Cook. They lived happily together for almost half a century, when almost without a moment's warning, in 1890, he was summoned to cross the dark river.

They were the parents of eleven children, eight of whom are living, viz., Paton W., Salem, IA.; Eli A., Trenton, Mo.; Samuel W., Macksburg, IA.; Susanah J. and Hannah Elma, Salem, IA.; Ansalom S., Luray, Kansas; Alfred S., Waterville, Washington,and John S., Mt. Pleasant, IA. Besides her sons and daughters she leaves 55 grand and great-grandchildren to mourn her loss, and three sisters, viz., Jane Mills, Page, Neb.; Ursula Cook, Lake City, IA.; and Gula Elma Linebeck, Ophir, Utah. She furnished two sons for the Union Army, Eli A. and Samuel W., and she often told them that it was her prayers to the Lord that brought them home safe and sound from the carnage of battle.

She was reared in strict conformity to the faith of the old time Quakers or Friends, and was one of its first members at Salem, IA., when the church was first organized there. Few of the faithful band of pioneers remain, but their works follow. All of her sons and daughters with the exception of Alfred S. were with her during her last and fatal illness. She was a friend to the poor and needy and as far as lay in her power contributed to their comfort. The weary and hungry traveler never went unfed from her door, she cared for them without price and without pay. Her suffering during the three months of her sickness was terrible, but she bore it with bravery and fortitude and passed away without a struggle. Almost her last words were, 'Jesus have mercy.'

The funeral services took place at the home conducted by the Rev. Jonathan Lee. The pallbears were her five sons and grandson John Hollingsworth. She was buried at the Friends Cemetery, Salem, Iowa.