Peter Cook (1954)

COOK, BOWLES, HADLEY, COLBY, MCNICHOLS, HILL, GOWDEY, WETRICH

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 1/14/2012 at 15:56:14

Earlham Library Obituary Collection
Earlham, Iowa

In 1853 William H. and Keziah Bowles Cook came by wagon train from Indiana and established a home on what is now the C. R. Nolte farm in the Bear Creek neighborhood, the second home to be established on what later came to be known as “Quaker Divide.” Six years later, on September 30, 1859, their youngest son, Peter, was born. Except for 18 months in California and about three years in a nursing home at Dexter, Peter’s entire life was spent in the Earlham and Bear Creek communities.

On April 19, 1887 he was united in marriage to Olive E. Hadley. Five years later he was left a widower with two small children: Tressie R., aged four years, and Chalmer W. aged four months. On December 15, 1895 he was married to Maria E. Colby, a widow with two children: Mayme Z. and Fred E., thus uniting two families where the children grew to manhood and womanhood as one family. It is rather remarkable that though this was a second marriage for both companions they lived together to celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary.

Until 78 years of age Peter Cook was actively engaged in his chosen occupation as a farmer and raiser of livestock. He was a good neighbor, a kind father and husband, an earnest Christian, and a devout reader of the Scriptures. He was reared in a Quaker home. The first public Friends Meeting to be held on “Quaker Divide” was in the home of his father, William H. Cook, who was also the first Clerk of Bear Creek Monthly Meeting. Peter was a birthright member of the Bear Creek Meeting, a membership which he retained throughout his life. As long as health permitted he was faithful in attendance at the services of the church. He and his wife were charter members of the Burden Bearers Sunday School class which was organized in 1914, the first organized class in the Bear Creek Sunday School. Their class motto read: We’re not her to dream, to drift; We have much work to do and loads to lift.

Although he was practically bedfast for the last few years of his life he was cheerful and uncomplaining and never lost interest in the church and community activities. Although he had been in quite poor health, death came rather suddenly on the evening of June 3, 1954 at the age of 94 years, eight months and four days.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Sarah Jane McNichols and Asenath Hill, and one brother, Darius B. Cook. Surviving him are his wife Marie E., four children: Mrs. Tressie Gowdey of Dallas, Texas; Chalmer Cook of St. Charles, Iowa; Mrs. Mayme Wetrich of Whittier, California; and Fred Colby of Ames, Iowa. There are also eight grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, other relatives and many friends.

Gravestone Photo
 

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